Guns, Angels, and Wal-mart

Despite our fascination with guns and shooting people,
there are angels that live at my local Wal-mart.


Imagine this.
I am pushing a cart with three energetic boys crammed inside of it.
Somehow I got them to all fit.
"Baby munchies" motivate my preschooler and toddler to do anything.


I am running to grab those vital items that necessitated a trip in the first place.
I know that I only have approximately 100 munchies.
Which equates to two minutes.
If I am lucky.

I know that once the baby munchies run out, the big boys are going to want to walk, run, or worse... play guns with the items stowed in the grocery cart.


Running,
I arrive to the photo center.
Long line.
Dang it.


Soap dispensers and drawer-liners transform into guns.
The two older boys are shooting people.
Colton is trying to eat the germ infested cart.
gross.


I do not know how.
Why or when.
But somehow everything revolves around guns at our house.
I am clueless as to where this obsession originated.


I grab my photos and we are off.
Quietly, I yell at the boys when they start shooting down the senior citizens walking past us.
The many discussions, lessons, and bribery are apparently not working.
How loud is too loud to discipline your kid in a public setting?


Colton is screaming out of frustration.
He wants to eat that cart so bad.
I am raising my voice at the boys.
They are still "play shooting" down innocent victims.


Luckily, lines are short.
We walk up to check out, but my cart is full of boisterous boys.
Then, like magic, this elderly gentleman appears.
He asks to talk to the boys.


He instantly silences them with discussions about age.
Conner is obsessed with how old he wants to be.
Even Colton stops trying to eat the cart to poke the man's belly and smile wide at him.
I take a deep breath and pay for my items - scream free.

Amazing.

I thank the man.

But how can you really say "thank you" to someone who just performed a major miracle?


We walked out of the store.
Guns gone.
Interest in eating the cart gone.
Wow.


Truth is, this is not the first time angels have helped me at Wal-mart.
There have been multiple soon-to-be-grandpas who have stopped to help me.
I am convinced that there are angels at Wal-mart.
And I am so grateful to them.

I am so grateful for the many silent prayers that have been answered.

God is so good.