Piles to go before I sleep.....

"Does she have a pulse?" asked Nicole.
I saw her nod her head weakly, but she didn't move any other aching muscle.
We had just finished shoveling approximately 4,000 pounds of dog poop, give or take a ton or two. It was a beautiful day and fortunately not too hot, but all those dogs at Hollow Creek Rescue Farm (HCF ) produce a lot of fertilizer.

Our wonderful neighborhood had responded to our biannual HCF food and blanket drive with an outpouring of blankets and donations, so Asherel and I drove them to HCF and stayed to help with chores. Our jobs out there almost always involve the transfer of animal excrement from one place to another. It is not glamorous but it is unskilled, and thus where we are usually assigned.

While shoveling interminable piles, I thought that this could be a suitable job for the inmates of Hell. A lake of fire might almost be refreshing after a job like this for all eternity. Yet, while shoveling away, and ignoring the cries of our tiring back and aching shoulders, a pack of dogs came barreling towards us, just let outside for their chance to add to our work. Among the pack was our old friend Walter, the wobbly pitbull with cerebellar hypoplasia. Given his excitement in conjunction with his ataxia, he crashed into me as he enthusiastically greeted me, sending poop flying and my joints adjusting in unacceptable new alignments.  Among his cohorts were other pitbulls, all overjoyed to see us, all gentle, all sweet. It is not what one would expect of a pitbull pack based on news reports. It made the shoveling bearable, all those dogs so happy to see us.

As we worked in the midst of all those pitbulls who could not contain their delight in seeing us, I thought of the reputation these dogs enjoy. There is a strong movement to ban the entire breed.... which isn't even a breed but many different breeds. While pitbulls are indeed a strong group of canines, and need proper and responsible pet ownership, did you know you are far more likely to be killed by an SUV? So why is there no public outcry to shoot all the SUVs? In fact, one study I read said more people die tripping over their own slippers than from dog attack. Yet we all wear slippers with barely a thought of the potential mortal danger we are tempting!

I am not a pitbull expert but there is one thing I know. I was much closer to death from shoveling poop for 2 hours than I was from my interaction with the pack of pitbulls. I am just saying......

Fear is such a huge motivator in most people's lives. We fear cholesterol, too much sugar, too little exercise, too much exercise, bad grades, bad investments, big dogs, little dogs, Global Warming, Global cooling, Death, life...... the list is endless. Yet we thumb our noses at the one thing we should fear, the One who has the power to cast out all fear.

Asherel lifted her head weakly as we pulled away from our successful completion of our poop collecting.
"Can I have a Mcflurry with oreo pieces?"
"Yes," I promised, "You earned it. Do not fear!"

Luke 12:5 (New International Version)

⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.