Posted in Family Life

Yesterday we had quite the incident at our house, following lunch. . .  

Pure One let the Retrievers outside for some fun and playtime (quite normal event).  I was taking care of some chores and confident that everything was okay, because the dogs always alert me if someone approaches the property.  About 5 minutes later I peak my head outside to check on Pure One and I see her behind the pine trees.  As she makes a clearing through the branches I see her cheeks are all red, and she is huffing and puffing like she ran a marathon.  I let her know that I need to see her when she is in the back yard, and that playing behind the pine trees would only prevent that.  All of a sudden I see her face contort and she begins crying, then breaks into a recount of what brought her to the pine trees.  My heart was in my throat as I listened to her share it all.  Here is what happened:

Right after I went back to my chores, Retriever 2 decided to bolt off and chase a bird all the way across the park, and almost onto the main road.  Pure One said she ran and ran to chase the dog and bring her back home, but Retriever 2 was so fixed on that bird she couldn't hear or see anything said or done to prevent her from harm.  Just as the Retriever almost ran into the road and a car would have hit her, the bird turned around and headed back toward our house, so the dog turned with it.  Pure One said it was at that point she was on her knees (literally) praying to the Lord to help her, because she couldn't run anymore (had bare feet and burrs were in the grass). She said that was when she saw the Lord turn that birdie around. So at the time I was seeing her come through the pine trees she was just making her way back from the road.

I can't tell you how my mother's heart felt at that moment, knowing my dd was in a potentially harmful situation, and I wasn't aware of what was going on. It just sent chills up my spine, and a sick feeling in my abdomen - a nightmare for sure!  However, the comfort in knowing God's grace, mercy and hand of protection were over my precious one during that time (and goofy Retriever 2), brought such peace.  It was also a faith-building lesson for dd, as she is learning that when Mommy and Daddy aren't there to help she can always go to her Heavenly Father, through Christ Jesus.  We are so thankful things turned out well instead of in disaster.

But boy oh boy was my heart in my throat . . . whew . . . how fast things can happen, and how thankful I am to serve a mighty God who charges His angels around us. 

Psalms 91:11-16
For he will give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under foot. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

Have A Wonderful Week Everyone; We're off to Texas!

<>< Kelly

P.S. - Just in case anyone is wondering . . . yep we sure did talk about ways in which the situation could have been handled differently, and how Retriever 2 should have been hooked up to her cable instead of being released to have free play, and also how important it is to get Mom or Dad when something like that happens again.  Oh these life lessons can be so hard sometimes.