Piece of Peace Before and After

I felt like sharing these with everyone. They talk about peace. The first one is titled "Piece of Peace" and the second one "Before and After". It shows how far we may or may not have come in world peace and peace within ourselves.

What is this
thing called peace?
World peace?
World domination?
Is it a piece of
cake
covered in
ooey-gooey
frosting?

Somehow
I don't think
a piece of pie
is going to cut it.

Do we need to
break peace
down on a pie
chart so we'll have
peace of mind?

Peace with God.
Real peace.
___
CEC
*Written in 1991 while Desert Storm was occurring

Before and after
in only mere moments.
A world
torn
apart.
A world brought together.

Despair
and loss.
Hope and faith.

Sorrow
and tears...
and miracles.

Unanswered questions.
Where was God?
He was there.
He allows.
He saves.
He heals...
in a world where in mere moments
can be defined as
before and after.
___
CEC
*Written after September 11, 2001

Be still in the silence and you will find wisdom!

For He himself is our peace, Who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility - Ephesians 4:14

Cori-Beth

Guinea Pigs and Pink Eye

Yes, once again I haven't written in a while. I was working for the the month of January and I was also working on my online shops. The shoes came out great!

Anyway, I thought I would let everyone know that my sweet little guinea pig Lyric had to be put to sleep this past Friday. She wasn't doing too well that morning and she started to have trouble doing number 2. At first I thought she was having seizures, the way she was pushing and bouncing around. It was so sad to watch. I handed her over to God at that moment, as I was holding her and trying to comfort her. At that moment as well, I knew that she should be let go. As sad as it was going to be and sudden as these "seizures" were, I knew that I had to say good by. And I did. Some may think it's silly by I told my little piggy that "I love you Pretty Princess Lyric" over and over again as I gently stroked her in my arms. "Pretty Princess Lyric" was the nickname that I gave her and was the last thing I said to her every night.

Well, I called our vet and he took her right away. I thought maybe I was jumping to conclusions, that no, my thoughts about letting her go were just in my head. But it was not to be. It was so sad watching her in her cage on the way to the vet. I petted and stroked her and spoke gently to her to try and comfort her.

Anyway, the doctor checked Lyric and she had some sort of twisted blockage in her GI tract (twisted intestines or something). It was probably caused by her strange digestion and the fact that she got "the runs" all the time, so it probably developed over time but had been there a while and now had shifted causing her "number 2" problems. The choices for her were to either have surgery to remove the blockage which would in turn be a 3 out of 4 chance that she would bleed to death after the surgery or to have her put to sleep. The choice was obvious. The only humaine and compassionate thing that I could do was to have her put to sleep. I knew that the doctor was trying to tell me to do this as the surgery was risky. But, again, I knew that morning that I had to let her go. Before we got into the vets, as well, it was like Lyric had given up. Again, so sad to watch.

I don't want to get into the details of the needles and everything because it makes me weepy. But, I stroked Lyric and kept whispering to her "Pretty Princess Lyric" so that would be the last thing that she heard from me, knowing that I love her. I think she knew that I was trying to help her and she was glad to be out of pain when the doctor gave her the pain killer. Apparently, what she was expreriencing as far as pain goes was far worse than what a human would feel.

Lyric went to sleep as I stroked her and then she was gone. I cried of course all through this. I'm a big sap and God gave me a big heart for animals. Again though, I knew that this was the best thing for my little piggy.

When I got home I had a cry and had to get all of Lyric's stuff out of my sight. I couldn't take it right now. Later that afternoon I looked in the mirror and discoved that my eyes were all blood shot. Okay, fine whatever. It was probably from crying. It was later in the day that my eyes were itchy and burning. My left eye then went blurry. Oh great! I thought. I looked in the mirror again, and sure enough, I had pink eye! All of the crying and fur and dust and make-up streaming down my face had caused allergy pink eye! Needless to say, I took my contacts out and put some eye drops in my eyes and ice on them. This is the best thing to do with the allergy kind. Yes, I've had it before. Again from holding Lyric too close.

Well, I had to miss Saturday at my Aunt and Uncles house where a couple of my cousins and my other Aunt and Uncle were going to be. I also had to cancel seeing my friend on Sunday because of this. So, sorry, I'm sure you didn't want to see me like that. Besides, I couldn't see to drive.

When I was at home Saturday night, when everyone was over at my Aunt and Uncles place, a little after 9 pm, I was lying in bed when my thoughts turned to Lyric. That's when I began to cry. I don't just mean a little bit, I mean, I began to sob. For about a half hour... I'm 31 years old, and I'm crying over a guinea pig! This little guinea pig meant that much to me! I thought I was crazy. Why am I crying over a guinea pig?! She was a special little girl. I knew that I had done the right thing by letting her go and handing her over to God, that's what my head was saying, but my heart was breaking. God comforted me after I began to cry out to Him and thank him for bringing Lyric into my life. He remined me of the song "Yes, Lord" that I had listened to only days earlier that Sorrow may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. The weeping stopped. I was so comforted by the Lord's words that it stopped! He told me that I may sob like that again, but joy comes after it! What a cool thing for God to say.

Sunday morning, the pink eye was still there, but most of it was washed away. Maybe the crying washed it away... making my vision clearer for a new day. Well, I was able to see to create the logo for my new kids shop that I was in the process of creating that was dedicated to Lyric long before all of this drama. I'm not giving the name out just yet, but the Lord gave my some cool ideas that have alot to do with finding joy in everything and rejocing. Yes, I found joy in the morning!

I can't pin point just one thing why this precious guinea pig named Lyric touched me so much, but she did. And I cried over her when she died. But I also smile when I think about how she would coo when she heard a jingle of something or whistled when she heard a bag rattle becasue she thought it was her Timothy Hay bag or whistled when I was say the word "treat". I thank God for bringing her in my life when He did. So I rejoice in her life and the joy she brought me. Timothy Hay and pine chips scattered everywhere so I had to vacuum several times a week and all!

Pretty Princess Lyric, may the pigloo be with you!