It's been a while since I posted, but I had to share a story about a recent home school field trip my boys and I took.

Last week, our local L.E.A.H. group took a trip to a field campus that teaches participants what life was like during the 1800's.  Our group learned how to track animals by following their tracks and droppings.  It was a lot of fun taking our hike through the woods, and exploring all the wonderful things God has created.  Next, we learned some orienteering.  We had a great time learning how to use a compass, and work through a course using our new found skills.  Our final experience of the day was to do homestead cooking.

All was going well as the children helped combine the ingredients to make gingerbread in the old woodstove.  As the bread was put in the stove to cook, our group leader showed us how to clean and prepare lamb's wool for spinning.  Everyone was having a wonderful time.

While the guide was demonstrating how to use the spinning wheel, we heard a loud "bang!", as if someone had dropped a bowling ball.  I thought (as did the others) that a child had knocked something off a table.  After a moment, we heard another "BANG!", at which point I was searching the floor for the dropped object.  Soon after, we heard a crackling sound, at which point the floor caved in under us!

There was panic and pandemonium, and moms were racing to pull their children to safety.  It's amazing how many thoughts can run through your mind in a moment's time.  "Will we fall 2 feet or 20?  Is someone going to die?  Don't let the children touch the woodstove!  Is the whole building coming down?"  It was all a blur, but God was in control, protecting us.

After the dust settled, and I found my children, I was amazed at what I came to realize had happened.  First, the floor only fell about 3 feet, but the bookcases had caved in on us, dropping heavy pottery, and almost knocked the woodstove into the pit (which would have caused a house fire).  As I was tending to a young lady who had burned her hand on the stove, there was so much more going on in the house.

My oldest son (10) had grabbed his younger brother (7) to keep him from falling into the open fireplace.  Another mother grabbed my oldest, her son grabbed her, and his friend grabbed him, forming a human chain.  None of these children were over the age of 13, yet, their first response was to help each other!  Instead of running for their lives, they were concerned with the safety and welfare of those around them.

It will forever be etched into my memory that these young boys behaved like brave men.  I praise God for the brotherhood and character these children have been taught.  I believe it has, in large part, something to do with the fact that they are home, and being trained up in the way they should go.  It is a rarity to see others show such selflessness in this self-serving, self-preserving world we live in.  I am sure that their actions were a testimony to those running the facility and program.

By the way, would pray for one mother who is having difficulty dealing with the incident?  Her two daughters were most affected by this situation.  One burned her hand on the woodstove, and the other had been pinned under one of the bookcases for a few minutes.  Neither was seriously injured, but the emotional trauma goes a little deeper.

Praise God, it could have been worse.  The woodstove was one plank away from falling into the hole.  It had twisted and turned, but it was like God's hand just held it in place.  

May we all hug our loved ones a little tighter, and appreciate every day we are given with them.