Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Fight or Flight

I was walking to my mailbox and in the bushes was a black snake.  I calmly walked back to the house called my in-laws to make sure it was harmless and then I went about my business.  MAN have I come a long way. 

My first experience with a snake, The boys had a hamster that had gotten out of the cage AGAIN.  I heard some noises behind the washing machine, so I went in the laundry room to investigate. Soon the hamster was running towards me (which my youngest, Curtis caught) but I quickly ran out as well because there was a snake Slithering beside the wall.  I put Curtis (still holding the hamster) on the kitchen counter and Now I had a Dilemma.  I was scared to death and didn't want anything to do with that snake YET I did not want that snake moving to another room in my house.  SO I called my husband, who was not near as concerned as I was and His response was to "get a shovel and kill it".   I sat at the Laundry room door shining a spot light at the snake with a shovel trying to build my strength to kill it if it moved.  I called Uncle Earnest who came to the rescue!  He showed up with another cousin who took care of it. 

Another Crazy experience with a snake was last summer when Eric and I were going for an afternoon walk.  As we rounded the Barn, my husband stepped right on a snake.  When I turned to look at him, I saw the tail of the snake and TOOK OFF running and screaming down the Trail.  Thankfully Eric was able to run to the house, get a gun and kill it. 


We guess it must of just ate something and could not bite Eric.  After everything calmed down Eric realized I was standing 40 yards away before he even jumped off the snake.  Good thing that snake did not bite him because I would have been NO help.

City Girl Lesson:
The Bible Says over and over, Do not Be afraid.  As these stories affirm, fear is something I struggle with.  But I love the fact that Courage has nothing to do with the absence of fear, it is more about the willingness to confront it.   We can still be afraid, but we can possess the understanding of how to not let it rule our lives.  If I let my fear of snakes rule my life, I would never get to enjoy the beauty of nature I am surrounded by every day.  Letting fear paralyze you, will make you lose opportunities to experience the wonderful things life has to offer.  Believe me I am not ready to pick up a snake and play with it BUT I can respect their presence as long as they don't come to close :)

Be Strong and Courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Fireworks + Family= A Fun Fourth of July

This was a Rainy Independence day and we spent it hanging out with Mema, Pa and the Sewell family.  The rain finally let up and we stepped out on the carport to shoot off a few Fireworks.  Eric had the boys all lined up as he put a Big Bottle Rocket inside a coke can.  Aunt Colie was positioned to their right to get the perfect picture.  When Eric lit the rocket, the boys took off running and the can tip over and shot right at Aunt Colie.  She dove out of the way and it barely missed her BUT the house was not so fortunate.  The Rocket hit the wall and exploded in the flower bed. 

From then on every time Eric started to light a firecracker Zander would scream
"Uncle Bones Don't Burn the House down" 
 I was standing behind the boys talking to Mema watching the show when "WHACK" out of no where I was hit in the leg with a bottle rocket.  I jumped and danced around until I finally found myself laying on the ground holding my leg.





 When I look behind me I see my Father-in-law laughing and shaking so hard he can not even speak.  He had throw a bottle rocket off the carport, hit the Trampoline and Bounced directly towards my leg.  Needless to say this small Rain Day Firework show will be one No one forgets.


Country Girl Lesson-  True Confession: I am a queen of mistakes!  I mess up ALL the time.  I should have a warning label "she will stick her foot in her mouth" tattooed across my face.  Honestly, I do not wake up everyday with the intentions of messing up and looking like a crazy person yet it always seems to happen.  Because of this trait I have become careful not to over react when people mess up around me, I try to look more at their intentions then their actions.  Everyone of us have made our fair share of goof ups, we should give each other a little grace (and even laugh about it) when things go wrong.  Jesus was the only perfect man yet he hung out with Peter who kept his foot in his mouth as a chew toy.  1 Peter 3:8 Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Do yourself a favor and give others the benefit of the doubt.  I know that my wonderful Father in law did not shoot me with a firecracker on purpose.  Actually if we tried to recreate this moment,  I would guess he could not hit me again if his life depended on it!  We are so thankful Aunt Colie had her camera ready so we could remember it forever. :)