Running

"You were running well.
Who hindered you from obeying the truth.?"
Galatians 5:7

In April of last year, we adopted a little dog named Harley whose story was told that he found in the woods with other his other siblings. He was two when we adopted him. Abby fell in love with him when she saw him at the pet store. He is skinny, black and tan, house trained, crate trained and we have no idea what mix he is...but he is part of our family and we love him. He is Abby's dog though, she paid one hundred dollars of her own money for him! She just reminded me that I did buy his bed (and the vet bills, and the food, and the...haha).

Meet Harley


He is sweet as pie, that is you are female because he lived with females. He took about six months to not bark his head off every time Jeff walked through the door. We have made it through that transition and for the most part he is very good dog. I mean, he really has it made in the shade... he sleeps in the bed with Abby every night, she and Luke take him on walks or he rides to school with us sometimes, he gets fed, he plays with Boston, he wags his tail and he's happy! Now, one little detail, Thursday night he was not so nice to our friend, Mike, with his teeth that is, biting Harley. Bad dog. Guess we all have some issues right?

The issues get a little steeper...enter...Harley's game time.

Friday afternoon, at yes 2:15 pm, as I am about to head to the carpool line, I got this funny feelingthat  I better check on Harely ??? It is a fenced back yard but I have not seen him lately and the door was open for some fresh air. I look up at the top of yard, where might I add there is a petition, but not a very secure one, and there he is. Safe.

He looked me square in the eye and jumped right over the petition and HE WAS OFF! This is the one thing I left out. If he ever decides he wants to play his game of chase. IT IS ON. Why would he leave the backyard where there's plenty of room to play and (sure the fourteen year old yorkie Katie, wasn't giving him the time of day, but she's old!!) he's safe and protected  from cars on the busy road.

None of my tactics worked to lure him back home to safety. The clock was ticking away and I ran around the neighborhood in cowboy boots, I threw lunchmeat turkey to him, I was talking to him in  my silly, sweet voice even though I was not feeling sweet toward him at the moment...NOTHING WORKED. He was doing his own thing. This was fun. This was freedom, not confining. But this was so unsafe, he had no boundaries, no sense of danger.  It was later and later, neighbors began to show up, trying to help. Still he was running. Defiantly now, running. The last run at 2:45 to the end of the street (luckily away from the busy road) I sat down in the grass. I could tell he was tired of running. Oh dear, was I ever.

 Yes, I prayed. Long before this. He finally came to me. I grabbed him up, umm, kinda gently, and trompsed (is that a word, i love to say it anyway) home, out of breath, with Harely just a panting from his fun game,in my arms. My sweet neighbor was meeting me on the road with a leash, but I had to thank her and say I am not letting him go, it's too risky! I take him straight into Abby's room to his crate.  2:55 I am wheeling out of the driveway to carpool.

Now that I have cooled down and the panic has worn off, I see a resemblence of how I have done this to God many times in my life. Knowing better and still running. And in that type of running, I took myself right out of the safety and protection of his plan. I played the game, to see how far I could go without being too bad. Yep, not proud of it, but thank God for redemption. There are consequences but  there is also an amazing trail of his grace on my path of rebellion that led me back to his arms. And HE did gently pick me up and brought me back to safety. I am so glad that he loved me enough to come after me. I sure led him on some wild goose chases just as Harley did me.
 Another life lesson and this time learned from the dog...boundaries are for our own safety. God sets the boundaries in His word. That is the absolute truth. 

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm. Therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Blessings,
Suzanne

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