Who’s Watching the Pot That Boils?

Over the course of my life, there have been several occasions where I have been acutely aware of something very bad almost happening.  This morning, I experienced it again.  Every time it happens, I have questions.  Was it coincidence?  Was I lucky?  Blessed?  Miraculously spared?  If so, why me and not others?  Why this time?  Can I expect it every time?

Last night, I set the coffee maker to make coffee automatically at 6:10 AM this morning, which it did.  Typically, when the alarm goes off around 6AM, I hit the snooze and sleep in until after 6:30 or so.  But not this morning.  I got up, poured a cup of fresh coffee, then set the pot back on the warmer, which stays on for 2 hours.  I sat down in the next room and started sipping my coffee.

A few minutes later, I heard a popping sound coming from the kitchen and decided to get up and investigate.  I found the coffee boiling.  I quickly snatched it off the warmer, then reached to turn the off switch.  The power light was already off.  Still, the warmer glowed brighter red as acrid smoke started spilling out from its plastic frame.  I yanked the plug just in time to prevent a melt down, and quite probably, a flame up.

With the  crises averted, I thought of all the times I slept late while the coffee sat on the warmer.  I thought about the times we had left the house, perhaps rushing to church with the warmer on, trusting in the technology to turn it off after two hours.  I thought about all the times when something really bad could have happened, but didn’t.  I can’t explain why more people aren’t saved from more disasters.  What I can say, is I think more people are saved from more disasters than they will ever know.