Smack Dab in the Middle of A Manhunt!

Fireman Sam isn't the only one in the family to have all the excitement!

Little did we know that an innocent trip to the library in the middle of town would land us right smackdab in the middle of a real, live manhunt complete with police and guns and blockades! 

Late Friday afternoon after chores at the neighbors were done, I was taking the children to the library. There we were, driving down Union Avenue toward the library when we saw there were two police cars over in the right hand turn lane. No big deal, but as we approached the traffic light, Timmy spotted three police creeping around the corner of the building next to our street, and they had guns drawn! Then we saw another police car on the street to the right, and another over on the street to the left, blocking the lane of traffic coming onto our avenue. As we sat there at the light, we saw that inside the glass door of the apartment building to our right was yellow crime scene or caution tape. And a police was running up the hill right beside us! It felt kind of eerie. I wondered if bullets were going to start zinging by our van! 

 

 The light turned, and we went on to the library. After we parked, we could see more and more police cars arriving on the streets. I called Jonathan to see if he had heard anything on the radio, and he hadn't but he felt we should move on out of there! It didn't sound good. Reluctantly, we left our beloved library, and went down over the hill to a store, Big Lots, where I thought we could hang out for half an hour till the excitement toned down.

Well, as we went around the curve and down the hill toward the store, there were two MORE police cars blocking the opposite lane and making people detour. As we passed them, the police were hurriedly pulling on bullet-proof vests and swinging out their rifles. I had a hard time making a left turn into Big Lots because of backed up traffic. The children begged to park where they could watch what was going on. So I did, wondering when the bullets would start flying! There we sat, watching, as sets of police cars kept arriving on scene, being directed one way or another by the blockading police. I shopped a while at Big Lots, which was a huge disaster because of how much money I spent on bargains. As I checked out, I asked the clerk if he knew what was up and he said there had been a shooting, and the shooter was on the loose. The clerk said he got nervous every time a new person came in the door! He told me an alternate way to get out of the parking lot so I wouldn't have to go out on Union, and I decided this was not the day to go to the library! We found our way out and came home where there was a hot supper of pork and veggies right out of the crockpot.

I know, that's the wrong picture, but it was the closest I could come to in my repertoire!
My brother Elon acted quite disappointed that I hadn't taken any pictures of this exciting event!
I can't believe I didn't think to take pictures!

Meanwhile, in town, the manhunt continued. We read that when the police had responded to a domestic violence call, the police had been shot at, and returned fire, but no injuries were reported. The shooter was still on the loose, and people in the area were being told to stay inside, lock their doors and stay away from windows.

And here we had been right smack dab in the middle of it just before they shut down the streets around there! Praise God for His protection, and that the next day the shooter was peacefully taken into custody with no further shooting or damages.

That same week Sam had to attend firefighters training at a couple local schools, for preparedness in case of emergency.As the world goes to pot around us, we have to look more and more often

to Jesus for our security and our fortress and our Rock.

Right in the middle of troubles all around us, and sometimes right in the middle of our own troubles,
"There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God,

a place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.

Oh, Jesus, blest Redeemer, sent from the heart of God.

Hold us Who wait before Thee near to the heart of God."

Just as our mama dog lay curled up sleeping peacefully in front of our woodstove while family life buzzed about her, we have a safe place to which we can run to find rest in life's turmoil--

near to the heart of God!