"Stones"

Once again it is early in the morning and I have an audience of one, our 10 week old puppy Charlee.  All the other animals in the house want to dismiss her at this time of the morning as she climbs, bites, and pulls at any part of their bodies that she can get her razor sharp teeth in or on.  This time of the morning is definitely game time for her.  But I can assure you most of the house is not a fan of Charlee's timing.  I always imagine that most of the animals, especially the cats, walk around giving Charlee the 'bird' just at her mere presence. We have 3 dogs (including Charlee) and 2 cats.  All have their own distinct personality.  Probably the most tolerable to Charlee is Bella who is the old lady of the bunch.  She is my oldest son's dog, Luke David.  She is a big Golden Labrador Retriever, she weighs about 100 lbs, and long hair.  Her face is starting to really gray, and she doesn't get up like she use to, but will protect the boys and our family till death.  It is the only dog I have ever seen in a pack of puppies pick you.

My ex-husband and I wanted to get Luke David a dog.  I called an ad in the paper selling Golden Labrador Retrievers, but soon realized I knew the person I was calling.  We went out to her house and in a double garage there were 13 puppies.  They all look liked these huge balls of golden/orange fur.  Luke David could barely walk and had never been around puppies. I put him down in the middle of them and the puppies scattered, all but one, our Bella.  She let that toddler drag her, carry her, lay on her, pull her, and she never batted an eye, never thought to bite, or even growl.  She is still that way even in her old age as Charlee is now the toddler in the house.  However, if another animal were to come into our yard, or person we do not know if she will lay into them like a hungry wild animal.  One time Luke David was walking down our sidewalk, which is a long sidewalk, toward the house and actually a bigger male Golden Labrador Retriever came down to him, which scared him.  This dog was large. I was in the kitchen and could see him through the door.  He started screaming and it made the dog excited, and it seemed like he wanted to play with Luke David.  Bella was inside and heard him scream.  She ran to the door growling and going nuts.  I opened the door and Luke David ran to me, but Bella ran out and lit into that dog by the neck dragging him up the hill and out of our yard.  I never saw that dog again.  I have to keep her in if the boys go throughout the neighborhood, because she mothers the boys and I am afraid she might hurt another dog if they get to close to them.  We live in a friendly area and most pets get to rome, on occasion.  So she just sits at the door and cries once they leave, and then waits on their return.

We always talk about how animals have their pecking order of a pack.  We humans have the same thing.  It might differ from community to community, meaning the order is different in different atmospheres, however I have learned it doesn't change much.  The funny person typically is the funny person in any group they are apart of, same as the bossy one, the judgmental one, the Debbie downer one, etc...you get the picture.  Hierarchy might change some but their role typically doesn't, and the only reason hierarchy changes is because of whatever is the most important value of the group.  Funny might not be as important in a church as it is in a school, make sense?  I typically do not pay much attention to pecking orders of groups.  I am a disruptor.  Anyone that knows me reading this will say, yep and give a laugh.  It doesn't matter what group or atmosphere I am in that is what I do.  It is never in a disrespectful way, but my place in the world is to stir things up.  I never fit in conformity, and I challenge every atmosphere's typical norms that I am apart of.  In a ultra Christian concervative world they call it, 'rebellious.'  Why can't she just submit to the ways that are right?  You know because there is always only one way.  I have to laugh at those things/ statements, now.  But not long ago, I let them keep me in chains of shame and guilt, because I thought something was wrong with me spiritually.  I was created to be a shaker, stirrer not a sustainer in environments.  I am created to challenge people to think maybe just a little differently about a situation, a person, view point, or belief system.

This past week I got to do just that, by not ever saying a word.  You see because I am a person that challenges not everyone likes me to be close.  Who wants to be challenged all the time?  People come to me when they do or are ready for it.  They will come for advice, for me to speak in tough situations, to lead when it is challenging, but on the daily, I am kept at arms length.  I own it and as I have grown older understand it.  I walked into a gymnasium this past week full of the small community I live in and where my boys go to school.  We are not the cool family...once again I have to laugh because we really are a COOL family.  However, we are not looked as that in the community.  This is who we are in our mostly conservative Christian community, we are the only "OUT" couple. Oh and we really shake things up, because I have 2 boys from my first marriage.  My ex-husband is one of my best-friends and his family loves my wife, and me still.  My wife, is an extremely great cook, who does not meet a stranger, who is nice to everyone, and is very funny.  It is really quite hilarious.  Most people do not know what to do with us, because we do not fit their belief system.  To add to it,  I have coached most of the COOL kids in the community or are coaching them,  taught them,  and I am President of the local youth football league.  We are not the family that gets invites, we are the family that challenges just with our mere presence.  We really like and love people in our community.  We also are huge advocates for children, strive for integrity, and try our best to be authentic.  And guess what... We love Jesus.  I think most like and love us, but we just get talked about because people don't know what to do with us.

However, as we walked into the packed gymnasium trying to figure out where to sit.  As we sat down, I wondered what others were thinking, but quickly told my mind, "I do not care."  Believe it or not, sometimes I have to coach myself in overwhelming and over stimulating situations. I decided to have my own sermon in my mind.  I didn't talk much to those around me as of course my wife just chatted it up.  My sermon went something like this, "Chana, sometimes you must choose if you are going to pick up a rock.  People, all people deserve the stones.  Jesus knew that because he said, 'Those with no sin among you cast the first stone.'  Will you pick up a rock or will you not?"  I was convinced in my mind people were staring at me and my wife wondering where we would sit.  My presence showed those who sat around me that I will not pick up the rock. And in return, you know what they did?  They didn't pick up the rock either, they invited us to Church.  Imagine that?  This same situation gave me opportunity to minister and uplift others who were struggling, but at the same time I got ministered to also.  No matter the stones in others hands, we ALL have junk.  We should walk with our heads high, say hello to all, be kind to all, and be fair.  You will never change people's thoughts of your sins.  You can never change things unless you infiltrate them.