Preserved!

O Trinity of love and power!

Our family shield in danger’s hour;

From rock and tempest, fire and foe,

Protect us wheresoever we go;

Thus evermore shall rise to Thee

Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

We had more excitement than we planned on the 4th this year!

The Lord enabled us to visit our favorite spot - Hal's family's lake house on the 4th of July on the way back from a customer visit. We had a wonderful 4th of July dinner of hotdogs, fried chicken, and baked beans, then walked out on the dock to enjoy the evening. It was a beautiful site on the lake - there were hundreds of boats out - with their running lights they looked like lightening bugs (fireflies for you yankees out there). It was a very clear night and the fireworks from the military Recreation Area and the Sailing Club were gorgeous. We all sat quietly out on the dock and sang patriotic songs as we watched the fireworks. It sounded great out there on the water.

As the fireworks came to a close, Hal started telling the boys stories of patriotic heroism. Right at the climax of a story about the Navy Seals, "Crunch. Crack! Gloosh!" The dock collapsed under us and left us all in the water. I yelled, "The baby!" Hal shouted back, "She's safe! I've got her!" and I shouted, "Sound Off!" The boys, all trained to call out their names in order of age (we do that whenever we start the van to leave somewhere), called out their names. All safe! David started crying and I said, "Are you hurt?" "Well, no." he said and stopped crying :-)

Caleb had been standing at the far end of the deck, where it collapsed most completely and had gone down all the way to his mouth, then clinged to the boards as the water was over his head at that point, and he wasn't able to get out immediately. Hal was between me and Caleb. Matthew and Samuel were close to the end that still clung to the boards of one side (thankfully next to the pier part). They climbed up to a safe part and then came down to lift and carry their younger brothers out. When they got out safely, they came back for Susannah. She didn't want to leave our arms, but was very thankful to get back on dry land! Then they helped me out and Hal was able to help Caleb climb out. Hal, our captain, was the last to leave the danger zone!

When we got back to the house, we prayed and thanked God with all our hearts that he had preserved us all! It was pitch dark, and hard to see, we were fully dressed, and with the boards breaking, it would have been very easy for someone to have been dragged under. God was so merciful to us!

When everyone had put on dry clothes, we all cuddled up and took turns telling "our stories". It was a blessing to hear the love and concern each of the children had for each other. Hal and I were both incredibly proud of our children. The boys each "played the man" by being calm and courageous to keep from panicking, and to work to get their family safely out of trouble.

About the dock: it turns out the two joists that have supported the middle of the deck for 25 or more years rotted out of the pilings and just fell out - you can see the rotted wood for about 12 inches where they were "attached" - looks like a pile of punk, not a piling! Part of the reason this thing has rotted is the county's ridiculous rule that you can only improve your lake property by 10% a year without an outrageously expensive permit. Hello, county council, not everyone that has lakefront property is rich, sometimes they've just had it a long time.

And so, it was a very memorable 4th of July, and the biggest fireworks were in our hearts as we realized God's mercy and favor to us.