Seeing God at Work

Sometimes things happen that just have God’s fingerprints all over them. Such was the case this week in two different situations.

The first happened when I went to Fred’s to get diapers for Mama. I was dismayed to see a long line at the register because I knew I would be late for choir practice. However, I was standing there when the older woman in front of me turned around and saw the diapers. She looked at me and said, “I have a whole case of those I will give you if you want them.”

“Really?” I asked incredulously. These diapers cost around $10 a pack, and Mama goes through them in no time. The cost of these diapers has become a real bone of contention between Mama and Daddy. Daddy hates buying them all the time and claims they cost him $100 a month, which, considering the source, is no doubt an exaggeration. He also hates carrying them off in the trash. Lately he has been pushing her to get a catheter, an idea that two doctors have told us is very, very bad. Catheters are notorious for causing infections.

The woman in front of me smiled kindly and said she would be glad for me to have them since her husband no longer needed them. I thought he had probably died, but then she went on to tell me the whole story. He had been in a horrible car accident a year ago last October that pretty much crushed one side of his body. Doctors told him he would never walk again. He spent two months in the hospital in Chattanooga and several more months in a nursing home before finally returning home. During his recovery, he needed the diapers because he couldn’t get up and go to the bathroom. Now he is walking with a walker and takes himself to the bathroom. He refuses to use the diapers anymore.

I told her how much my mom would appreciate it because of the cost of them. She then went on to tell me she is able to order one case a month for only $8.00! And they are Depends, not the cheap kind Mama buys at Fred’s. She told me she would be glad to order a case for Mama every month if we just give her the money. This was great news! The lady introduced herself as Virginia, and went on to tell me how much Jesus has helped her over the past year-and-a-half, so now she wants to help others. It turns out she lives here in Shooting Creek, not five minutes away from us. She gave me directions to the house and her phone number, hugged me, and left. I went on the choir practice and sang with more enthusiasm than I had in a long time!

On the way home, I took a slightly different route because I wanted to take some pictures for an album I will call “Spring in the Mountains.” I was heading back toward the house when I saw a very small black dog standing in the road. It was running around looking lost and confused and had no collar. I stopped and got out and tried to go up to it, but it was so frightened, it ran back into some briars where it hid behind a log. I couldn’t get to it without getting all scratched up. When I got as close as I could, it growled at me. It was so terrified, I thought it might bite. I gave up and got in the car and left. As soon as I did, he came out and started after my car. Just then, another car came down the road, and I stopped and waved them down because I was afraid they would run over the little dog. The saw it and stopped as well. I saw them get out in my rearview mirror. Well, maybe they will get him, I thought. I drove on a little ways, and then decided to go back to see if he was still there. I didn’t see him anywhere so I turned around again and started up the road, and there he was, standing in the exact same spot where I saw him the first time. I tried in vain to get him to come to me.

I went on back to the house and fixed a bowl of food, which I took down there. He ate like he hadn’t eaten in a week. I couldn’t believe such a tiny dog could eat that much food. He still wouldn’t let me touch him, however. I left him curled up behind the log, shivering and cold.

The next morning he was still there. I tried to entice him with a milk bone. He came very close to taking it from my hand, but then backed up behind his log again. I had brought a towel to try to cover him because he clearly was cold. I managed to drop it through the briars over him. He stayed underneath it. I decided he probably needed water. I went back to the house and got some. Boy, did he ever want the water! He came to it immediately and lapped it up. Finally, he allowed me to pet him. I left him there and went on to Virginia’s to get the diapers. When I came back, he seemed glad to see me. I was able to pick him up, put him in the car, and take him home. He was introduced to Blackie and Dallas, who behaved well. Now Little Bit is asleep in a box outside on the porch. Doug says we can keep him as long as he stays outside. Daddy is ok with it, too, so I guess we have a dog again!