A Rainy Two Weeks

Within the past 2 weeks, I've seen the lives of 2 families go from 'normal' to torn apart. First, a family from the town I grew up in has been without their daughter for two weeks and one day. No one knows where she is (or if they do, they are not telling) and many are afraid that she may have been killed. I don't know the girl, but I know many who do. The FBI, state, local police, friends, family and strangers have all been doing their best to find her and her abductor (as evidence seems to point to her being abducted). This family's life has been turned around completely. I don't know how they rest, eat, breathe, or move. I don't even know them, and I have had dreams about it and pray for the missing girl and her family every day. I can't imagine what they are going through...

Secondly, last night, Stephen and I watched as our neighbors were handcuffed by the SWAT on what we assume was a drug bust. We also watched their 8/9 year old son and his friend as they were escorted from their home by the SWAT, undercover cops, and the police. Numerous cars, trucks, and armored trucks came to their home and too many people to count searched their home, questioned them, and took them all away at different times. Even though what our neighbors had been doing was illegal, to see a family broken up and to watch a young boy experience SWAT members barge into their home on a dark, rainy night, arrest and question his parents is unbelievably difficult. I'm sure the boy is tough when compared to other kids his age as his life has been filled with strangers coming and going, a drunken father, and conversations that include yelling a lot of the time. BUT he is a 9 year old boy-nobody ever wishes that kind of a life for any person of any age. I told Stephen, 'I feel so bad. I don't know what we could have done to help them.' Stephen was right when he said, 'I wish I would have thrown the football more with him'. I imagine over the next couple days we'll see what has exactly happened. We think the dad was released and is back in the house, but we haven't seen anyone today. Time will tell. 

Either way, after seeing  and hearing about these life-changing times for these families, I can only think that I need to care more for people when I have the opportunity. I need to look-out for the well-being of people and not shrug them off because at any time, their lives can change and maybe they needed that little bit of joy in their lives by something I did for them or said to them. If you do read this, I'll ask you to please keep both families in your prayers.