"When the police come....it's NEVER a good thing!"

My goal in every story I bring is to share a form of encouragement with each reader who may stop by. Sometimes that encouragement may be sprinkled heavily throughout my story or other times spotty. . .here and there. . .maybe a little more here than there. Hopefully though. . .it shows itself however hard you may have to look to see it. :)

As the title states: "When the police show up. . .it's NEVER a good thing" and that is O SO true.

I begin my story with saying It REALLY does matter what you put on the night before, when you go to bed, because you just may have to go and be seen in it the following morning. Not a fun thing I will tell you. : P

This past Wednesday morning, at about 6:00am, I was woke up out of a sound sleep by my door bell ringing repeatedly as well as hard knocking. David had recenlty left for work, Heather was out for the night and Levi was sound asleep in his room. As I jumped from the bed my mind was racing with who and what was on the other side of that door! I knew that Heather had not been feeling well the evening before. She had even thought she was going to pass out she felt so sick. I imagined it was someone bringing her home because she was too sick to drive herself and they didn't know how to get in the house. As I looked out the window I could only see headlights. I answered the door with a pounding heart only to have it beat twice as hard when I saw what was standing before me. . . a policeman. He was there with the neighbor from behind us and neither appeared to be in the friendly sort of way. . . mainly because they weren't. You can only begin to imagine what thoughts were racing through this little mind of mine at this time!

The policeman spoke up and said something like "Well, I wouldn't be here if I didn't have a good reason to be." Hmmm....so very profound he is. And your reason is?? He then proceeded to tell me that I have two dogs in this neighbor's backyard. I knew then where this was headed, or so I thought. This wasn't the first time my neighbor had been upset because of a DUMB pit bull my daughter brought with her when she moved back home. Shiner (the dog) had broke through once before and terrified them. The neighbor had said he wanted to shoot him, but didn't because his wife begged him not to. He stated that should it happen again he would indeed shoot him. Well, it did happen again and guess what?? He didn't shoot him....again. Same scenario played out with his wife. This time though they decided to get the police involved. Meanwhile, my other dog who is much more tolerable is drowning in their pool. Nice huh.

You see we have NO idea whatsoever how long these two were in this backyard and how long this poor exhausted dog had actually swam around their pool with no way out. We have theories, but no real answers. We do know it happened sometime during the night and we do know it didn't make for happy neighbors when they let their poodle out in the morning. As I was listening to the police and neighbor talk to me I could only think "What am I gonna do and why can't David be here?" They told me then that I needed to come NOW as in NOW right NOW and nothing else but NOW. They misled me (because they didn't know better) and told me my oldest dog was half dead and they weren't helping her because they were scared Shiner would bite them. We had 3 dogs by the way. They insisted that I come at that moment that I left my front door wide open, in my pj's that I don't gladly wear among the outer lying population, and my son sleeping unaware of anything whatsoever. As I did so, I followed the neighbors and police around the cul-de-sac to the street behind us, through the neighbor's house and into their backyard. First thing at hand, go get my poor dog out of the pool. It was then that I saw it was the middle dog, Lacie. She was so scared out of her mind with exhaustion that she acted like she didn't even know me. She begin growling at me and they were all standing back saying franctically "She's gonna bite you...she's gonna bite you!" At that point in time I did not care....I mean c'mon people....really?! My goal was to rescue the giant fur ball of dog who on a dry day probably weighs 65lbs but on a wet day like NOW...weighs at least 75lbs. I tugged and pulled her and out she came. Later we would see that all that bleeding come from her was a result of her literally scraping her nails down to nothing at all trying her best to claw her way out. Meanwhile, scared neighbors along with scared police start saying where is Shiner?!?! Ah, Shiner enters scene. I will tell you that all their scaredness and shouting only made things made things more unmanagageable. Shiner may have barked a few times and walked their way, but he was never once menacing and charging them. They started telling me to take the animals home. . . well I certainly would have COULD I have. The only cooperation I received in the neighbor's assistance was that they provided me a nice thin little leash to try and coax a very STRONG pit bull home along with my other dog in tow. They were so scared out of their minds (I guess I don't really blame their scaredness) but there was never really a threat to any of them. I tried putting the leash on the dog and he was too hyper and not allowing me to. At that time they had all ran in the house. They stuck their head out and said just leave the dogs there and come in....you can't handle them. I had struggled and was getting no where good. With all this surprise, confusion, embarrassment OF BEING HALF CLOTHED and unknowing of HOW IN THE WORLD was I gonna handle this alone....my emotions began to fall apart....and believe me.....that doesn't happen in general with me. I mean anyone who gets woke up, thinks her daughter is either sick or DEAD because a police is standing on your doorstep, and then having people say stuff like "Come now...hurry....do this do that....ok stop....forget it....we're calling the pound." who isn't gonna fall apart I tell ya??!!??! And the more I fell apart the more I couldn't get a hold of myself. At that point the police said "Mam, you need to calm down." To which I think, yes that would be a lovely thing to do...IF I could. I told them one of the reasons I was letting it all catch up with me was for the fact of thinking Heather was not good or worse. That got them to thinking....yeah...this couldn't have been a good situation for me to be in.

The police began asking me for all kinds of info at this time....even down to David's DL# (yeah like I know that!) his social security number (I did know that one) birthday, phone number and such. Heck, I don't even know my SS# when he asked for mine....WHY would I? I'm a housewife for almost 23 years...like I'm gonna need that! Ok....get off my box here. : P The neighbor handed me his phone and asked if I wanted to call David. I did but my fingers were so shaking. David wasn't available so I leave him this pathetic message and starting to cry again at the end. All he knew by the time he listened was something about his wife and the neighbors. . .and then there was a lot of background unfamiliar voices that he could hear. Nice way to have your husband hanging. As they stood there and talked among themselves how that Animal Control offices run bankers hours, I decided I had to do something. I was tired of standing there, in a neighbor's house, poorly clad, crying and feeling helpless. Besides, I had to get back to my house and make sure my son was safe and got up for school. I went outside to start the process again of getting these two home. Meanwhile, lovely Shiner had taken up his tradition of non-stop humping on poor Lacie..... When I say non-stop, can I tell you how LITERAL I'm being!! I decided to get the leash and hook it to Lacie. I thought she would be the most willing to get out of there and Shiner would just come attached.....somehow. Decision was QUICKLY shown to be a negative one....in every way. Besides having a dog attached to her...she had just basically shut down and was NOT going anywhere willingly. I tried....and I tried....and kept trying with all the strength I could summons to get that dog to walk....not happening. I began to literally drag this giant clump of fur. And where were the neighbors?? Staying safely in the house most likely having no clue whatsoever of what I was enduring. And where was the police?? In the front yard...staying a "safe" distance away and shining his very bright flashlight on me and the dumb dogs. I was crying, begging, pleading with Lacie AND at the same time slapping, hitting and kicking stupid Shiner off of her as I drug her. All the police would say is "Do you have Shiner on a leash?" to which I said "NO!" THAT LEASH WAS WORTHLESS FOR HIM. And he told me "Mam, you really shouldn't be doing that." when I was beating Shiner the best I could. Well, what in the world was HE doing to help me then. I had no resort whatsoever BUT to do what I was doing!

I will tell you that you can only drag a dog, who has become a 100lbs now with all the resistance and being soaked, so far before exhaustion has set in... and no help whatsoever. It was then that I looked up and crying I said "God, PLEASE help me!" I believe at that moment He must have given me the simple instruction that I needed to start pulling her by her tail. I remembered with Levi's pig as well as with the goats and sheeps the kids are raising that when the animals become too hard to handle that you guide them with their tail by pulling it. I will say this worked for the most part, but still I was literally dragging her. My back began to give out somewhere in that time frame. It was cramping up in a tight way. I had to stop every few feet and rest, all the while crying, and being so exhausted. The police just continued shining his light and waiting. O...yeah at one point as I'm struggling he says "Can you put them in your house?" The police and neighbors weren't about to let me put them back in the yard. I told him "NO!!!" and he says "Why not?" I refused to answer him, mainly because of crying and exhaustion and I was getting really mad at him about now. He did suggest the garage after that. Even that was not a good place for them to be...but I had no other option. As I finally entered our yard, I went and opened the garage. The dogs decide then that they are gonna walk and go check out the policeman. GREAT! As I said before, there was never a threat, never once an unsafe moment of danger. I got them both in and the police left. Lacie had blood coming out of all of her paws by now, but all I could do was leave them where they were.

I went inside to wake Levi up for school. I was even moreso overcome with emotion from the entire experience that all I could do while waking him up....was cry. Poor kid....what a way to wake up to. He jumped out of bed when he was fully awake and came hugging me and saying "Mom...what's wrong?" I tried my best to relay a shortened version of just what had happened....while blubbering the whole time. My sweet boy then hugged me and stepped into action. All I could do is just go find somewhere to sit and try to get a hold of myself. He went in the garage to check on them. He doctored Lacie's wounds as best he could and tied Shiner up in the garage....otherwise that place would have been a literal WRECK had he not. He then went to the backyard and tried to cover and restore the places they had escaped under. During this time, I called David again....no answer. He calls me back in a bit and then here comes the flood gates of being overwhelmed with it all once again. David told me "You are gonna have to calm down. I can't understand you." I did manage to get the story out of the ordeal and he began to just be quiet. I thought maybe he was somehow upset with me. It was the police he was most upset with and their lack of help for me. BTW...the neighbor is also a police. I also called my Mom and told her the whole story.....during this time I started seeing flashing lights in my eyes. My Mom told me I had probably got my blood pressure up too high and stress was taken it's effect on me. I needed to eat, shower and lay down. I still had to get Levi to school though and he was late. While Levi had just got in the shower, I get another knock on the door and I'm thinking "What now??!!" It was the Animal Control/pound coming to collect it's canine. I will spare you all the details of this part....although once again it was quite overwhelming. The pound guy was extremely understanding and could easily tell I had been through alot already. He wasn't able to give me alot of help, but it was moreso than the others had given me in taking care of this task. I will stop and say here....How do you tell a dog bye that you have wanted gone ..... but just the same you knew his plight and in all fairness of the word....it wasn't really fair at all that he must die just because of his breed. He was so sad looking just sitting there quietly in the truck as if he knew......  After, I left to go back inside the house I thought maybe just maybe SOMEONE would have a heart and give this guy a home anyways. So I ran back outside and told the man "He has all his shots and everything is good and up to date." He then told me sadly "Mam, there is nothing at all I can do to help this dog. It's these kinds of situations that are the hardest. He will be put down for sure....no questions about it." He even told me it would be within a few hours. : /

Once I got back inside the emotions came back and just hit me....again.  I ate....but I started feeling not good at all. I still had Lacie's blood all over my feet, but there was no way I could take a shower feeling like this. I laid down for awhile, but no relief. I ended up vomiting. I laid back down for hours waiting on David to come home and trying to sleep. Sleep came very little.

I will tell you that if you didn't know it by now....I have the most wonderfulest husband in the world! He brought home red jello, ginger-ale, crackers and peppermint water. He fixed it up and had me come sit down and try to eat. As I did, he sat with me just being there for me. Once he saw I was alright,  he went outside to see what he could do concerning what the dogs had done. But, while he was out, I took another turn for the worse. I stuck my head out and sadly said "I need you." He came in right away and led me to the bath. He sweetly told me "Now I want you to take a bath...but don't go getting the water too hot like you sometimes do....you don't need to drain yourself even more." I followed his orders and the my sweet David once again was right....it was just what I needed. : )

While I was there, Heather had came home....I was NOT looking forward to this in the least. I knew she would take it very HARD. And I was right....there was screaming and crying. Later would come the threats and anger of just what she planned to do to these people. But, as David has reminded her over the past days since this happening that these neighbors were NOT the reason our dog was sent to the pound and killed. He told her the reason being was that he had no right whatsoever to own a dog he could not keep within his own yard and thereby posing a threat to others. Had the neighbors sweetly came over and said "Please come get your dog and put him back." we still would have had no other choice but to do what we did. We later found out that she went and called her sister who was in Denton at college. So, now we have TWO very upset girls who were both on their way to work....and continued crying throughout their worktime. I knew Heather had her boyfriend there at work to take care of her....he works at the same place. But, I had no clue whatsoever who would comfort and console and help my Savannah. All I could do was send her a text letting her know I was thinking of her and promising all would be alright. I got no reply....       In the days since it has gotten better with time, but there have been some real anger times that we have had to help Heather with the best we could....she's not one to be easily helped if upset.

Things have calmed down considerably. Savannah is in town this weekend, she has handled it well for the most part. Heather is even calming down and seeming to accept the outcome. Hey she can even go in the backyard again....which she thought never would be possible again! : ) Jenna, our oldest dog, is once again able to eat too! Shiner had become such a bully that he wouldn't allow her to eat!! Peace is returning on the homefront. And yes....I even feel un-overwhelmed, happy and much better! : ) Thank ya Jesus!

As always....with all my stories I want to share hope and encouragement. And there is hope. As I re-enacted all of my story to myself I began to wonder WAS God helping me and seeing me through in such an overwhelming situation? My answer....yes....yes He had to be. For He has promised to be with us ALWAYS, never leaving nor forsaking us. And always near and close to the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit....I think that applied to me. : ) I know things could have turned out SO much differently for the worse and guess what....it didn't thank God. And afterall, who else but God could have help me lift a drowning and distraught 75lb dog out of a pool alone?? Or who else would have whispered in my ear....grab her tail and drag her? Who else could have supplied the right people in my life (my wonderful David, my sweet son and my awesome Mom) to help me calm down and get better once again? I'm sure there were many more instances that God was at work and I probably didn't even realize all the effort He had indeed poured into seeing me through! We serve an AWESOMELY AMAZING God we do!! : ))

So that is my story of the no good, overwhelming, terrifying and truly exhausting day .... that later would turn into the blessed, grateful, and rejoicing day of God's provisions and how He took care of me and my little family through the bad times and the good times. : )

Thanks so much for letting me share a very long and extended version of it. ; )

Blessings to you my friend!

PS: I hold no remorse or unforgiveness for my neighbors nor the police. Although they could've been much more helpful, I understand their fear and concern for their own safety.

"Weird is GOOD!"

If I could count the number of times my loving, wonderful children have said "Mom, you are SO weird." I probably wouldn't have enough hands to do it on! Ha! As my husband often reminds me when my kids come up against me...they are just jealous of me! And it's then I see the humor of it all and laugh back with victory over their short-sightedness. :))

Weird is good in my opinion! It means you stand out. You are not like the rest. You have your own way of thinking and doing. You don't fall in the groove of doing exactly just like everyone else. You are your own person! I often tell my kids when they are being critical of others that just because that particular person isn't like YOU doesn't mean they are wrong. Too often I think we can get caught up in thinking It's our way or no way. But God has made us all different and for a good reason too! "God has designed each of us so there would be no duplication in the world. No one has the exact same mix of factors that make you unique. That means no one else on earth will ever be able to play the role God planned for you."

I find enjoyment in expressing myself to others through writing. So many times people may not exactly know the REAL me any other way. :) I can be the silliest, the goofiest and the most kiddish adult you've ever met. I love not acting very adult like most times. These times cause my kids to groan and roll their eyes of course. But hey who really cares! Their kids will do the very same to them, this I know! I absolutely LOVE shocking people in BIG WAYS ....ways they never would have guessed would come out of such a sometimes quiet person who on the outside appears reserved but on the inside is plotting her next silliest moment!! :)) It brings me great joy! Haha! And if you tell me you never would have guessed that from me....well that's just icing on the cake! I have noticed this "virtue" in my daughter, Heather. She feeds off of others disbelief in her openess and being uninhibited in situations that would cause others to shrink back. In thinking of other certain areas of my life, I see my other two kids as well. SO....they aren't as far removed from their "weird" mother as they seem to think. : P Ha!

I must confess that I come from two very "weird" parents myself. ; ]
But in all their weirdness they have managed to prepare and raise another human being (me!) into being a loving, sensitive, responsible, Christ - centered, happy, successful.....and yes even extremely silly person. And that is NOT bragging on myself, but it is bragging on their part in all the love, time, effort and example they have poured into me. And....hopefully one day.....I can see those positive results in my own "weird" children. : )

 So, my role is to be weird, different, unique, silly and sometimes serious and in doing so.....be the one who drives my kids crazy, my husband to smile and others to know.....it's OK to be weird...... because weird is GOOD!

Thanks for reading!
Have a wonderful day....and while you're at it.....go and be weird my friends and know that it's all good!

"Where do you find your hope?"

Just what is hope and where do you find it?
One definition could be put this way: Hope is confidence in what has not happened yet.
The dictionary puts it this way: A.) a desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.
B.) someone or something on which hopes are centered
So we see that hope can be confident and certain of what has not happened yet, as well as having someone or something on which our hopes are centered.

Many people each day are seeking hope in different ways. Hope for better health, a secure future, more stability, a successful life, peace of mind....and the list goes on. But maybe the question should be is WHERE are they seeking their hope from and in WHO are they seeking it from? The Bible tells us in Psalms 62: 5-6 "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my HOPE comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken." Also in Isaiah 49:23c "Those who HOPE in me will not be disappointed." So, we see that our hope comes from and is in....God and God alone. Your hope, if sought through any other, will eventually turn up empty and temporary.

There are many reasons to seek hope in the One Who knows us best. A few would be - He is sovereignly in control over any and all circumstances and situations you may find your life in. Proverbs 20:24a "A man's steps are directed by the Lord." Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." He is our trust. Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." He is our rescuer and sustainer. Isaiah 46:4b "I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." He is our protector. Psalms 16:1 "Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge." He rules over EVERY power and authority. Colossians 2:10 "And you have been given fulness in Christ over EVERY power and authority." 2 Thess. 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful and He will strengthen and PROTECT me from the evil one."  We know that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4b "Because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
As I said these are just a few....there are many more.

Sometimes our hope requires that we wait.....and waiting is one of the hardest tasks to do! Though it may be hard, difficult and sometimse discouraging....our hope is with Him Who knows. "God's timing doesn't always coincide with our immediate plans. Sometimes He requires that we wait and hope." Psalms 27:14 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Throughout scripture we see that we are to wait for the Lord....not for the thing we want, but for the Lord. "God sends the strength and nourishment to face what comes our way, not all at once, but day by day." There are times we seem to keep waiting and hoping...the answer doesn't seem to come. What are we to do? Keep on believing God's Word! Never be moved away by what you see or feel. As you stand steady, great power and experience are being developed. "The fact of looking at the apparent contradiction as to God's Word and being unmoved from your position of faith makes you stronger on every other line. Often God delays purposely , and the delay is just as much an answer to your prayer as is the fulfillment when it comes."
"To believe is to give God the right to answer our prayers in the way He sees best. Remember, Jesus never gave a sermon on unanswered prayers b/c, from His viewpoint, ALL prayers are answered."

And I am reminded that just as my status says (for today anyways) "Sometimes He takes us out of situations, problems or needs; other times He takes us through them. Regardless fo the way He works in our lives, we can trust Him as our ever present guide for today."

"God is the God of every tense....past, present and future!
He is the help of our past, the hope of our future, and the all sufficient One for this very moment." Hebrews 13:6 "The Lord IS my helper. I will not be afraid; what can man do unto me?" Psalms 54:4 "Surely God IS my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me."

My son, Levi, is raising a pig for FFA. It has been already and is an experience! In thinking about pigs and such I was reminded of the story of "Charlotte's Web". Without going into alot of detail because most everyone knows the story afterall....I looked up some lines said by the characters from the book. In one such instance Homer Zuckerman is talking about little Wilbur being such a miracle in a time when miracles weren't really seen. As he pauses to think he says "How could this have happened? A miracle, in a time when we don't see many miraculious things!  Maybe we do. Maybe they're all right there around us everyday, we just don't know where to look." I shared that to say....there is ALWAYS hope and hope is everywhere. Stop and look....in every situation there is hope. And hope doesn't have to be found just in the big things of life. Hope can show up in the smallest of places. . . a rainbow in the sky, a kind word spoken by a friend, a penny found on the ground telling us that "In GOD we trust", a hug just when we needed it the most, sunshine after the rain....or even sunshine during the rain! Again...a small list of examples of such a small word that holds GREAT BIG things in many ways.

Romans 8:28 (I believe one of the greatest verses) "And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
All things....not just some things work for our good and His glory.......HOPE.

God IS the God of hope!!!

Thank you again, my friends, for taking the time to read my blogs. I know I use alot of scripture which I hope you don't find too terribly boring :) But I want you to see that it is God who tells us these things and not just something I conjure up out of my head and try to spring on you. I also do use quotations of devotionals, at times, because I read such great things from them.

May your day be full of HOPE and every blessing today!! :))