The Uproar: Part Three

Life is going fine until it’s not. One moment I’m just letting the dog out for her morning routine, then 20 seconds later I’m face first on the ground and a skunk is spraying me directly in the eyeballs from two feet away.

I didn’t have time to ponder the deeper meaning behind this chain of events, because as soon as the shock wore off the pain began. I had searing pain in my eyeballs, like somebody had pepper sprayed me. Except I like hot peppers, even the smell…but this smell was thick and nauseating. God knew what worked when He made the skunk.

Our dog Nikki had gotten some of the skunk cloud on the side of her face, and she was frantically trying to get away but I was (somehow) still holding her collar tightly. I pushed myself to my feet and realized I was about 80% blind and the burning was getting worse. Not knowing what else to do, I screamed into the darkness. It was a mix of pain, fear, and anger…and it was a scream that jolted our neighbor out of bed thinking that someone was being killed.

Get inside! Dragging Nikki by the collar, I stumbled through the dark shed, rounded the corner, and absolutely SWAT kicked the kitchen door open. BANG! My Dad was already off the couch and asking what in the world was going on. He got his answer when I let the dog go.

Nikki immediately ran into the living room and began rubbing her skunk sprayed face on everything: the couch, the carpet, the chairs. I took the more dignified route, electing to stand in the kitchen and scream that I was blind. Our house went from zero to one hundred in about five seconds. Dad gagged his way over to me and shoved me toward the bathroom, yelling at me to get in the shower and for my sisters to corral the dog.

I remember standing in the shower and starting to wash with this cheap cherry liquid soap. As it mixed with the skunk oil it was picked up by the shower steam and became a disgusting odor that permeated everything. Dad came in with a big can of tomato juice and dumped it on me, and now it began to smell like the most horrible cooking show on earth. Realizing that the shower steam was carrying skunk oil throughout the house, I was only allowed a cool or lukewarm rinse.

By now my eyesight was slowly returning, ten minutes after the initial spray. Nikki got her turn in the tub next, and my sisters were summoned to assist in that unholy endeavor. The smell was everywhere, and Dad hung little mesh bags of charcoal briquettes here and there, trying to absorb it…a valiant effort, but I’m not sure it did anything to help.

It was quite an uproar. I missed a few days of school because I smelled so bad. I sat home with Nikki, both of us looking at each other in disgust: me because she had lunged for a skunk, and her because I smelled like one.

Looking back, I can chuckle about that story. But at the time, I thought I was going to be blind forever. But even if I had been permanently blinded, God is still worthy of praise. No matter what uproar you’re facing, or will face, God is able to lead you through until it’s only a distant memory. He still knows how to navigate a trial, even when we don’t.

If you’re in Christ, you can have peace…especially when tribulation comes. Thank God today that Jesus Christ overcame this dark (and sometimes smelly) world.

P.S. I’m still amazed how one sweet little animal can turn an entire household upside down. God doesn’t need much to get things moving in your life, either. A little of His power goes a long way.