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To say that I was worthless prior to the 1:00 appointment would be quite the understatement.  Work, friends, and let’s face it, pretty much everything had taken a back seat to the worry and dread.

The drive, which took approximately an hour, was horrible.  The closer I got to the destination, the more nervous and tense I became.  My stomach hurt.  My legs were getting numb.  And to top it off, all the extra tenseness threw my back into a fit of rage. 

I tried to listen to a podcast or two to take my mind off things, but eventually just had to turn the noise off completely.  I wasn’t really hearing anything anyway. 

A couple of tweets here and there, and a couple of IM’s here and there netted some much needed encouragement which really helped a lot.  More than I will ever be able to repay.  I appreciate all who helped get me there in one piece.  I appreciate all the extra prayers that you guys said on my behalf.

I must admit, I have been pretty selfish in my prayers today.  I have talked to God mostly about me today, but not so much just about what I want.  No.  Though they are my kids while here on earth, I made sure to keep my selfish desires out of this and remind myself through our talks that ultimately it’s God’s will that will be done. 

I arrived about 15 or 20 minutes early.  Walked into the lawyers office where the mediation would be taking place and there sat the ex and her present husband.  All that was left now was to wait for the lawyers.

Fifteen minutes later, my lawyer walked through the door and we went back to our room to prepare for the mediation.  Her lawyer still hadn’t showed yet. 

Thirty minutes later (1:30, 30 minutes after the meeting was to start) her lawyer still hadn’t showed and the person in charge of the meeting came in to inform us that he was going to be late, still.  UGH!

My lawyer and I sat for another 5 minutes before deciding to reschedule. 

The drive home I think was worse.  Emotionally drained.  Mentally exhausted.  But not once did I ask God why.  I know he’s got a plan.  We’ll just have to see what it is next time.

Because of HIM

SC

Been praying a lot today for what is coming up soon. Real soon.  Like, in about 13.5 hours from the time of this writing. 

Though I’ve known the day was coming, the reality of it hasn’t really set in until today.  Nervousness, fear, doubt, wonder.  All of those emotions barged in uninvited to my day and have made themselves at home.  I’ve asked them to go away, to no avail.

You see, tomorrow is mediation day.  My lawyer and I.  My ex-wife’s lawyer and her. A mediator between us. Trying to come up with a different custody plan with the kids.  The way I understand it, we won’t be in the same room together which is a definitely a plus.   If all goes well tomorrow we can keep this (and the kids) 0ut of court.  I’ve just got to be a bit stronger than I have been in the past with her. 

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Because of HIM

SC

I charge thee, Satan, housed within this man, To yield possession to my holy prayers, And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight. I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven. 

-Shakespear

 

“HEY DAD!…You got any Aerosmith!”  

“Uh…Do what???”

“Aerosmith, yeah! You know, WAAALLLk THIS WAAaayyy!!”

“Son, you don’t know nuthin about no Aerosmith.”

“Uh Hu.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Uh hu, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry….Toys in the Attic, Sweet Emotion, Dream…” (I should have already known since he just belted out this screaching horror of a song.  Yeah, I know the song, so hush.  Just….not the way he sang it it was worthy of, well, some of the haunted houses around here)

“Boy.  Where in the world have you heard all those songs?”, I said, dumbfounded, perplexed, confused, with a big smile on my face.

Turns out, he not only knows their stuff….but he KNOWS their stuff.  

See, he has borrowed the devil.  Yep.  One of his friends let him borrow him and I let him play with him in his room…….  

“Uh, Scott….uh..????” 

Just hang on, I’m going somewhere.

Anyway, he borrowed the devil…so…yeah…and I don’t know if you know this or not, but the devil….he….he kinda looks like a toy guitar.  He’s not red with horns.  Nope.  He’s blue with cool looking lights and a whammy bar.  

And, and, he talks through the TV, well, screeches, and you really have to be as old as my son to understand just what this devil is saying.  I sure can’t, but every now and then, I can hear my son yelling at him, and stomping and…well…it’s like…the devil is trying to possess him.  It’s a bit scary to be watching TV and hearing these odd noises coming from the back of the house.  But, I’mmmm not going back there.  

Soon enough, it stops.  So quiet now that my ears are ringing as I sit in the front part of the house, trying to just hear something. Anything, coming from the back. 

The door to “HIS” bedroom soon opens with a BANG!!! (yeah, it sticks a little, paints still a bit fresh).  I can hear his footprints as he starts down the hall.  Heavy breathing.  

IS THIS IT!! HAS HE TAKEN OVER HIM!!!

He soon becomes just visible around the corner.  His hair is wet, soaked from all the sweat.  Still breathing hard, he walks toward me.  A smile on his face that’s as evil looking as anything you would see on The Exorcist.  

He’s getting ever so close.  I can smell him.  I can smELLL…….the DEVIL!!!! (by the way, just for your information, if you’ve never smelled the devil, the odor is a bit lot like like sweat and dog and some other smell that I have yet, to this day, been able to find anything even remotely close to…thank goodness. I mean really.)

Where..oh…I pretend to ignore him.  Eyes trying to just stay focused on the TV.  ”OH…don’t look..don’t look,” I repeat to myself.

“DON’T LOOK, DON’T….” my mind screaming at me to stay focused on the TV..maybe he’ll go away!!

“DON’T LOOK, DO…”

“HEY DAD!”

AHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRGGGGGG! 

“Guess what?”

Here it comes. He’s going to rip my skin off.  He’s wanting my soul.  Oh, the agony…just get it over with.

“Yeeaaasssss”, my voice, it was shaking, like…well…like I was talking to the devil.  I just knew he was possessed.  

“What…is…..it….boy?”

“I JUST BEAT……”

He just beat what, what, WHAT!

“JOE PERRY!!”

Oh no, what am I gon….

“Do what?”

“I beat him. You wanna see?”

NOOO…YUCK!

“Ok…”

I go back to his room and there he was, laid out in the floor as big as ever.  The devil was laying in my sons room, on his back.

Austin was as proud as ever.  Smiling from ear to ear eager to show me just what he had done.  There, on the TV were the credits for the devil.  He just beat…..Guitar Hero, the Aerosmith version!

“The devil Scott, really??”

Yep.  He’s gonna be just like his dad.  He’s only 10 and already loving that “Rock-n-Roll” music.  I’m getting too old.

Mom always said….”You’ll get yours…..”

I’ve got some planning to do….

No, I don’t really think he’s the devil.  

SC