TIM E HOLDER

One of the lessons, maybe the most important lesson, I’ve learned from being a part of Celebrate Recovery for 16 years is the discipline of listening. I think it’s a habit of our culture to have a pithy phrase at the tip of our tongue for every situation and every difficult occasion. And it’s basically for one reason. The comfort factor. We don’t like to feel uncomfortable. In effect, we have learned to not listen. I remember, for the first time, realizing that as soon as someone began talking to me, I began the process of formulating a response. Giving a response, any response, would make me feel better. I believed if I felt better, then the person in crisis would feel better.

James 1:19 gives a perfect picture of the inverse of this deadly habit we have cultivated. And he says it’s so important we should post this life-giving advice at every intersection. Yield, Stop, Caution, Lane Ends Ahead, Listen. He tells us to lead with our ears. And then follow up with our words.

I learned through the guidelines of CR that I don’t have to have a response. As a matter of fact, allowing another fallen human the respect of hearing them, really listening, makes them feel valued and important. Some, for the first time in their lives feel heard and not interrupted. So, I listen. And most times, I learn. A residual blessing from this discipline of active listening, and I believe all blessings have residual blessings, is that I’ve learned to give this same respect to God. When he told us to lead with our ears, maybe he wasn’t just talking about listening to each other. It’s part of His “be still and know that I am God” philosophy. The madness of living life tends to drown out our ability to hear Him. Along with trying to formulate a correct and life altering response to someone’s cry for anyone to listen, we think that catch phrases are a healing tonic. God is seen, felt and heard most clearly in the silence. After all, it wasn’t in the hurricane winds or the massive earthquake or the mighty fire that Elijah heard Him. It was in the still small voice. And that still small voice moved Elijah into action. I pray, often, that The Lord will place me in strategic places on any particular day where His presence is obvious and I can make a difference. Not for me. For Him…for His glory. I don’t believe I hear them every time. But sometimes, they are VERY obvious. And He always shows Himself in unexpected, amazing, spontaneous, surprising, and sometimes difficult, hard ways.

I was on my way to pick up discount card books to take to Ft. Smith to set up an elementary school for a fundraiser. I love going to the schools. I, for reasons many of you will understand, relate to elementary kids. I leave them pretty much in a natural caffeine mania…even without the caffeine. But, I always make it a point, when I’m being introduced to the kids, to silently pray for the hundreds of kids sitting in front of me. That The Lord will bless them, draw them close to Him, and let them grow up to be powerful men and women in deep relationship with Him. It’s AWESOME!!! But, I digress.

I was driving down Denny, headed toward Chenal when I happened to look to the side of the road and saw a bird in a ditch, writhing, obviously in pain. I was a little late to pick up the books and head out and so I just hoped it would be okay and passed it by. About a 10th of a mile later I thought, “crap.” I turned around and went back. I saw it trying to walk and couldn’t. I knew it had been hit by a car and the driver obviously just left it there and drove on. I won’t go into how furious this makes me. But, just imagine torture and perhaps a small amount of permanent maiming. I got out of my car and walked to the bird. I realized it was a young turkey. I tried to pick her up and she tried to crawl away. I chased behind her into the woods, complete with briar patches, wearing slacks and dress shirt, after awhile, I was able to pick her up and carry her to the car. I had a small box in the back seat and was able to stuff her into it. I called Lorraine, the owner of the fundraising company and told her to get a bigger box ready. I got to the office and Lorraine said she wanted to see it. I opened the box and Lorraine screamed. She obviously thought I was bringing a sparrow or bluebird or something a bit smaller. I found out I had more time than I thought so I put her in the bigger box and drove her to Doubletree Animal Hospital where I work and took her in. Dr. Travis took a look and felt around and wasn’t sure the turkey would make it. I said, “Look…I was at the right place at the right time. Now FIX IT!!!” Jenny, the vet tech, was standing there and said, “You mean…like…with dressing?” I smacked her. I left the critter there and yelled back over my shoulder, “FIX IT!!!” as I walked out. I thanked The Lord for letting me pass by that spot at just the right time.

I went on to Ft. Smith, did my presentation to the kids, left them screaming as if they were preparing a pep rally for a prison break and headed home. I was traveling back down the 40 and got stuck in a major amount of road work. I was tired and annoyed and frustrated. It was taking me a good 45 minutes longer to get home than I wanted. But, as I got into town, I was on Hiway 10, just passing the Walgreens when I saw a couple of men in the grass bending down and looking at a sweet little dog laying in the grass. I knew immediately it had been hit and thought I might be able to take it to the clinic and have Dr. Peck look at it. I pulled into the Walgreen parking lot and as I got out of my car, I saw them covering the little pup up. I knew it was gone.

It was just then that I saw a tiny lady sitting behind them in the grass with her head in her hands, sobbing. I wasn’t sure if she was responsible for hitting the dog but there were a couple of women around her patting her on the back and trying to soothe and comfort her. I walked to the men and asked what happened. They said it was her dog and it jumped out the car window while she was parked at the bank on the other side of the road. It ran onto Cantrell during rush hour traffic and was hit.

I walked back to the lady and sat in the grass beside her. There was one lady on her left with her arm around her. There was another lady and her daughter, probably 8 years old, kneeling in front of her, also trying to comfort her. I, in vain, tried to be strong and not break down. I asked her name. “Suzie.” We sat for a little while and just let her cry. I totally felt The Lord prompting me to say/do something. I just wasn’t sure what. So I waited. I listened. The little girl looked up at me and said, “Her puppy is with Jesus.” I got all misty eyed and said, “You are 100% right. I have absolutely no doubt.” Just then, I knew what the Lord was asking me to do. I looked at Suzie and said, “Suzie…do you believe in God?” She looked up at me with her eyes filled with tears and nodded. I said, “Would it be okay if I prayed for you?” She suddenly looked relieved and said yes. And at the same time, everyone else said, “YES!!” Suzie reached out and put her hand on mine and everyone there threw their hands in and I prayed. For peace for Suzie, and that she would feel God’s strong arms wrapped around her while she grieved. And that He would send His angels to protect her and even though we don’t understand why these things happen, He is still on His throne and is grieving right along with all of us there. We were in an extremely holy place. Five total strangers holding hands and praying, while 15 feet away, rush hour traffic flew past us on Hiway 10. I wondered how many of those cars wondered what was going on as they passed by, seeing all these people praying.

Anyway, she was still shaking and overwhelmed, just losing her precious little friend. Someone got a box from Walgreen’s and I went out and put the little one inside, wrapped in a tablecloth Walgreen’s gave us. I put her in the back of my car and then drove Suzie home in her car. She had another dog in the car, a big boxer. She wasn’t sure Roxie would be okay with someone else in the car. I told her I felt safe. I got in and Roxie came right up to me and started licking my face. Suzie smiled through her grief and said, “Wow…she never does that.” I told her to just call me the “dog whisperer.” She laughed a little. I drove her home. She cried most of the way. I listened. She was upset that the woman that hit her little pup didn’t even stop. And even though, again, there were thoughts of torture and a little maiming, I told her she mustn’t dwell on that. There were at least 7 people who stopped. Total strangers who cared. I reminded her that she loved her sweet little one better than anyone could have, the pup loved her unconditionally, and she had to remember all the happiness they brought each other.

One of the other ladies followed us and when we got to Suzie’s apartment, she was just broken. She said she was overwhelmed by our goodness. I told her…”Oh Suzie…don’t thank me. I’m not good. It’s all about The Lord. He even made sure I was held up by road work so I’d pass you at just that time.” She said, “you really think so?” I just smiled and said, “It worked, didn’t it?” She just smiled and hugged us both. The other lady drove me back to my car and I drove to the clinic and left her precious little companion there.

I love days like today…even when they’re hard. Once again, He surprised me with His goodness. I know this to be true. I will never lead as well with my words as I do with my ears. I will never have the wisdom to give words of affirmation and hope, and mercy and grace, if I speak before I hear. And I mean really hear. Not just the parts said for which I have a canned, ready response. But, hear everything. And Butterball, the turkey, (yes…that’s what they named her at the clinic, which scares me just a little) went to Dr. Beach’s clinic. He is AWESOME at rehabilitating wild birds. He thinks she will make it. He will take care of her till she’s well and then release her back into the wild.

Update on Butterball: Dr. Beach said he gave her some meds for a few days and then set her next to the woods and watched as she took flight and soared over the trees and into God’s unparalleled creation, just where she was meant to be YAY!!!