Surprise!

I’m not sure who was more surprised—him or me, but I just had to laugh. I had just finished my breakfast and taken my dishes into the kitchen. I put the dishes in the dishwasher, walked back to the dining room, and stopped short. There was a piece of food on the floor near the chair I’d been sitting in. “Huh? I don’t remember a piece of food there. That’s weird.”

I bent down to pick it up and it hopped. “What in the world?” I said. Food doesn’t hop. My eyes widened and I jerked my head back. I bent down to take a closer look. Gray with a dark gray spot on its back, it was a toad!

Why is there a toad in my house? “When did you get in here? HOW did you get in here?” I shook my head. I bent down to pick him up, take him outside, and set him free.

He hopped under the table, afraid of me. I’d gotten a paper towel from the kitchen to wrap him in to get him outside. I figured it was big enough to cover him from both sides so he wouldn’t escape, but I couldn’t reach him now. I stooped to get under the table. He heard me and jumped further. I peered under the sofa, and spotted him just on the other side. Paper towel in hand, I walked around the couch and bent over. After two more tries, I succeeded. I’d caught him. I covered him from both sides so he couldn’t escape.

He tried to jump out of my grasp, but I had him this time. I went outside and released him on the deck but he didn’t move. I wondered if I’d hurt him when I picked him up or when I carried him, but soon enough he hopped forward and away he went. He must have just been scared.

That’s the 3^rd time I’ve had a wild animal in my house here. Read about the other times with a bird here and here. I at least know where the birds came from and how they got in, but I have no idea how that a toad managed to come in.

It reminds me of how I can get into the strangest of places or situations at times. Places where I don’t belong but have adapted to. When someone sees me and tries to help get me back where I need to be I may try to escape. Just like that little toad, I’ve gotten used to where I am and change is scary, especially if I don’t initiate it

.

Eventually, and it may take quite a bit of time, I may decide to relax a bit and see where it takes me. Usually, it’s to a better place. It can take some time to adjust to it, but with time, (sometimes longer than I’d like) I see the benefits outweigh the costs. 

How about you? When have you been in a place where you needed help but had to trust someone in order to get it?  Share it here.

Trust and Faith When We Can’t See God

Trust and Faith When We Can’t See God

He’s about 5½ months old, 6” tall, and has the sweetest temperament. His name is Petey 

and he’s an absolute joy.  All he can do by himself is eat and sleep. He’s 100% dependent on me,

Fighting Fear Winning the War at Home

by Edie Melson

Edie Melson has a new book, released just yesterday, November 7, for families of deployed military.   Edie has allowed us to see a bit into her personal life in this book. She was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us in the following interview.  

Q: So, why did you write this book Edie?
A: Our oldest son, Jimmy, decided to bypass college and go straight from graduation to the Marine Corps bootcamp, then to Iraq. I struggled with fear during his time in the military – especially during the deployments. I looked for resources for families and only found things written for military wives. I decided that if I survived his time in the military I’d write about how God had kept me sane.

Q: What do you hope the readers get from this book?
A: I want them to realize they are part of a community. They aren’t alone. So many of those families struggling with deployment don’t live on a military base. That can cut them off from a group of people who understand the experience. I want this book to be a resource and to point loved ones to the ultimate help, God.

Q: What held you together during his times of deployment?

A: I have to give all the credit to God. He surrounded me with family, friends and an amazing church, to give me the support I needed.

Q: How can other families dealing with this issue find help?

A: I have a great community blog with tips and encouragement from others who are and have experienced the deployment of a loved one. It’s also important to let those around you know what you’re dealing with. Our church family was a great resource for prayer support during Jimmy’s deployments.

My website is www.WinningTheWarAtHome. I'm a member of a national organization, Blue Star  Mothers of America.  This group has local chapters all over the country.  I'm active in  our local groups.  It's a group made up of mothers who have children who are either active duty military or those who have been honorably discharged.  It's been a lifesaver for me personally and I highly recommend it!  The group's  motto says it all--Supporting our troops and each other.

Q: Is there anything that would help people in another area of the country find support in person?

A: I would start on the Blue Star Mothers website--www.bluestarmothers.org.  Even if you're not a mom, this group is usually aware of other groups in the community who support the family and friends of those in the military.  

Q: Jimmy was in the Marines.  Is Blue Star Mothers for mothers of soldiers in the other branches of the service as well?

A: Blue Star Mothers is for all branches of the military: Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

Q: Speaking of Jimmy, is he out? How is he doing?

He does have some disability from the time he served, but he’s doing really well. He and his wife live about three and a half hours from us and he’s in college full-time right now. He wants to go into teaching – but I suspect he may turn out to be in denial about his own writing abilities.

Q: Back to your book. How can someone get your book?

A: They can order it online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble or they can have their local bookstore order it. It’s available as an eBook or a traditional print book.

If you want an autographed copy, I’ll be happy to arrange that through either my writers website: www.TheWriteConversation.blogspot.com . Or the book’s website: www.WinningTheWarAtHome.com

Q: We also want to let readers know Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home isn’t your first book.

A: I do have another book out, Social Media Marketing for Writers. It actually hit #1 in its category on Amazon this past summer. It’s available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble as an eBook.

Well, there you have it folks. As someone who's come through it herself, Edie's a got first-hand knowledge in this and knows what it's like. Sounds like a good resource for families and friends of those deployed in the military. Thanks for the interview Edie.  I'm sure the book will be a great asset for your readers.