Thank You for Your Loving Care!

Once again today the Lord demonstrated His loving care for me. We're having an unusually mild winter/spring in Grand Rapids as is much of the Midwest. I decided that it would be good for my little 3 1/3 pound puppy and me to get out in the air. Due to arthritic joints, I walk with a cane, but walking with a cane with a puppy that has not been trained to walk on a leash is like asking for a broken bone, so I decided I would use a walker today. Thank you, Lord, for directing me in this way!

I had walked a few minutes when I came upon a huge German shepherd that did not like my little dog at all! Perhaps he wasn't any fonder of me than of my puppy. In any case, he was loudly expressing his dissatisfaction. And did I say that he was huge? I started to back up, but the owner was in the yard and assured me that I could continue with my walk. I started approaching again, but when he became even more menacing, I once again backed up. The owner again assured me that it was all right to continue so I did so. Suddenly, after I had passed where he was supposedly restrained, I sensed that he was on my heals! He lunged against me, which would definitely have knocked me down if I hadn't been using a walker. Then he went for my puppy.

I cried audibly, "God, help me!" I didn't realize the owner was right beside me and probably heard me say it. I hope he didn't think I was using the Lord's name in vain. I trust he knew I was praying.

The owner grabbed the dog and jerked him forcefully back into their yard. I didn't see him hit the dog, but the dog was crying in pain, so I know he hurt him in some way. But I was trying to take care of my baby while shaking like a leaf. I decided to turn around and return home. But that meant traversing the sidewalk in front of the yard where the dog was. I asked the owner if he would hold the dog while I passed. He was still hurting the dog in some way, since the dog was still crying in pain, and he held him firmly as I passed on my way back home.

It took awhile for the adrenaline to stop flowing through me, or for its effects to cease, even after I got home. I would have allowed the dog to bite me before I would have allowed him to get Snookums away from me, if it had been in my power to protect her. I think the dog did get her in his mouth, but he must not have bitten her because she didn't cry. She was as afraid as I was afterwards however.

I thanked the Lord for His protection, and for giving me the foresight to use the walker rather than a cane. I would definitely have been down if I had only been using a cane. Once again, the Lord demonstrated His goodness to me. So, Father, thank You for Your loving care again today.