Criminal Minds - Kidnapped! Viewer Discretion is advised due to mature subject matter.

I was watching Criminal Minds last week, a show I pretty much love... I know, I know it's not a pleasant show most of the time, but I'm fascinated with how it portrays the workings of a... Not to be redundant but... "Criminal Mind."  Last weeks episode was about a serial kidnapper (and killer) who would kidnap little boys who on camping trips with their parents, keep them in a cave with him for the winter and kill them in the spring.  And it got me thinking about my own kidnap experience... 


When I was approximately three or four years old my dad and I were driving home from a city one hour away.  We stopped for gas at a familiar, country gas station on the way. Knowing I would be getting a treat at the store I excitedly hopped out of the car before my dad running around the front of the car with my little, mitten covered hand still on the hood.  A man picked me up from behind, he was wearing a leather coat, had a scruffy face I could feel on the side of mine and the smell of a wood stove still on his person... All combined I quickly came to the conclusion it was my uncle William and was not afraid.  Not afraid until I saw my father's face when he jumped out of the car and yelled "PUT HER DOWN!" The man said nothing, didn't even flinch but started to back away with me still in tow under his arm.  I started crying and kicking thinking my dad must have been really angry with my uncle but he didn't put me down.  My father started coming for us, fist drawn, saying "YOU'D BETTER PUT HER DOWN NOW!"  I was dropped to the ground and the mysterious man who turned out not to be my uncle disappeared into the frosty, dark, night air.  My father rushed to my side making sure I was not hurt by the fall and we hurried on our way home, forgetting the treat and gas for that night.  A week or two later my parents read the newspaper in disbelief; a story reading '...man hanged himself in his cottage after two boys he held for weeks escaped his torture..." It was the mysterious man from just a few nights before. He held the two boys for who knows how long beating, molesting and emotionally torturing them.


Both the Criminal Minds episode remind me of one thing: the story of every single person in the world... We are all at different parts in the story but all reading the same, in the end we just have to figure out how to pen the final chapter.  We all have been held captive at some point by something or someone who has and/or is hurting us: beating us down until we feel we cannot stand up under our own power, molesting our hopes and dreams to the point we no longer recognize the torn pieces of what should have been and torture our emotions until we are just a scared, bitter, hardened mess of a human being.


But, there is another character in this story we often forget about in our moments of fear... The loving, protective, strong Father.  See a father doesn't care if he loses his own life as long as his child is protected and spared.  He doesn't care if there is anyone to help him or witness the event in case he is accused of any wrong doing, he is blinded to all else by the love for his child.  The Father doesn't wait to be called into action when His child is in danger; He will go through hell, death and the grave to rescue His own!  (Hosea 13:14 & 1 Corinthians 15:55)


So what now will we do about this Father who has already come to our rescue?  The choice is yours! You have the pen and the ink well so write your own final chapter:  either slap the rescuing Father in the face and refuse His love, walk back to the captivity and torturer or throw both arms around your Fathers neck and allow Him to pick you up off the ground, make sure you are ok and bring you back home and grow you up... It's a process, that growing up part, there are some scrapes and bruises along the way but when you consider the alternative and most of all the love of the Father it clearly is the best choice!

"Procrastinators Unite... Tomorrow."

Hey guys,  sorry I haven't written anything AGAIN in a while!  I have no excuses... The other day I saw a quote on Twitter (SueAnnCanada is my name if you want to follow me by the way) "If you don't have anything to write, write that." -unknown.  So my intentions were to follow that word of advice... But then I realized it's not that I don't have anything to write, it's that I am a PROCRASTINATOR!!  I have had many ideas and things I wanted to share with you but I just felt like I would remember to write them at a more convenient time... Well, no more!  I promise to write them somehow at the moment and post at the more convenient time!

That being said I would like to share the lesson with you... I do procrastinate in every area of life, not just in writing.  But I do feel the need to change and hopefully admittance & commitment to behavioural change through this blog will help me to be aware of and discontinue my lazy ways.

See, that's just it "lazy" is a very offensive word these days... We have come up with many other excuses: "I'm too busy" (yeh, doing what, playing angry birds or watching the latest episode of your favorite shows?), "later" (when?), "I'm soooo tired!" (from what, the majority of people I know work in offices, tired from sitting all day!?) etc.  In all seriousness, it's not because we are busy, tired or even that we are procrastinators, it's because we are lazy!  We no longer use our time wisely, instead of spending quality time with our friends and family we sit to watch TV in the same room; at least when we can agree on the show. We no longer read, I mean really, I do read a bit but it is a discipline not enjoyment anymore and when I am reading I spend almost as much time directing my mind back to the words on the page than enjoying my imagination paint the pictures of the stories!  Don't get me wrong, I love Grey's, Big Bang Theory and The Office as much as the next person but since when are fictional characters more important than the people actually connected to our daily lives?!  It's a little crazy, don't ya think?

Look, I'm not asking for a huge commitment here but maybe we all should take a step back and think about all the things we are missing out on in our lives... And the people who are missing out on what we have to offer when we take just a small amount of time to love and acknowledge them!  The benefit of building meaning in our lives and the lives of others should far outweigh a missed show or game on our IPOD!  And if we sincerely search our hearts we will recognize every word in this blog to be true. 

So here's what I purpose:  You don't even have to miss your shows (who would have to now with Internet & T-vo now anyway?)  Take an extra hour a day, all at once or spread out over 15 minute intervals to connect with family, friends, God and ourselves.  Even if it's at suppertime, lets turn the TV off and sit at that old dusty table.  Or when a friend comes to visit TALK, instead of turning on the TV and surfing the channels until you settle to watch a show you're not remotely (no pun intended) interested in. Read the bible, listen to some Christian music, meditate on God, write something spiritually edifying or just TALK to Him! Get to know yourself in quiet... Seriously, something I learned a long time ago that has helped me build confidence and trust "if you can't be quiet with yourself you aren't comfortable in your own skin." So just be for once, let the hustle and bustle of life (especially headed into the Christmas season) melt away for a bit and slow your mind... You'll be surprised how much you will enjoy quiet time once you're used to it, how much you will learn about yourself (which at first is a lot of "Oh my goodness, I really just can't be" and "I need to slow down this can't be that important, I can't even slow my thoughts for 10 seconds!") and how much calmer you will be in every situation in life in general.  So can we do it?  Will we do it?  I say "YES!" now who's with me!?