Out in Force

Well today was a little more exciting than I would have liked. It started like any other Tuesday - I was at church in a mentoring session when I got a call from the school that there was an armed robbery in town and the kids were being held in school longer unless I wanted to come pick them up. 

This freaked me out enough and I decided to go pick up my kids - first my son from kindergarten and then my daughter in 4th grade. I was just going to stop home quickly to get my kids' piano books and then head out of town to my mom's. But... when I got home my front door was wide open. Now on a day that you know an armed robber is on the loose this is not a sight you want to see. I called my mother-in-law over and she enlisted the help of some men who were cutting down a tree in our neighborhood - they looked through the house quickly and said the back door was open too. 

At this point we call the cops and the cops tell everyone to get out of the house and go next door, so that is what we do. I see a cop car round the corner - then another - then another - until there are 5 or 6 cop or trooper cars rushing down my street with their lights on. It was all very surreal. The cops then surround my house with their guns - they go into the house and search it - looking in every cupboard, under each bed, and in each closest. They don't find anything in the house except for a package from UPS by the front door. What a great day for UPS to come put a package inside my door and leave the door open!! 

Lesson #1 - always lock your door, even if you think you live in a relatively safe little town. We only had one house key so I didn't have one, but I guarantee we will be making one tonight. Lesson #2 - If you work for UPS or Fed Ex or any place like that never open someone else's door and certainly don't leave it open, especially in a town that has an armed robber on the loose!! 

So that was my excitement for the day - and I think I am set for a while. I am ready for a nice, quiet, uneventful rest of the week please. 

I was pretty impressed by how quickly the cops responded though and with such force. I know I was already praying my whole way home to go pick up my kids. I am still not sure why our back door was open or if it ever really was.. But I do know one thing: My God was protecting me and my family. 

Psalm 91:9-11 promises "If you make the Lord your refuge if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you, no plague will come near your home. For He will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. " 

As quickly as the cops responded when we called earlier my God's response is even quicker and the force he brings with him is even greater! He has an army of angels he sends to protect us and keep us - and they protect us numerous times a day - many of which we may never even realize there was danger near. I am so thankful for that protection today! As the song says, "I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind - the God of angel armies is always by my side." 

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