God Answers Prayers (Even Dumb Ones)

I should be working right now, but I just had to get it out.

Last night, I awoke at 2:50am to a very strange, but strong odour. I walked out of my bedroom and discovered that it smelled like eggs. At first, I thought that maybe my dad was making his usual late night snack with boiled eggs, but just when I was about to turn back into bed, I remembered that my dad doesn't like eggs. With a jolt, I realized that it could be the smell of rotten eggs, or leaking gas. I walked around and I could smell the egg smell throughout the house, which only confirmed my suspicions.

At first, I didn't know what to do. D said that he would teach me where to turn off the gas and water at my house, but I don't know where to do it at my parents' house. I took a look in the room where the furnace and water tank were located, but I couldn't really figure out what to do in there. Then I rushed through my house, checking up on my parents and sister to make sure they were all breathing. I thought maybe I was wrong and I went to back to bed. I was exhausted, but I was paranoid about falling asleep and never waking up. I could see headlines "Family of Four Found Dead." I started to sing, "Now I lay me down to sleep/I pray the Lord my soul to keep/And if I die before I wake/I pray the Lord my soul to take."

Suddenly, I realized that small birds and other small pets were the most vulnerable to harmful chemicals, so I rushed downstairs to check up on my hamster. I flicked on the lights and there she was, standing on top of her wooden bridge, her bright eyes reflecting the glow of the light. I still was unsure of the situation.

So, I went to wake up my sister. Unfortunately, she had a stuffy nose, but she came out into the hallway to sniff the air and indeed she smelled egg odour, too. However, she was convinced that it was ok; she thinks the smell is possibly a skunk.

I, on the other hand, am still skeptical. I sat down on my bed, unwilling to sleep. Why this skepticism? I'm not sure, but I couldn't really lie back down to sleep, as fatigued as I was. My sister sat down beside me, put her hand on my shoulder, and then prayed. She prayed that God will protect our family while expressing her trust in the Lord and thanking Him for the protection that he has provided us so far.

No sooner had we said Amen, we noticed a light in the hallway. My sister opened my door all the way and my mom was standing at the end of the hallway. I asked her if she could smell the odour and she said it was what woke her up. When I asked her if she thinks it's leaking gas, she immediately replied, "No. I walked by a Terasen demonstration at UBC today and I know what the gas would smell like and this is not it."

What a relief! My mom is usually right (like most moms) and she was very firm about her answer. I fell into my bed and instantly drifted off to sleep.

This morning, the smell went away and we still don't know what caused the smell. But, one thing I'm sure of is God's power. He answered our prayers, as insignificant as it seems because I'm a worry wart about everything anyway. I wonder if He did it because He was trying to show how foolish I am or how I worry too much. He's telling me to trust in Him. Time and time again, God has shown me how faithful He is in all things, big or small. He is omniscient; He knew I would worry about this mystery smell, so he set it up in a way where my mom learned to identify leaking gas smell. I can't figure it all out, but I don't have to. I just have to know that God is there for me and He is in control.

What an amazing God we have!