Eventful Weekend

I've been going over plans for a post with some "deep spiritual insight" most of the past week. I even put some things down but like a bite of poached salmon at a fancy dinner engagement - the thing just grew and grew.

So I thought I would use this platform to tell you about my weekend.

My grueling week ended and the weekend was launched with the discovery of two "gifts" from our muderous cat as I arrived home.



With the onslaught of spring and all the bursting forth of nature that it brings - our cat has had a wonderful time decreasing the population of so many wee animals.

Saturday was a "Daddy-Day" since R. was working but the kids and I busied ourselves working around the house and yard most of the day. They even prepared an innovative lunch for me...



"Ta-Da!"


Ab added some decorative touches to the back porch dining affair with fresh-cut flowers...



R. returned home and the afternoon was a busy one.
We topped it off with dinner at the home of R.'s Mom and Dad.

On our way home, the final adventure ensued:

The in-laws live within walking distance but it is a good stretch-of-the-legs; AA and I opted (as we often do) to walk home while the females drove.

All the way up our driveway, AA and I acted up in the lumination of R.'s headlights as she urged us on by honking. When we reached the point at which our driveway circles, AA and I bore left as Mom and Ab bore right to pass us and beat us to the garage.

In the dusky darkness, I saw something unusual on the driveway - between AA and I.

Well, it was a snake and AA had trotted right past it (or over it for all I know). As I got closer, I didn't like what I thought I saw, but in the darkness it was hard to tell what kind of snake it was.

Communication is difficult at our house: it is virtually impossible to get one's point across from room to room - if one is on the outside, its pretty much impossible to get the attention of someone inside. Mom had gone inside, oblivious to our plight.

Ab and AA both came for closer looks and Ab ran errands, first to turn on the outside light - which proved to be of no value - then to bring a flashlight with AA and I stood guard over our "visitor".

The flashlight revealed that it was a rattlesnake - only there were no rattles that I could tell.

Ab then went again, to fetch a hoe.

I attacked him from the rear and it took a third blow to actually kill the snake (considering that I missed altogether one time).

Here's a picture:


I examined it's mouth to be sure it had fangs - I didn't want someone coming back and telling me later that I killed a pine snake or something.

I will be honest in telling you that this has troubled me - I love our home in the woods, and our kids play in or near the woods a lot. I didn't sleep well last night.

We have always entrusted our children to God's care and we pray continually for their protection - close calls like this just bring home the fact that there are dangers out there.

Will God come through every time?

I believe He will. But because He is Sovereign ( He reigns over everything), His definition of "coming through" may not be the same as mine.

Those are the times in which I have to trust that He will also provide me with the strength I need to endure.