U.S.N.

I personally didn't believe that the world would end today.  Although I joked with my husband that I would never have to turn 30 (tomorrow, eek!), I truly never believed any of the hype about the world coming to an end today.

However... Last night around 11:25, I might have given the possibility of the world ending a thought.  Or, at the very least, the world as we know it ending.  Go ahead and laugh; call me crazy.  But last night, if you had been in my shoes, or pajamas, rather, you probably wouldn't be laughing.

I was sitting on the couch, half-asleep, nursing Jack, when all of the sudden the eeriest thing occurred.  It was a U.S.N., an Unidentified Scary Noise.  If it can even be called that.  It was really more of a feeling than a sound.  As I was sitting on the couch with Jack, I felt my house literally quiver.  And, while my house quivered, I could hear the windows rattling.  It only lasted a couple of seconds, but it was long enough to completely freak me out!

I immediately started praying, begging God to keep my children safe.  I really thought that what I heard, or felt, was a bomb.  That we were being attacked by terrorist.

After it happened, I sat on the couch, stunned.  I kept waiting for Chuck to come in the living room, but after what seemed like an hour he still didn't come.  I got up to go into our bedroom and get him, but he met me in the kitchen.  In reality, it was only a few seconds after the actual U.S.N. happened that he came rushing in, asking if I heard THAT.

We tried to figure out what was going on; he even went outside with his gun to check things out, but we weren't able to.  I was too afraid to even look out the window!  Chuck suggested thunder, but my gut instinct was that it was most definitely NOT thunder.  I told him I thought it was an explosion somewhere.  Or, possibly a military plane that flew over, really, really low.  But I was certain that it was not thunder.

After a few minutes of trying to figure it out, we decided to turn on the police scanner just to see if they were talking about it.  Thank goodness they were.  And, come to find out, it was an explosion!  There is road work going on not far from our house and part of that work included blowing up a bridge that was no longer safe.

But, even though I knew what it was and that it was an explosion in a controlled environment, I couldn't shake the fear that I felt.   I laid awake in bed for a while thinking about this incident.  And, I began to think of the people in other countries where explosions happen on a regular basis.  I just can't imagine.  I can't imagine the fear that they live with, wondering if the next one will be the last for them, for their children and other loved ones.

I fell asleep last night praying for the people who experience these things.  Praying that God would bring peace to their hearts.  And, also, thanking God that my children don't live in a place where explosions are a regular part of life... which is something I don't thank HIM enough for.

So, with my thirtieth birthday just hours away, I think I will make a list of (at least) 30 things I am thankful for.

What are some things that you are thankful for?