Coco's Rescue

It never fails that if there's a stray or abandoned dog roaming in the vicinity of my house, I'll surely find it. Let me rephrase that so there's no confusion: The dog doesn't even have to be close to where I live. If I'm driving through town, it's like my eyes and heart will have a radar lock on one of my fury four-legged friends. It's seldom when I see one that I'm able to turn away, even though at times, I have tried. I have nearly been killed trying to coax a lost dog from the middle of Keith Street. I could have wrecked countless times when trying to pull off a busy road. It's sheer craziness, I know ... but I can't help it. Ask my husband or my kids and they will tell you that I'm telling the truth.

Yesterday was no different. I need you to know that I don't intentionally pursue lost or stray dogs ... it just happens. But here I was, minding my own business, making a turn toward home ... when in he middle of the road was the cutest little dog, stressed and making a bee-line toward the center of the intersection. Stick with me here because like always, I pull off, get out of the car and begin to call her. "Puppy! Puppy! Come here little girl. PUPPY!" With a look of hesitation, she got off the road and approached me in the bank parking lot. She immediately rolled over (total submission) and let me rub her belly. I was THRILLED to see that not only did she have a collar, she had an owner's tag. There it was: COCO, with her phone number.
Within minutes, I had Coco back with her family and I was on my way.

As I drove home, I was thankful that no matter how Coco had gotten out, she was safe at home, safe with her family that loves her.

Coco had no idea that she was putting her life in jeopardy by running down the middle of the road. She was clueless that just yards in front of her was a busy intersection. This dog was foot lose and fancy free, and even though there was a sense of panic about her ... she was on what may have appeared to be a "great adventure."

Sometimes we are like Coco. Determined to go our own way -- clueless as to what may be right around the corner that has the potential to hurt us. Hurt us bad. Coco would have been a smart dog to stick close to home that day ... and we will be wise people to not venture outside what God has deemed safe for us. The problem is that, like Coco, we want some type of adventure.

God knows the plans He has for our lives. They are plans to prosper us ... not to harm us. Plans to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

One thing is for sure: As we hold tightly to our Savior's hand ... He will lead us and He will guide us. He will never take us down a road that will lead to destruction. He will never point us in the wrong direction.

Just like I was calling for Coco, God will call for us ... urging us to come back. As I called and called (okay, I was yelling) for her ... I thought about the times He has called and called for me.
Countless times God intervened on my behalf saving me from disaster or destruction.

And if that wasn't enough, God showed me that as good as I felt about rescuing Coco, He also wants me to be on the lookout for brothers and sisters in Christ who also might be headed for trouble: "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."
(James 5:19-20)

I guess I will always be on the look out for dogs who need someone to rescue them. Yesterday, God reminded me that taking the time and investing in others who might also be headed for disaster is a good thing. In fact, it's a God thing.