a horrible way to start the day

I had a horrific experience one morning this past week. I woke up, used our bathroom, and walked past our bedroom window. My foggy eyes caught a glimpse of a man looking up to our open window. We didn't find out until a few hours later that a meter reader had been to the house. The meter is by our bedroom window. Thankfully Jon had the presence of mind to call the power company and inquire if one had been to our address. Even so, how it played out didn't add up. After replaying the whole scene with Jon later that day, the only plausible conclusion we could come to is that the meter reader guy heard me in the bedroom and couldn't resist the temptation to peer up in hopes of getting a free show.

The meter is surrounded by bushes in our very private backyard, and quite close to the window. Thankfully the window is too high to just stand and look directly into. I saw that face of his just beyond the bushes, and immediately got out of view as I gasped internally, and then heard nothing. You can't leave the meter without making noise walking through the bushes. Fortunately for him, there's too much room for error on my part to report it.

Because of a previous personal experience, I was traumatized. Because of a previous personal experience, I was shaking like a leaf. I don't know why, but to my eyes he had a sinister look on his face. It was like a living horror movie. I cried. I hated that. I hated feeling afraid. I thought I was tougher than that. In reality I guess we're all vulnerable to being exploited by those who would take advantage of a situation. It made me realize that there's always room for more healing, strength and courage in our lives. We'll never stop needing God's protection, or his rescuing.

(The fact is I am a lot stronger than I was a year ago, and in so many ways. I don't think the enemy likes it when we find new levels of strength, and begin to be set free from seemingly ancient fears. All of this makes me think that whatever really happened that day, it was meant to knock me down a notch or two. In the end, it didn't.)