March 23, 2006
-
Serving in a different way!
I’ve been spending my days at the courthouse this week! I was called for jury duty on Tuesday but the jury selection didn’t start until today. I was selected to sit in the jury box but by the end of the questioning they let me go. I’m not sure exactly why but I’m thinking it may have been because they found out I was a Christian. They ask a ton of questions and then by your answers they decide whether or not they feel you would be best for that particular trial. I had my heart set on serving so I was a bit surprised when they let me go.
I kept glancing over at the accused and wondered about his life and how he had ended up here. He looked hopeless… lost… without God! He had been accused of carrying a firearm as a felon, possession of narcotics and domestic abuse. I will continue to pray that the Lord will save him and send laborers into his pathway. “Oh, Lord! Please save this sinner, this lost soul! We ask, dear Lord, that you would save him from a hopeless life without You and grant Him eternal life. We humbly ask that you would send laborers into his pathway from every direction. We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.”
I’ve never been involved in a jury selection. I was very impressed with the care that went into providing this man the best possible chance of a fair trial. Other countries would have offered him so much less if anything. He may have been immediately sent to prison without a jury. We live in such a great nation! We are so blessed.
What a privileged to serve the Lord and our neighbor by making ourself available for jury duty. I know it can be an inconvenience and can cause a hardship on some. Yet, it seems like such a small price to pay for the freedom it allows each and everyone of us.
Comments (10)
Well said!
Jury duty is certainly an interesting experience. I had jury duty on Halloween. Yikes! Many people were dressed in really ugly costumes. (not the jurors but the court people). I didn’t get selected to be a juror but I was there all day. Quite an interesting place~! Have a lovely day!
About 14 years ago I was selected to serve on a jury for a murder. I sat through several days of testimony and just before the jury was dismissed to deliberate, another woman and myself were let go (at that point we were considered to be “alternates”). If a jury member died or got sick they would have called one of us back. It was interesting…a young fellow was riding in a car with friends; they got into an argument with someone on the street and he supposedly fired his gun to “scare” the others. Unfortunately the bullet hit a young father of two right between the eyes (he was standing on his front porch). The defense attorney tried to make the shooter out to be an okay guy of course. The prosecutor asked the other woman and I what we thought about how he presented the case and what our verdict would be: we said 2nd degree murder. It turned out that was eventually what the young man was convicted of. I found out later that the young man had previous gang activity and had been in trouble before. The defense attorney had the guy all dressed up in a suit and clean shaven, short haircut, etc., and at first glance you would think he was just an innocent kid. But when he looked at the jury, his eyes gave him away…he looked as hard as nails! Supposedly the judge was going to give him the full penalty because of his previous record. An interesting experience indeed, but not a happy one!
Thanks for the prayers. I talked to her tonight and she was feeling better. We both had to get past the fear and believe that God has a plan.
Agree 100% about the priviledge of jury duty and about our great nation. We have so many things to complain about if we want to, but we also have so many things to thank God for concerning our nation. When Phyllis returned from overseas for Christmas she said it feels so safe here. She said we talk about the immorality and the spirit world here but it’s nothing compared to where she lives. So we need to really do what we can to maintain what we have and I believe voting and jury duty are two things that carry weight. Not to mention all the prayers and witnessing that go with that.
About the quilt that we put into frame this week. When our children turn 21 I’ve been making them a memory quilt and this one’s Phyllis’. Sadly, she’s already 25 years old and just now getting hers. But yes, that’s a trip around the world in the center and that’s because she loves to travel and she’s been to so many different places already. Haiti, Dominican Republic, Canada, New York, Idaho, and now she has made Honduras her home. At the four corners of that trip-around-the-world are tiny blocks representing Haiti, Canada, New york and Idaho. At the time she turned 21 those were the furthest places that she’d been to. The rest of the quilt is all symbolic too. Stars for all the nights we used to lie out and watch the stars. Little hearts and hands for the years she worked at a daycare. Feather rings in the quilting design for the years she worked at a chicken farm. (ha.) Two ocean wave borders for the many, many times her best friend and her widowed mother took her with them to the beach. The figure 8 in four corner blocks because she turned 8 years old on 8/8/88. (She was born on 8/8/80.) Just little things that spark memories. All three of the older children have their quilts now and they chose the colors they wanted and I chose the patterns and went from there. Just before Phyllis left she asked me what I’m going to do for Sherri. (She just got married this winter.) I said I haven’t even thought about it so she suggested doing a double wedding ring in that center section. I loved that idea so have been anxious to get started on that. (Sherri’s only 18 so I hvae a few years to work on hers. At the rate I went with Phyllis’ I’ll need that much time.)
Yes, jury duty was a rather difficult experience but so interesting! I had postponed serving twice prior to that….the first time because I was pregnant and nearing my due date; the second time because our baby was little and ate nothing but breast milk. When they summoned me the 3rd time they said I’d better show up or they’d come and get me! So my parents came and took care of her and gave her apple juice and a little cereal until I could rush home and feed her. I never had any luck expressing milk, so it was hard on both of us. Fortunately there weren’t any crying babies in the courthouse!!!
I love jury duty! I think it’s something that IS TRULY our duty and we can serve our land in a wonderfully great capacity. Good for you!!! Woo Hoo!
Thanks for letting me know about cindysporch…great web site; not as radical as flylady and I think Hubby will be more open to her suggestions.
Hey sweet Georgene! I was so blessed as I read your post…Your attitude is a much needed one. First, to consider it a privilege to serve on a jury, and then to be concerned about this young man’s soul! Oh, yes, that should always be our primary concern each day! Thanks for sharing your experience…With much love and many prayers, Paula
Hi girl!
Yes, I have served jury duty a few times and I always think about the poor soul on trial … the ones I have been involved in were theft charges .. but, still, lost and painful .. the Lord loves everyone and wants a new life for everyone … If people would just realize that!
Have a great day Georgene!
Hugs, Connie