Where is the Prison?

        There seems to be a lot of interest in incarceration lately. Sunday’s newspaper had a lengthy article about the deplorable conditions in the Alabama prison system. Television is full of shows about prison lockup and life behind bars. There is even a show now about life in a women's prison. Orange may be the new black, but the men where I visit wear khaki.
        One thing is for sure, our country spends a lot of time and resources on the criminal justice system. It's sad that we spend so much money on reforming prisoners when we could be spending it on educating and training them before they become a problem. I guess that is why the Bible asks us to remember those in prison as if we were in prison with them. God knew we would always have prisoners who need help and the promise of hope.
         I have learned much since Matt's arrest and conviction, but one thing I am certain about: he was in prison even before he was arrested. His life was in a constant state of turmoil because of his addiction. He was afraid of everything. He couldn't sleep. He was unhappy. He had no purpose. His prison then did not have bars, but he was chained to a life of misery and hopelessness. It's no wonder that he tried to take his own life. He saw no other way out.
         I remember the words of one sweet little lady at church who was consoling me right before Matt's court appearance. With a determined voice and a stern pointed finger she reminded me that there are a lot more things worse than prison. Her words have proven to be true.
       God has protected Matt. He has given him wisdom. He has provided words of encouragement from family, friends, and church members. And most importantly, God has allowed him to come clean from a strong addiction even while behind the walls and fences of a maximum security prison.
        I don't know what tomorrow may bring but for now I choose to be
confident of this, "that He who began a good work in you (Matt) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6
Thank you Lord for your promise.

Another Visit, Finally!

     I got to visit my son last weekend. It's been a year since we got to talk face to face. That's a long time for a momma not to get to hug her first born.

    The visit went well even though I had to be "patted down." The workers tell me every time things like that happen it is random, but I seem to be the random person every time. Wish I could have that much good luck in Vegas!

     There are many differences between a maximum security facility and a

medium. We can take our keys back and there are not as many locked gates to pass through, but some rules never change: always sign the form, bring you driver’s license, and prepare to WAIT!

    What I dislike the most is not knowing all the details. Should I leave my ID with the form? Will these earrings pass the metal detector?  Who goes first when we congregate outside before visitation starts. It reminds me of the first day of school with a new teacher. You know the school rules, but you’re not sure of the teacher's expectations.

     Some things do not change. Our time is spent buying every snack from the vending machine my son could possible consume. A friend once asked if we got to eat lunch with Matt. The answer is yes if you count a burger and fries warmed in a microwave as a meal. We usually let him do all the eating.

     We managed to get our picture taken this visit. I wanted a memento of

his long hair. He will not let anyone without barber training touch his hair. He still has a sense of pride even in prison. 

     Luckily my husband had a spare pair of shorts in the trunk this time.

He had worn khakis - a visitation no-no. Guess they were afraid he would be mistaken for an inmate.

     We were told we could not wait on the grounds until visiting hours.

That is a new rule at this location. At the maximum we might have to wait for hours if there were problems in the facility. And you could always count on an hour delay if you arrived between 9:30 and 10:00. The "count" started at 10 and everything shut down until it was over. We were told that here the visitors lined up in their cars just outside the gate and made a long caravan coming onto the grounds in order. We had just broken our first protocol, but no one faulted us this time.

      One thing I have learned to do is stay calm and be attentive. Most

things I have learned by simply watching. And I believe God gave me a gift for smiling. I smile a lot. It comes naturally with having a sense of humor. I've also learned that it's hard to be ugly to someone who smiles.