Who ya gonna call?

Its no news that I've never been a fan of President Obama, but I respect him and the enormous difficulties he's faced and in a recent interview he was asked why is the US always going into these places to fix things? He said, "When these countries get into trouble, they don't call Russia for help. They don't call Beijing. They call us." I don't think I've heard it put better.

People come to this country for many reasons. Even as frightening as having persons with Ebola enter our country, you know they come here because they want the best chance of survival. They aren't going to Canada or Mexico or Europe. When refugees stream across our borders, many times at great personal risks, they are coming for justice and a better life. They don't sneak into Brazil or Venezuela.

And, while there is no perfect place, no perfect people, American people depend on and respect their law enforcement officers more than any other country I know of. Bad situations are still so rare that they make headlines. We are so used them doing the right things that the media ignores the story of the police officer in Michigan who, pulling a woman over for not having her child in a car seat, decided to buy the woman a car seat and install it rather than give her a ticket. The everyday good things are taken for granted.

When Paul was taken from our driveway in Austin, Texas, we didn't turn to a celebrity or a politician. We turned to the Williamson County Sheriff's Department and they brought together a "dream team" of local, state and federal officers within minutes and hours, working non-stop to bring Paul home alive and safe.

This picture, taken later in the day of Paul's rescue, sums up our family's reaction to the events preceding. Our youngest grandson (at the time) literally flew into Paul's arms, hugging him for all he's worth. It was beautiful and it was heart breaking because we all knew how close we'd come to never being able to do that again. I think of this and am so thankful and grateful to God for how this turned out and then I pray for the loved ones and families of all the others being held captive by evil people.

The headlines from around the world would make us believe that evil is, indeed, in charge. Hate, brutality and viciousness dominate the world and local news, even our "entertainment." But I don't buy it. I choose to remember all the good that is done from individual to individual, groups to communities, nations to nations. Let's celebrate the good not the bad. And, should my family need emergency help again, I'm not going to call Russia or Beijing or even President Obama. I'm gonna call the three men above - Detective James Maugham, Captain Pete Hughey and Texas Ranger Captain Matt Lindemann.