Lesson Learned

Yesterday I saw my children's lives flash before my eyes.

I had gone to a grocery store by the LPM office so that we could go to lunch with Curtis afterward. However, I neglected to think about the meat, sour cream, and milk in my grocery sacks that wouldn't withstand the heat. I didn't pull into a parking spot when we got to the office since we would just be there a minute. I left the car running in the middle of the lane and just put it in park. I went around to the back to get out the groceries that were in danger of going bad. Curt was going to put them in a refrigerator and then jump in the car with us. As I was handing them over, I saw Jackson sitting in the driver's seat with his hands on the steering wheel. There are no words. I flew over there and grabbed him out of the car before anything happened.

In 20 seconds he had gotten out of his car seat and climbed up there. There are not many disaster scenarios I have not imagined in my mind, but that one beat me to it. I'm not sure how likely it was that he could have gotten his foot on the brake and actually changed gears. But if he had, he would have driven himself and his sister right into someone's back yard or driven backward onto a busy street and then into a ditch. And his seatbelt-less self would have been hit by an airbag. It makes me sick to think about it.

Last night Jackson asked about a cross he saw at a nearby church. That got us talking (very simply) about Jesus, God, and heaven. Then we started talking about angels. He asked things like, "Are angels giant, Mommy?" It never occurred to me until just now that my babies were likely protected by them that very morning. I am a thankful mommy.