GRUESOME CORPSES and FORGIVENESS

   "Mama, the pigs are all dead!" my husband exclaimed loudly as he bust in the door this past Sunday Morning.  There was a mixture of anger and grief in his voice that made me feel like I'd been sucker punched.  I had to be hearing wrong, surely there was some mistake.  I started thinking back to my German Shepherd barking early that morning in the house and to the barking I'd heard outside earlier.  Suddenly the sickening realization hit me that dogs had come in and decimated our beautiful piglets.  I felt weak and had to go get on my knees to pray.  I didn't know what else to do.  I knew my boys were mad as hornets loading up their guns having seen the dogs inside the pen and I was afraid a war with some neighbor was going to ensue.  Our beautiful, wonderful, sweet piggies - there one day and gone the next.  My cousin, visiting for the first time - what a horrible thing for her to witness.  All the money we'd had to come up with for them and for the feed.  All these things just made me feel like I was drowning, but I quickly took the matter to God.  The next thing I did was start calling prayer warriors - my mom and my girlfriend.
   My mama reminded me that my boys and man would look at me and that I needed to be an example to them.  She also reminded me that they were only pigs and not my 6 year old.  That was some great advice.  As I prayed and interceded loudly, played worship and kept a good attitude, my husband paced back and forth.  He attempted to contact several neighbors.  He photographed the dead corpses.
   My cousin's husband woke up and confessed he'd heard the pigs being killed, but he was afraid to come out of his camper for fear that it was a bear or some such wild creature lurking about.  He just wasn't sure what to make of them squealing like that.
   7 am turned into 10 am and I decided my cousin and I should get out for a walk before she went on her way.  There was no point in ruining the visit.  My husband had a lead that the neighbors down the road may be the dogs owners.  As we neared that property, I felt like I really needed to go see them.  When I saw the black dog in their yard, I just knew, it was them...........
    A kindly man sat on the porch with his bible.  His wife sat there at his side.  They seemed like nice people.  I asked them if they had another dog.  They both looked worried.  They'd just sent one away with their daughter who left.  They confessed what the dog looked like.  It had the same orange collar.  It was the same pair of dogs.  I had prayed that God would prepare the owners ahead of time and I was so relieved when the man said that he "knew something was wrong" about them and that they'd been out running.  When I told them about our pigs, they felt just terrible and immediately got a checkbook out, writing for more than what I told them it would cost to replace them.  I was so grateful that the ordeal was over, but more than that, I was immensely relieved that we'd had such a good interaction with them.  They were honorable and did the right thing and I forgave them and that's how things should be between Believers.
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   Every day seems to be a new party of sorts since my kids arrived home from MN.  We are all finally back together again and I feel like I'm alive again after being dead for a very long time.  The long hard grief is finally dissipating just like the snow melting off the mountains.  My red headed dreadlock daughter came home bringing life to everybody around her.  Half the time Archer, his wife and my chubby grandbaby are around too.  Its such a wonderful time and the party never seems to end. 
   Today they worked on Saphira's espresso booth which will be opening this week.  They had so much fun sawing and nailing and measuring.  We all went backpacking deep into a string of lakes which was amazing, exhausting and exhilarating.  Before that we all went camping at our "turtle safari" lake.  We've had bonfires and visits with friends and picnics, fishing outings and the list goes on.  Its been like a vacation that never ends.  The kids were determined to get the most out of their summer and I was determined to get the most out of being with the kids.  All in all its been a wonderful marathon of fun filled days.
  I especially LOVE the characters we've been enjoying - The Oklahoman Family who bought our house on the mountain have some real grit.  The boys wear cowboy hats and boots and talk with a drawl.  They have so much character you can't help but smile every time you see them.  We had a big ol' picnic with the entire family down at the lake one day and it was such hoot. 
   Everyday our house and shop property bustles about with a constant flow of traffic.  My husband is always busy and a week behind on fixing somebodies something.  From tractors to chainsaws and everything in between, he's earned quite the reputation for being the one who can fix anything.  I'm thankful for the goodness of so many here in our valley, who all seem to love my husband.