The Ground Shook And Nothing Feels The Same Today

Last evening we were out in the garden doing some planting when we heard something strange, almost like an earthquake, but the air felt strange, as if it was rippling past us.  We looked at the sky, wondering if it was thunder, but no, the radar showed nothing.  I checked to see if it was an earthquake, nothing on the earthquake site.  The phone rang and it was our daughter that lives just down the street, asking if we felt that, and she told us her house shook.  In time we found out it was the explosion in West, TX.  A town we love and go to just about every week. Always stopping at the Czech bakery there.  Watching the news channel proved difficult to watch, they kept reporting on the two big stories, the bombings at the Boston Marathon and West.  Two towns I love.  My "back yard" in both instances.  I grew up 5 miles north of Boston, grew up around the corner from where Krystal Campbell grew up, where her parents live, her mother is "Patty" also.  I have walked past that house many times when I was growing up.   My cousin was watching the marathon just a few miles from the blast, but thankfully  had gone home before the disaster hit.   I feel drained emotionally.  My sense of security shaken, damaged.  Last night while the storms rolled through and the thunder rumbled, I slept.  But my dreams were frightening, I kept hearing loud booms, and in my dream state, people were asking, " what is that, its as though the heavens are at war."  It was not thunder in my dreams but something like the sky splitting open.  A nightmare that the world was coming to an end.  It was every bit as frightening as reading the scenes recorded in the book of Revelations.  In my dream, thousands of military tanks and planes fly past a bit like if a child lines up all his toys, were flying past me against a darkened sky.  War had broken out in North Korea.  Waking up was a relief.   This morning as I watched the news, watched the Interfaith service, the words of comfort were welcome.  It feels like for all of us, our world has changed in a way.  
I had to get up after it was over and go outside.  The cold air that arrived with the storms hit my face and felt like a cool hand on a fevered brow.  I needed to feel the damp cool air, see the bright green grass and see the roses in bloom, hear the birds sing.  I needed to escape seeing the scenes of chaos and pain.  I know we are strong people, and I know that the folks of Boston and the folks in West are made of tough stuff and will get past all this, but I also know that there will always be that hint of reality that stays with us all, knowing that there are no guarantees in life.  Knowing that we now live in a world where our security cannot be assured.  But, I also know that we are a nation that never lets something keep us down.  We are strong, we are brave and we know that we are able to move past nightmares.
God Bless Boston and God Bless West. 
Took a few pictures when I was in West a couple weeks ago.  Such a great little town.

A little p.s. here

I feel no fear on my part ! My faith is strong, just my knees weakened enough to make me fall on them in prayer for those impacted by the disasters that have hit very close to home.