The Owl, The Box, & My Best Friend!

As I told you earlier in my popcorn post…love, laughter, and drama seem to follow me and my bestie wherever we go. Rachell and her 3 yr old son stayed with me for a few weeks this summer, so you may hear more about us than you want too! Today, I want to share a bit of our drama with you…

The Owl



I have to admit, I knew very little about owls until this summer. I‘m still no expert, however I have learned a few things. I have never seen one up close UNTIL recently.

Rachell and I, along with our boys, were headed out of my neighborhood when Rae thinks she has spotted an owl! Well, it’s 11:30 in the morning, and I think there is no way she has really seen one; I tell her as much! At this point, I am thinking she may have seen one of those plastic ones perched on someone’s fence. “NO,” she replied as she came to a complete stop, putting the van in reverse and backed up… and sure enough on the right side of the street, sitting as still as could be on our golf course, was an owl! She DID see one and it was real! I hate it when she’s right and I’m wrong! :) Rae then put the van in park and got out to take a closer look. The owl opened his eyes, but never moved or tried to fly away. Knowing that the owl is wounded and vulnerable, Rae gets back in the van, turns it around, and we head to the club house thinking someone in charge of the golf course grounds could help. I immediately called animal control and asked if they could dispatch someone to come and take a look at our newfound, feathered friend. The truth is, I asked for an animal ambulance…I got a chuckle for that one!

The Box



The dispatcher actually asked if I would be willing to find a box, put the owl in it, and bring it to them. “Are you serious?” I ask…YES, he was! I tell him “I don’t think so” and could he please send someone. By this time Rae returned to the van and explained she had no luck at the club house. I relay my news that some crazy dispatcher wants us to find a box, put the owl in it, and bring it to them. Next thing you know she is stopping the van, AGAIN, this time to retrieve a BOX from my neighbor’s trash; she then jumps into the van with the box and heads back to the owl. All the while I sit back and quietly have a panic attack!

My Best Friend



We returned to find the owl in the exact spot where we left her. Her breathing had slowed, but she was still hanging on. Rachell sat as close a she could and gently soothed her with words of life. To some this might be extreme, but to my best friend it came naturally. Animal control finally showed up, about 45 minutes into our drama (with leather gloves I might add). Rae would have sat there all night if needed; that’s just who she is and one of many reasons why she is my BF. The rescue worker covered the owl, picked her up, and gently placed her in a carrier, one designed for wounded birds.

They took her to a place where she could heal and one day fly again.

OWL: Nocturnal, mournful in voice, solitary in disposition, far-sighted and very unique…

My best friend can’t stand to see any of God’s creatures suffer; I can’t stand to see her suffer. Much like the owl, Rae has had many sleepless nights wrestling with her own pain. Her voice once used as a gift to sing the praises of our heavenly father became silent, “mournful’, and so did her spirit. She was unable to see through her pain, HIS hand, reaching down wanting to heal her wounded soul. She sat this way for a very long time. Wounded, and too hurt to move.

BOX: A container, case, or receptacle, usually rectangular and often with a lid or removable cover...

She surrounded herself with walls built of bitterness, pain, doubt, and depression. She boxed herself in and away from us all. Sometimes on our journey the path becomes too narrow for even a BF to come along. But, I am so thankful, for where our friends and family cannot be….there HE is.

BEST FRIEND: Secret keeper, truth teller, remains close no matter how far away, dramatic, full of contagious love, laughter, strength and courage...

A few months ago, some of Rachell’s walls began collapsing. Just as that rescuer reached down and took hold of the owl, taking her to a safe place where she could heal, God reached down and captured the heart of my best friend, once again.

Is her journey over? No.

Is all her pain gone? No.

Have all her questions been answered? No.

But she is now in a safe place, where she continues to heal and knows one day she will fly again.

Whatever journey you are on, whatever walls surround you…please know there is a God in heaven who wants to rescue you.



Oh...and just in case you're wondering...my blinds were open today, and the SON was shining through. Hope yours were too!

Steph

Popcorn Covered with Love

My dearest friend in the world is here for a few weeks with her son AJ who is 3 years old. Life is full of drama, love, and laughter when we are all together! She can make me laugh until all the muscles in my face relax to a state of pure embarrassment, as well as some other muscles that I would really rather NOT blog about…lol! BTW, If you have never laughed this hard, it might be time to find some new friends. ;) Soooo anyway, today I want to tell you about the “love“ part.

Last night, we all gathered in the family room to watch the 80’s version of The Karate Kid. Our plan is to see the new one sometime this week; so we thought we would introduce my older kids to the original. At some point during the movie someone mentioned popcorn, and for a moment the entire world and T.V. are put on pause until a decision can be made as to who will be the one to go and prepare the popcorn. Josh, my oldest, volunteered, and I enlisted my youngest to help him as well.

Soon the house was filled with the aroma of hot buttered popcorn. All those upstairs began yelling out toppings they wanted on their bowl of corn. Before long, Josh and Tiph made their way back up and began handing out bowls with all the fixins’. Little AJ must have smelled it too because he soon found his way into the family room. He was playing in the study with his best friends, Monkey and Rocket, you know, the furry kind of friends ;). Everyone was busy talking and laughing, and not paying much attention to anything other than their bowl of popcorn.


I was sitting in my chair, and I watched as AJ walked over to his mom’s bowl. He looked around, then looked into the bowl, and then reached with great care to pick the very best piece of popcorn. Just as he was about to put it into his mouth he stopped and looked at my Jacob. AJ then walked over to Jacob and asked, “Jake, you want some popcorn?” and he gently put that piece, his piece, into Jacobs’s mouth!


Jacob didn’t ask for popcorn, not because he didn’t want any but because he is unable to. His words are there; they are just locked inside his little mind, and God hasn’t given us the key...yet!

In all the excitement of the night everyone forgot that Jacob might want some popcorn too, everyone except my 3 year old godson, AJ! I watched, in awe, as AJ continued to go back and forth to his mother’s bowl feeding Jacob.

This small act of love made me think…how many times have I been without words, too hurt to speak or even pray? How many times have I felt ignored or overlooked in a room full of people, unable to reach out for help? How many times has my Heavenly Father found a way to reach down and choose just the right “peace” to extend to me?


While others may want their popcorn plain or with butter, covered in ranch powder and salt, or even with a side of pickles...I just want mine covered with love!