Tender Mercies

I know, I know. This picture is not nearly as lovely as other recent pictures. But it is much more important to me. This picture reminds me that I have much to be grateful for.

I came in from the car the other day and, just like I always do, hit the garage door button to close the garage door as I came into the house. The garage door is always noisy--it's 20+ years old and creaks, wails, and protests as it closes. On this day, though, there was another loud noise--more like a crash. My first thought was that one of the kids had left their bikes parked too close to the door and that was the crash. But when I peered back outside there was nothing under the door. So I left it, and forgot about it.

Later, when Russ got home, he asked me when the door had broken. He then pointed out what had happened--and what that loud crash was. One of the huge springs that keeps the door from just crashing down to the floor had somehow come off of the framework. The loud crash I'd heard was that spring flying through the air and hitting something--very hard.

All I could think was that if it had hit me, I would be dead or really really hurt. But then I realized--I'm always halfway into the house when I close the door. I probably would have been ok. But I often close the door when there's a child somewhere in the garage. What a scary thought. And a good reminder to me to give thanks for all of the protection that we receive that we're never aware of...