AND THE GROUND SHOOK . . . . . . .

EARTHQUAKE AND AFTERSHOCK

This morning I went to work, not really wanting to even get out of bed this morning. I felt it would be the usual day with fellow employees and employers bickering and fighting over the most mundane things. I had a scheduled meeting with a number of the general public around 9 am, but I was busy and missed the start of it. However at 9:08 am while in a discussion with 7 underlings the room began to move or in this case sway, now I am coming down with the cold and I thought that I was getting a dizzy spell but then everyone around me began to run, it was then I realized that an earthquake was in progress. (6.1 magnitude quake, 23 miles nothwest of Trinidad)

The first thing I thought was weather my wife and children were OK and weather the house they were in was going to stand since it was already cracking because of earth shifting. I knew at the same moment that God was going to always be there to protect us and I did not worry anymore about it. I did step outside and was about to call when my wife called at the same time, I felt relief and pangs of wanting to leave work and hug my wife and children. Interestingly enough I was not scared nor did I panic since I felt deep down inside that everything was going to be OK and all of this was due to God.

It was interesting to see the room move, the wall sway and the light fixtures move as though someone was on a swing. The people I was with opened their eyes so wide that I thought they were going to pop out and some did get white as sheets. Outside I heard screaming and some people began to run in panic, my boss did try to calm the situation but when dealing with people who could not even think it was a difficult task. After calling my wife and the reassurance that the four of us were OK I went back to work. Of course there was the usual analyses of the event and discussions on what to do and what not to do.

News cane to us that we should expect an aftershock and at 2:23 pm we did have a strong jolt measuring 5.3. Even though it was not as strong as the first, it did feel as though it lasted longer, I again called my wife and found out that all was well. The usual chatter ensued and people were wondering if this was not a warning from God. At 7 pm the local news reported that many buildings had minor damage and one person fell from a later and died, luckerly not more destruction occurred especially with such a magnitude earthquake.

The thing is warning or not, just knowing that God is there in your life, really makes a person feel secure in knowing that they don't have to worry or panic about anything.