All Shook Up

A coworker witnessed a robbery take place across the street today.  Two men broke into a house and stole a tv and possibly more.  It shook her up a bit.  Hopefully our fast acting police force will catch them and the people will get their property returned unharmed.

This situation reminded me of something that happened years ago.  Charles, Chuck and I decided that our southern style potatoes sounded good for dinner.  I started pulling the ingredients together and realized that I was missing just one ingredient, the cream of chicken soup.  I put on my shoes and ran across the street to the little convenience store to grab the soup.  Chuck was just a little tot, about 3½ years old at the time.  He and Charles stayed at the house to continue their Super Mario competition.  As I rounded the corner a young man was walking toward me to enter the door of the store.  I didn't really pay attention to him as we walked in together.  I headed straight to the aisle where they kept the small supply of grocery items.  I was focused on finding that soup and getting back to the house and wasn't really paying attention to the others in the store.  My concentration was broken when I realized someone was yelling.  As I turned toward the counter I saw the young man who entered the store with me, holding a gun and yelling at everyone in the store.  It was as if time stood still and all noises became distorted.  He was holding up the store and telling everyone to go to the back and get in the bathroom.  It felt like I stood there forever before my legs would cooperate taking me to that small, crowded room.  My larger than usual tummy brushed the shelf as I turned  for you see, my sweet little angel was growing inside of me.  I was in the last term of pregnancy with my precious Becca.  Several people squeezed into the tiny space.  There was a young boy, probably 8-10 years old, I remember him standing there so strong.  He didn't seem scared at all.  It made me wonder what things he had witnessed in his few years on this earth.  The next person was a young man in his late teens or early twenties.  He had a look of concern on his face and seemed a little bit anxious.  I bet he was going over different scenarios in his head, trying to determine whether he should try to act to prevent this or just be still and wait.  That seemed to be his struggle.   The next person was an older gentleman, my guess is he was in his 60's.  He was calm and patient as we waited.  I can't recall if there were more in the room with us - but that brings me to me.  I stood there looking at each of the faces in the room that day with tears streaming down my face.  I can't tell you now all the thoughts that went through my mind in those few minutes that seemed like an eternity.  I know I prayed.  I prayed that I would not die that day.  I wanted to have my Becca and hold her close, I wanted to return to my wonderful husband, and sweet young toddler who were just across the street laughing and playing with no idea what was going on just a few hundred feet away.  I wanted to live and wanted those in that small room to live too.  We heard a young lady call to us and ask if we were ok.  It was the wife of the young man standing beside me.  They hugged and cried and were so thankful to be in each others arms unharmed.  We all looked at each other in a daze, in shock and hardly believing what had just occured.  Praise the Lord, no one was harmed.  The police arrived soon after and took our statements.  They believed it to be a gang initiation.  The burglar had only taken a few cigarettes and lottery tickets.  He dropped several bullets on the floor, maybe from his lack of experience with his gun, or from the rush of getting in and out of the store.  As soon as the officer took my statement, I headed home to the open arms of my two men.  They could hardly believe what I told them and were like me - so extremely grateful that the Lord protected me and our sweet little angel - Becca Jean!