Staying Where We Belong

For the past several nights, Lucky has somehow escaped the yard. While I was skiing this past Thursday and inconveniently 3 hours from home, I got a call from a neighbor. Lucky was in their back yard. Then yesterday morning, Lucky was crated till 6 a.m. when he decided he wanted to demolish the crate. It is metal, so he could not demolish it, but he made quite a racket. My husband let him out thinking he does not usually escape except at night. He did not block off the dog door, since he figured Lucky would not run off. I woke at 7 a.m. No Lucky. Then a neighbor from a few streets over drove up with Lucky in her back seat.

We are pricing barricade fencing. Another few thousand dollars kissing us goodbye... Just when you feel like all the major expenses are maybe over for a little while, something new pops up. Life is expensive.

The strange thing is, during the day, Lucky is continually underfoot. He appears not to want to let us out of his sight. I am constantly tripping over Lucky. Every time I turn around, Lucky is an inch from my heel. Why is the crazy dog so needy for our attention during the day, and then running away every night? It makes no sense.

I suppose in a way, it is how I treat God. When He is near, and I realize I need Him, I cling to Him.  I feel His presence; I am enthralled. I can't get enough of Him. I realize how blessed I am that He cares for me, though I can't imagine why that is the case. I stay near Him just in case He changes His mind. While surrounded by fellow believers in church, for example, I feel His presence so keenly that I can't imagine ever losing sight of how essential He is. I will never run from you again, Dear Lord!

Until I wander...

I forget Him, forget all He's done, forget how gently and consistently He has met my every need and soon I am lost in the darkness. Just like poor Lucky, I am shut outside of the very place of comfort I long to re-enter...and it is through my own doing!
 
I walked the fence line in the afternoon yesterday. I spotted his getaway spot. He was very ingenious. He had carefully pulled a wire corner away from the post. He apparently then slipped out easily, but the wire sprung back into place so that we had been unable to detect it. We nailed that sucker securely in place. Since this fix thus far, he has not escaped. For the moment, the crazy terrier is outsmarted. Maybe he will stay where he belongs now.

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Psalm 116: 3-9
3 The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
"O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!"
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
9 I will walk before the Lord
 in the land of the living.