When You 'Bout...

I'm back! At least for now. I'm trying. Really, I am. I've had several posts that I just haven't gotten around to. There has not been a lack of interesting things going on. Quiet the contrary. I'm going to be really sad looking at this gaping hole of records this last year or so have been. Oh well.

How to say things without saying them is always the dilemma. So, I'm gonna do the best I can.

I have a friend. I was faced with a situation that I was trying to decide if I should allow myself to be a part of. Would I be making things worse? Would I be starting a fight that isn't mine? My husband didn't think I should do anything. After I explained what I was going to do and my 19 year old daughter and her friend agreed to go with me to keep me out of trouble, he consented to let me go and help the wife of said friend.

Let me just say, I was ready for a fight. My friend is clueless. heartless. spiritually lost. insensitive. damaging. hurtful. and a liar. I could not believe he was doing what he was and a stand needed to be made.

So, me and the girls loaded up and my daughter was teaching me all of the south valley expressions she has been learning while working as a medical assistant at Dad's office. I was lost in thought on how exactly I was going to handle this situation when Emma said; "wait, are we really going to start a fight with someone while listening to songs about Jesus?" We all started laughing because it was one of my favorites that says 'there is power in the name of Jesus, there is power, power in his name..." It was too funny. When you 'bout to go beat someone up while listening to songs about Jesus...oops. my bad!  You just can't make this stuff up! We really weren't going with the intent of beating anyone up, but we were ready if the opportunity presented itself because let's face it, what do you think is going to happen in a situation like this. I knew we needed divine intervention to not have a war break out.

I had been praying for the right words to say and for God's will to be done. All I knew was that I had to draw a line in the sand. My friend needed to know where I stood on his behavior and that he was being cruel.

I can't really go into the rest of the details. Only that my powers of speech were bound. I said nothing but "hello." Then we just had a stare off. Then I collected the wife and one of the children and we left the house. The other one went and hid. Which being a child of divorce myself and the oldest I completely understand. It is so hard navigating the loyalty waters of divorce. It just plain stinks.

Here's what I got out of the night. I could see what it is like to have the battle lines drawn. You are each on your side. North vs South. Brother vs Brother. I could see how it must have been during the civil war. If you came across a friend fighting the other side. You would look at each other and say "really? is this where we are? Is this what we are going to do?" It made me think of the picture I took at the fine arts museum in Houston. It's called "Recognition: North and South"

This is what it looks like to be on opposite sides and mourn because of it. The senselessness of it. I was not in a physical war with my friend, but a spiritual war and we are on opposite sides of the battlefield. I could see how I would be forced to shoot and then I would immediately go and comfort because of love. Or to stumble upon him on the field and then mourn over him. Unfortunately in this spiritual war I cannot offer my comfort until he decides to reach out for help. until then, I mourn alone. There was no comforting at the end of my standoff on the battlefield of truth and righteousness against sin and bondage with my friend. At least not yet.

Here's what else I gained from the night: bonding with my daughter. She got to participate in something valiant and feel good about it. She and her friend were showered with gratitude and hugs for their rescuing efforts. Emma also got to see me in action. I did speak while at the house to another girl that was there and explained to her why we were there. That earned me the nickname of "savage" from my daughter. It's not like I was being mean. She was being very understanding and kind about the situation and actually said "wow, that's a great friend or I would like a friend like that" something to that effect about what the purpose of my visit was. I just got to the point and was direct about it. I guess that was "savage" haha. I'll take it because it was said with respect and meant more like hero.

The last thing? There is power in the name of Jesus. For real. The situation turned out like it did because of the power of God. From my friend being out of the house when I got there so things had even more time to defuse. to the girl I had the conversation with that went so well, to my mouth being bound. To an apology for cruel behavior that was offered later to the wife. Sometimes we are called to make a stand and it won't be easy and you won't be sure of what to do or say, but you've got to stand. I knew I didn't want this to turn ugly and hoped and prayed I didn't do anything that would turn it into that. The last days are going to be filled with hard things like this. The battle lines have been drawn. Which side are you on? In Mark 13 it talks about the second coming. It's not pretty. This situation is what it will look like. Friendships and families will be torn apart. The question is, can we withstand it and endure to the end? It will take power!