At around 10:45 am this morning I was in Toys R Us shopping for Christmas presents. There were a few things I really wanted to get, but they had sold out of most of them. I was able to find a bike ramp that I knew Daniel would LOVE. The store was very crowded and I could tell it would take me at least half an hour to check out. A strange urgency to leave to store came over me even though I wanted this ramp and a few other things. I left my cart with all the stuff in it at about 11:15 and drove to another store across the street. When I came back from that store, I saw that Toys R Us was surrounded by tons of police, ambulances, fire trucks, and news vans. I called my sister to tell her I had just left a store that was now surrounded and taped off. I was glad I wasn't there.
After I got off the phone with my sister, a woman in line behind me said "the news is saying shots have been fired at Toys R Us and people are dead. No one is allowed to go in or out." As reality sunk in, tears welled up in my eyes and I called my sister back. She, along with my mother who was with her, started choking up as well. We had no idea at this point how many people were injured, what the shooting was about, if it had stopped, etc. I only knew that the Holy Spirit had prompted me to leave and I was spared whatever might have happened be it major (being shot myself) or less major (seeing someone else shot). It took all my strength to not fall apart in the store.
After I was safe in my car, I called my husband and was heaving and sobbing uncontrollably as I told him what happened. I have never felt so close to being in horrible danger as I did today. As the events unfolded the story was told that two women were fighting and the men they were each with shot each other at 11:30. (You can read all about it here.)
Here's something ironic: Guess where my husband was while this was happening.....at Wal-Mart buying ammunition! (Then he went out and bought two new guns!)
Some might say "see what guns do?! They shouldn't be allowed." On the contrary! What if these men had been crazy and started shooting on-lookers randomly. Who would have stopped them? The woman with the nerf gun in her shopping cart? It's our RIGHT to bear arms. The founding fathers weren't stupid men. They knew how important this issue was and would be forever. The right to protect yourself and your family is essential to our freedoms. Should we create a law that says "making a fire is illegal because so many people have died in them?" Do we teach our children to never be around a fire because it's dangerous and can hurt or kill you? At first, yes, we say "don't touch...hot." Then, we eventually teach them how to make one themselves and be around it safely. Guns should be respected just the same. We should teach our children how dangerous they can be and to never touch them at first. Then, when they are old enough, teach them how to use one properly. Yes, people are killed by people with guns, but people are also saved by people with guns. So, you say, "We would be better off if guns didn't exist." God forbid that we should ever get into such a depression that we would have to start hunting for our own food. You'd need a GUN! They're not bad. People are bad.
Today's events reminded me of a song by Amy Grant about how Angels are constantly watching over us. Here are the words...I sang them to myself today through tears:
Take this man to prison, the man heard Herod say, And then four squads of soldiers came and carried him away. Chained up between two watchmen, Peter tried to sleep, But beyond the walls an endless prayer was lifting for his keep. Then a light cut through the darkness of a lonely prison cell, And the chains that bound the man of God just opened up and fell, And running to his people before the break of day, There was only one thing on his mind, only one thing to say:
Angels watching over me, every move I make, Angels watching over me! Angels watching over me, every step I take, Angels watching over me!
God only knows the times my life was threatened just today. A reckless car ran out of gas before it ran my way. Near misses all around me, accidents unknown, Though I never see with human eyes the hands that lead me home. But I know they're all around me all day and through the night. When the enemy is closing in, I know sometimes they fight To keep my fight from falling, Ill never turn away. If you're asking what's protecting me then you're gonna hear me say:
Got His angels watching over me, every move I make, Angles watching over me! Angels watching over me, every step I take, Angels watching over me.... Angels watching over me.... Angels watching over me. Got His angels watching over me, every move I make, Angels watching over me! Angels watching over me, every step I take, Angels watching over me! Angels watching over me, Angels watching over me, Angels watching over me, Angels watching over me!
I am sincerely thankful today for the Angels that were watching over me.
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