Oh! For the Love....

The space in my closet where my vacuum USED to live!

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.” – Helen Keller

On December 17, 2009, we were robbed.

Yep, sure enough, in the middle of the day, one week before Christmas, we became one of the thousands of families every year that experience a home invasion.

Invasion is such a perfect word to describe that break in because the thieves didn’t really take anything of real value. (Not that we really own anything of real value cause all of our stuff is just that- stuff.) But you can’t ever retrieve that feeling of security once it is gone. It makes me angry. I have worked hard to make a sure that my family feels safe, particularly in our own home. I understand that safety is just a perception. That it is not reality. But the thought that someone destroyed that perception for my children enrages me.

That is exactly how I felt that night…enraged. My husband kept saying (in front of the policeman no less) “I’m just glad you weren’t home. You would have killed them.” It’s true…I believe I could have hurt someone pretty badly in those moments. Mama was NOT happy!

As we walked about trying to determine what all was missing, Xander discovered his GameCube had been taken (along with the Wii and the PS2). I watched as the emotions flickered across his face: first, anger; then , disappointment; and then, in a flash….compassion.

That’s right. Compassion. In that moment I was so proud of my son and so ashamed of my own heart that I could burst. He looked at me with eyes full of tears and said, “Mom, we should pray for the robbers. If they have to steal stuff for Christmas, then they must not have enough. And if they think it is ok to steal, then they must not have Jesus. That’s the worst part, Mom. We need to pray for them to find Jesus.” Wow….nothing like the child-like love of a seven year old heart to put life in perspective.

As I go through this season, I am humbled and blessed by how my children have responded and dealt with all of this, and I desperately try to hold on to the compassion and love that Xander showed that night for those thieves. It isn’t easy….especially as we are still periodically stumbling on things that are missing. But then I remember my munchkins’ hearts and how we pray for those thieves every night, and I thank God that I was blessed with an opportunity to see Christ’s love in action.

I learned so much from this experience and I am so excited to share it with you. Man, Company Girls has Home Sanctuary rocked this week or what? I am loving the focus on organizing my life and time...I feel more peaceful already! Thanks for connecting today! Oh, and make sure you head on over to www.stringsattachedministries.com to check out a great post about Jesus and the Car wash!