Mama Bear Mode

I must say that today, I'm pretty sure I went into "mama bear mode" or at least "I do not feel safe and don't mess with me mode". It happened when I took the boys (Ian and his 2 cousins) to Toys R Us. We found the items we wanted and were checked out. There was a conversation in the background between two female workers and I was halfway listening. You know that kind of listening. It's going in your ears, but you aren't really paying that much attention to it. I heard them say something about a guy who had asked them for money. I think I also heard the words parking lot. I didn't think much about it. I paid for my things and walked out of the store with the boys. We walked through the parking lot to my van and I unlocked the van. The boys started getting in as I was putting the bag in the back of the van. I was looking at my receipt when all of the sudden there was a man right next to me. I didn't hear him come up at all, he was just there, closer than I liked. He started to say 'excuse me ma'am... That's all he got out of his mouth. I didn't jump or anything, but I was startled and so my response was swift and perhaps strong. I very firmly and not quietly (but not yelling) said "NO! YOU NEED TO GET AWAY FROM ME RIGHT NOW!" Thankfully, that worked and he backed off. Ian hollered out from his seat "Good one, Mom!"
I am still amazed at my reaction to this. Usually, I'm very kind when a stranger asks me something. There was no hesitation in my response, I felt that he needed to get away not only from me, but the boys, too. After he left, I felt a little bit bad about the situation. As a Christian, I want to treat people nicely and with love and compassion. Something about this situation made me feel the need to protect myself and the boys. Maybe it was God protecting us. I have never responded that way so quickly in my life. Usually, I think of what I should have done about 30 minutes later. So, yes, I think God protected us in that situation. Thanks, God! Or as Ian might have put it "Good one, God!"