The Invisibe Line

By Anne Marie Lucci-Stahl

The Invisible Line is the line that protects the thin blue line. This is the police officer's wife and family. Most people have heard of the Thin Blue Line. It has become a visible image of the line that police officers stand on each and every day. They remain vigilant, alongside each other and those they protect, guarding them from harm's way. But in front of each blue line, there is an invisible line. This line is an image that no one else sees. This is the line that protects the thin blue line. This is the police officer's wife and family. The Invisible Line represents a family's dedication, sacrifice, anonymity, and protection of their loved one. The Invisible Line is the difference between turmoil and peace. It stays nameless to avoid the targets, and stands strong in the name of honor. It is the threshold of an officer's home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anne Marie Lucci-Stahl
• Release date: Sep 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223588061

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DAY ONE

HERE I AM

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me!"

~Isaiah 6:8

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Do you remember the moment, the exact minute in time, when you realized what you wanted to do for the rest of your life as a career? Is it what you daydreamed about being when you were little? Is it what you even received a degree for while in school? Did it hit you like a thunderbolt, or was it a niggling nagging little voice in the back of your mind that wouldn’t quiet down?

Everyone’s path in life is unique. No one travels the same path. You may meet up with fellow travelers along the way who share the same interests or goals. And they are purposely put there; no arguing that. They hold your hand along the rocky terrain and hoist you over the fallen debris. Soon enough, as you steady yourself and find your balance, they move along their own diversion in the wood. But sometimes, you stumble upon someone who wants to tag along on your path with you for the duration. He or she finds your path quite interesting, cozy and familiar if truth be told; enough to realize that your paths actually dissected and became one awhile back. This person who will walk alongside your now-aligned path has no idea what is in store for either one of you, doesn’t know what waits around the bend. And as you walk along, you ask each other questions like, Was your hair always blonde? Or, Did you like English or math in school? Or, What did you always want to be when you grew up? No one’s answers will ever be the same, for God created us in so many unique ways. But the one thing that runs through each of us, walking along our paths, is this. We are all called by God to use our talents through Him. We are designed to just figure these things out all at different points along our journeys.

Families who are called by God to love a police officer have very unique paths. They tend to have more obstacles set in front of them, to trip over and sometimes fall. They sometimes must climb over walls that seem almost as high as the sky. Try as they might on their own, they cannot always make it. But when that family grabs hold of each other, vowing never to let go, they catch themselves when they trip over the gnarled brush and they soar over the impenetrable walls. For they all heard the call of God when he asked whom shall He send into the woods. Who would not fear the broken pieces of humanity that lay in front of them? Who would not back away from ridicule and evil? Who would tend to the stricken and the sick? Who would open the hearts of the scorned and the scared?

The officer heard God’s voice among the trees of his own path and chose to dedicate his life for the safety of others; knowing that one day his own life may be taken in their place. The wife heard the call of God when she agreed to walk along the path together, knowing that the obstacles would get bigger and harder to overcome at times. But knowing that she had the strength and stamina to help climb and dodge over whatever came their way. The children of the officer felt God’s call to them in their hearts, when they realized that God had given them a very special family. Who valued protection and safety over everything else, and knew that they would be cherished and valued all along this chosen path. They all heard God’s calling in the woods; He needed someone to send to help His lost people.

When I was a little girl I went to Catholic school, and I learned many traditional church hymns. A few became my favorites, and I continue to listen to them as an adult. One of those is entitled, Here I am Lord, written by Dan Schutte. He based this beautiful song partly on Isaiah 6:8. As a child, I felt closer to God when I sang it, but I never thought about what it might mean for me as a guide later in life.

Some of the lyrics are, "I have heard My people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save. Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go Lord, if you lead me. I have borne My people’s pain. I have wept for love of them. They turn away. Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord."

Now, as a police officer’s wife of twenty-two years, I still continue to hear God calling my name. Sometimes He asks me to find compassion when my husband’s stuck at work on an arrest, knowing he’s going to miss our son’s concert. At other times He reminds me about patience, as I growl and pick up tossed shirts and trip over boots that were left scattered in a mad dash out the door, responding to a call for a fourteen year old threatening to kill herself.

There are moments in my children’s lives when I see them listening to God’s whispered words. A spontaneous hug from Boy #1 during the hectic school day when Dad was there investigating a case; not concerned at all whether his friends saw and thought it was uncool. Or the random funny meme Boy #2 might send to Dad when he is stuck over on a call, thinking it might cheer him up about missing dinner with us.

My husband heard God’s call over twenty-four years ago to minister to his people as an enforcer of the law. It was certainly not what he originally went to college for and never dreamed of becoming while he played cops and robbers as a kid.

But one night, he heard God calling in the wood, along his chosen path.Whom shall I send? Who will help those who dwell in dark and sin? Who will help Me borne My people’s pain, even when they turn away? Whom shall I send?

And he answered, Here am I. Send me.

DAY ONE REFLECTION

Ideas for the Day:

Write down something that always called to you as a child (i.e., something you always wanted to do or see).

How can you use God’s light in ministering to His people today?

DAY TWO

I TOOK THE PATH

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

~Proverbs 22:6

Solomon, the son of David, wrote Proverbs. It is essentially a book of wise advice telling us that God is present in everything, and we are to find wisdom through God. Many present-day parents seek guidance, comfort or reassurance, asking if they may actually be doing the right thing when they send their kids out the door every morning. Solomon was known as the Peacemaker King. His name literally is associated with the word peace in the Hebrew and Arabic languages. He valued truth, justice and discipline. Scholars believe that he wrote this proverb as a warning to parents; that they can fail their children by not setting boundaries for, and give guidance to, them. In modern day terms, he tells parents of teenagers not to let their children go their own ways once they become self-sufficient. Rather, guide them and instruct them in God’s teachings. In James 1:5-6, James writes to the twelve scattered tribes. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

The hardest part of watching my children grow up in a police family is controlling my great ability to doubt. We raise our children with safety as our number one priority. We control who they hang out with, where they spend sleepover nights, and whose cars they get into, as long as we can. Each potential friend or date must be cleared and vetted, as well as his or her closest relatives. We appreciate knowing where they will eat before they leave, just in case there was a recent altercation with the cooking staff. It is hard for me to just let go. They were raised to know that in a restaurant their father never sits with his back to the door, and they always know where the closest exit is in a theater. As they get older and go out more often, I tend to cast my shadow of doubt onto their friends. Do I trust the driver of the car not to text or speed? Are there guns and alcohol in the house where they are going to spend the night? Are parents going to be home?

Trust in other people is a hard concept to put into action, especially when your children are involved and your spouse deals with the most untrustworthy people on a daily basis. It is at times like this that I must remember these words from James and Solomon. I must put my trust in God, and not doubt that if I educated my children well, they will know what to do when faced with a questionable situation.

The men I live with are thankfully able to chuckle when I tend to show my doubt; asking me if I would like to secure them in bubble wrap and implant homing chips in their ears. I often say yes to both options. But we have yet to get out the wrap nor the chips. I recently came across a quote by the famous psychologist, Dr. James Dobson. Children must be given room to breathe and grow and love.

It has been difficult for me to let them go and explore the world on their own, possibly because I’ve witnessed so much of the negativity, and downright scariness, of the world through my husband’s experiences. I sometimes wonder that if he had any other job behind a desk in a cubicle, would I react the same way? I long for the days when I could plan out every detail of the kids’ days, and they couldn’t get anywhere without one of their parents. But Solomon once again reminds me in Proverbs 19:21, Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

I am at the point now of helping Boy #1 in choosing a college, and with that, a career path. He has the unique circumstance of having both a strong analytical and a creative side of his brain. He is a talented musician and artist, and at the same time loves chemistry and physics. The world is his in any direction. But which direction? I want so badly to help him find the way he should go, to follow his talents. Wouldn’t it be great if it was just like it used to be when he held my hand to cross the street? I would hold on tight, we would both look each way and when we both thought it was safe, we’d cross together. As we crossed, I’d still look over his little head for any dangerous pitfalls along the path. And I would smile when we reached the other side, where our destination and blessings resided. But now he’s ready to walk alone, along his path. He’s long since been crossing the street by himself.

I pray to cast aside