I never realized I was a 'dog' person, as they say, until we took in a rescue a couple of years ago. Oooh, was that neat! We got a gem of a girl. We named her 'Ginger' because of her beautiful red blonde coloring.
She knew commands, wasn't a table moocher, was house trained, she was pretty, and smart, and didn't chew our 'stuff', she was PERFECT! *sigh* - Until we discovered she was a 'runner'.
Every time a door opened, or leash wasn't clipped right, or leash would get yanked off by her wild thrashings (to be out of it!!!) - she would RUN. And run, and run, and run! Making wider and wider circles around our house - to the neighbors yards - and finally beyond, till she was 'out of sight'. She'd stay gone for hours! No matter how far and long we would look, call, beg, whistle, squeak her favorite toy. Nothing. Nothing so much as a glance over her shoulder at us. Nope. Just, gone.....
After living several weeks of her habit, and considering we live in a beautiful area that abuts the MetroParks (with deer and all sorts of wildlife coming thru regularly) - we also live on a very busy 4 lane road. An accident was bound to happen. For her wide arching circles of running track she was creating - she also was ignoring any boundaries in her path. Including 45 mph vehicles. *sigh* The 'gasps', breath holding, mouth covering, name shouting, arms flailing we did - was for naught. A very naught(y) girl named Ginger.
She knew us. She loved us. She knew we fed her, cared for her, played with her, rubbed her head and belly till she was practically purring! Lord knows we loved her!
Yet. Run she would. Every. Single. Chance. *sigh*
So. We brought her back to the shelter, to be adopted out again, to someone who had a big fenced yard. It was 'Adoption Day' the day we brought miss Ginger back. Dozens, and dozens, of families stood in loooong lines - hoping to find a good dog! And here we came. With ours.
Our hearts were breaking in a screaming silence within us! It was so unbearable to say 'goodbye' to our almost perfect dog! And she WAS perfect. Just not safe. And that made it necessary. For her. For us. And a little part of us died in doing it. In saying 'goodbye, be safe'.
Then hoping, and begging God, that she'd be adopted by a perfect and safe family! The odds were high, that day. The smiling faces, hope filled eye's, of soooo many people to come adopt 'their' dog - were everywhere we looked. We were encouraged many would want her!
When we adopted her, she had been 'found' by someone. There was no 'history' to be told for a perfect placement. All they had to go on was her behavior in the short time she was at the shelter.
But now, now, we could offer her behavior history - so they could best 'fit' her to the right 'match' of a family. Which is highly beneficial!
"She'll need a fence" we said, "...she's a runner.". The vet tech marked it down, while another tech examined her.
"What are her other problems?" they asked. *sigh* - "None. She's perfect." - And we both got tears in our eye's.
"We just don't have a fence. She's not safe.". (More tears!)
We signed the paperwork, and left. We didn't get to say 'goodbye' after all. And it killed us.
How can something you have so briefly - mean so much?!
Here comes the moral of the story:
I hope you were able to feel a little of what we felt from this story. It's all true. Our emotions for her are still palpable, even though it happened years ago.
Cause that slight window of love. That little glimpse of such a perfect love and protection that we felt for her,...is just a micro-fraction of what God feels for 'us'. For you. For me. For all of us.
Yet, don't we regularly 'run'? Maybe a little. Maybe a lot. But we all run. In our own ways. But always away from Gods best for us. We 'feel' the urge to bolt! There are endless metaphors and examples I could give for how we all do that! But we know ourselves. We know what makes us run. We know.
For me to list them - would distract us to others, and their imperfections. The only one that matters - is the one in our hearts. Think. Surely something is coming to mind. How/why your heart runs.
Our God loves us enough, that He lets us run. He wants us to WANT him. He'll never leash us, or lock us in. He wants us to choose to stay close to him. For our OWN safety.
But, if we run long enough, if we run far enough, we won't see or hear him anymore.
Yet, he'll always come looking. He will. Listen? Can't you hear him calling your name? Stop running. Stop. He loves you! Go to him. You'll find Him - perfect.
