It had been such a fun vacation. We were camping in a campground on the beach
in Panama City and had enjoyed early morning walks picking up sand dollars and
pretty shells. The girls had gathered up buckets of beautiful remembrances of
fun in the sun to take back to Arkansas with us.
“How ‘bout we go somewhere to eat instead of eating in the
trailer, Mom? “suggested Daughter # 1.
“Yea, Mom, let’s do it.” chimed in Daughter # 2.
“Girls, you can bet that’s fine with me. Just go ask your Dad if he’d like to do
that.”
So, out the trailer door they went in search of their
Dad. In a bit, the three of them came in
and were in agreement that a restaurant meal would be a nice change. We all cleaned up a bit; washed the sand from
our feet, found our shoes and climbed into the station wagon in search of a
good seafood restaurant.
We hadn’t gone far until we saw a nice looking restaurant on
the right. Dad slowed down and pulled in
the parking lot. After surveying the
number of cars there and being pretty hungry, we decided to drive on and find
another restaurant that wasn’t so full. We found a nice looking one down the
road a ways. Dad again pulled into the parking lot, the girls scrambled out and
we all went inside anticipating shrimp, crab cakes and all sorts of other fishy
delights. In less than an hour, the meal was finished and we climbed back in
the station wagon and headed back to our camping site.
As we approached the first restaurant we had come to
thinking we might eat there and realizing the wait would be long, there were
six or so patrol cars with lights flashing and policemen with guns drawn. We
slowed down taking in the excitement and then travelled on. The next morning, we discovered what had
occurred. It seemed a very distraught husband had entered the restaurant where
his wife worked, shot her to death, and continued to shoot up the place
injuring several other people.
God had once again protected our little family and we
thanked Him for that.
How many times does God protect us and we never realize
it. How often are we just feet away from
an accident on the highway. As I read
today of a man who was shot randomly while driving down a street in a city in
another state, I realize that could have been the next vehicle rather than his
or the vehicle in front of him. We all
hear of teachers being shot by students for no apparent reason. Why God protected other teachers and not those
who were killed is not for us to know. But, we know that we should thank Him
each day that we live for His hand of protection that is on us.
“My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the
horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from
violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved
from my enemies.” 2 Samuel 22:3-4
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