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the park and I: Yikes!
- This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 7 months ago by
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The day was kind of tough…and I was losing it fast. So I decided to change things up and take us all to the park–not the main park to infect the other kids with our wonderful virus but a nice quiet park by the river where we could have a picnic–and is not normally very busy especially right before 5. I figured dh could join us instead of going home.
As I drive up I see a group of teens and think to myself…they must have been playing soccer or something (there is a field right there), yet I did feel uneasy. I ignored my uneasiness and got my children out to start setting up our picnic. (I can’t believe I ignored my intuition…I said something like I’m in ______________, ME. I mean really what could happen. This place is like small town, usa. Quaint, Quiet, etc. After living in Atlanta all those years or Phoenix recently, I dismissed any feeling as imagination.)
Well, that was a bad idea. I had apparently walked into a pretty viotale situation between two girls and a whole slew of boys led by another girl. It got hot and verbally obscene in seconds. It got very close to physically violent as the big group followed the other two…the verbal barrages back and forth were violent and obscene…which is what I said as I quietly called the police–fearing at any minute to be caught by all these violent youths.
The rough part for me was the realization that I could not protect that many children at the same time in that situation. I am ex-army…and have been in the past a “what you looking at” kind of gal…so I have never had any trouble taking care of myself in really any situation–especially not as a high school math teacher with 40 teens at a time (wore my combat boot with my skirt on day 1 to introduce myself 🙂 never had any problem with discipline). But I felt so vulnerable with my three older children scattered right there playing and a baby and all the picnic stuff in my arms.
The teens had left by the time the police arrived, which was pretty fast.
We did have a picnic. But two teens walked by and I heard “they said they called because of the kids.” A few minutes later I saw what I think was the whole group of teens squeezed into a car driving past checking us out. By that time we were the only ones there. My intuition danger sense was screaming by the time my husband arrived, and I was packing the car.
We are fine. Nothing happened. Yet, something has happened. And I can’t even articulate exactly what.
Just needed to share.
jo
p.s. when i can’t do the protecting…means i have to trust God doesn’t it. why is that so hard?
Jo
Glad you are safe! It is hard to trust God to protect us. We live in a fallen world. Therefore, we still need to be aware of situations. Things do happen to godly people.
It is hard when we don’t have control over everything. But we can always go to the Lord and seek His guidence and protection. I wonder if we will feel God has not protected us if things happen to us? I am sure many people have fallen away when something bad happens to them. God does care and love us. But evil abounds, and we must do our best to be safe! You did the right thing! As a mom, we are more aware of dangers lurking to devour our kids! Like you said, it is your instinct! You might have been uneasy w/ just you being there by yourself…but when it came to your kiddos being exposed..it becomes a different ballgame altogether!
May God give you strength to go back out on another picnic and have a wonderful time!
Jo,
That was a nasty experience, but now that God has allowed it, you have an awesome opportunity to praise the Lord with your children and just sing to him out of thanksgiving for his protection. It will become a memorial for your children to look back on and remember that God is their very present help in time of trouble (wish I could remember the reference for that one!).
Blessings,
Cindy
P.S. You don’t look like a “what’re you looking at?!” kind of girl…you look like a very sweet mama and your picture of you and your little one is adorable!!
the Lord has done a very mighty work in me. he started with my short dyed red hair…and went from there! LOL
thank you for the encouragement ladies…and the reminder CindyS
jo
It sucks to realize we are vulnerable and sucks even more to realize that there are actually people in this world who get their kicks from taking advantage of our vulnerabilities. I think its cool you shared this experience even though it was pretty disturbing. And I’m very thankful that you and your little ones stayed safe. Peace, Becky
Combat boots with a skirt on day one–I love it!
But you are right, having your own children to protect (especially with a baby) changes how you approach things, and sometimes it’s very tough. I’m so glad to have the Holy Spirit to warn me at times as well as God’s omnipresent help and protection.
About 5 years ago, we moved from a small-town feel kind of suburb (where I could take a walk all alone at 10 p.m. on a summer night) to a lower-to-middle-income city neighborhood (where I don’t allow my kids to ride their bikes around the block by themselves….and they are 10, 12, and 13). It was a bit of culture shock to them for awhile, and I tried to make sure they were not becoming fearful of their living situation, but it was surely different.
The really odd thing is that our former and present homes are only about 4 miles apart! I am sorry that you had to go through such a tough situation, but thanks be to God for His loving care.
Sue
@Cindy – You’re thinking of Psalm 46:1….God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
(I had to look it up on Bible Gateway….
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