A Wake-Up Call

This morning it was pouring rain.  When this happens our street and part of our yard floods outside of our house.  So today I put the kids in the car and drove them to the corner to wait for the bus.

While we were sitting in our car a police car drove by.  We turned around in our seats to see where he would go.  He stopped where the water began to flood the street, parked, and started walking across our muddy grass.  He was walking to our front door.

A different kind of flood started happening--a flood of fear.  All I could think was that he was there to tell me Bill didn't make it to work.  Or that Billy's and Mary Kate's bus had an accident.

I quickly got the kids out of the car.  I asked Tommy and Ann to wait at the corner for the bus while I took Matt with me and started walking toward our house.  It was the longest 30 seconds walk.  In that time I was trying to figure out how to handle bad news in front of the children.  I wondered how the Sandy Hook Elementary parents felt this time last Friday waiting to hear about their loved ones.  I wondered how I would pull off Christmas.  I thought of my last encounters saying goodbye to them this morning.

The policeman walked up to me with a smile.  That is when I breathed again. Everyone was fine.  He was only there to inquire about the flooding because a neighbor had called about not being able to drive through it.

I have been thinking about it all day.  Does my family know I love them?  Does God know I'm thankful for them?  I remembered a quote I read on one of my favorite blogs that said,

photo credit

Powerful, isn't it?

This morning, like that quote, is a real eye-opener.  A reality check to be ever present in my relationships, both with God and my family and loved ones.