A Dog Story (Spoiler Alert: Happy ending!)

     Take a look at the right-hand sidebar, and scroll down just a little.  See that handsome dog on "Lucky's Farm Dog Almanac"?  That's our furry child; he came with the property when we moved here almost two years ago.  The former owners were moving to much smaller acreage and wanted to know if we'd take the dog as well as the chickens --- it took us about one second to say yes.  We've always had dogs, but our two previous fur babies went to heaven way back in 2003.  No farm is complete unless there's a dog!

     Lucky is such a blessing to us.  He's surely easy; he lives outdoors, watches over "his" chickens, barks warnings to intruding critters at night, and supervises our outdoor work.  He's our best buddy and faithful companion.  He knows this farm better than we do.  He's lived here for 12 years; we're actually his third owners.  We love this guy. 

     Yesterday morning we were afraid we'd lost him.  I won't write the icky details, but he got his foot caught in a trap at the neighboring farm.  He visits there many mornings; this time he didn't come back as usual.  Vic called them right away.  Lucky was found right away, set free, and he ran home.  After we cleaned him up, we couldn't even see where the trap had cut his foot.  His mouth bled a little for awhile, and this morning we discovered that he'd broken a few teeth.  He had obviously been traumatized.  He slept it off, though, and as of this afternoon he's almost back to normal.  The teeth aren't a problem.  He ate heartily when he got home yesterday, and he's eaten even more today, including a few crunchy dog cookies.  This evening he reminded me when it was time to tuck in the chickens, and then he went for a little walk, run, and jump (He leaps like a deer!) in the back.  We are rejoicing.

     Our neighbor has, by the way, removed the trap. This is the first time they'd set one out.  There are coyotes out here.   He felt so bad about it.  He too knows that Lucky will be all right.  Our neighbors are absolutely wonderful people.  We are so blessed. 

     Oh, the goodness of God!  I pray over my critters every morning and every evening.  Yesterday at the height of it all, I unashamedly  SHOUTED to Jesus in my deep need.  I called, and He answered.  He indeed is everything to me.  


"Bless the Lord, oh my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name!"
                            Psalm 103:1
 

Aren't you glad there are happy endings?