Rescue Me!

This month it will have been two years since our precious 13-year old black lab, Puah, (poo-ah)died. She was a loving member of our family. Over the past few months my heart has been telling me that between becoming an empty nester and missing having a sweet dog living with us....it's time to consider getting another one. But this time let's -- for the first time ever -- get a little one. We've always had large dogs: Daisy, the retriever/shepherd mix, Max the boxer/bulldog mix; and Puah, a black lab/retriever mix.

I'm about to go on a rabbit trail for a moment -- kinda like all of our dogs have always done. When our girls were very small, Don used to read the Bible to them at night as he rocked them. Even as very young children, Grace & Mary learned the names and passages from the Bible...and two of the names were "Shiphrah" and "Puah" -- the Hebrew midwives. People always asked us how we came up with the name, Puah, and the girls would tell them, "She is named after the Midrew Hewives in the Bible!" I'm not making this up. They would say, "Midrew Hewives" and it became an ongoing family joke immediately.

Ok, now I'll get back on track. I am continuing to learn how important it is to not act and react impulsively and emotionally, but instead make decisions prayerfully; to wait and pray until I get an answer and if I don't know what to do, I just keep praying until the answer comes. I have been praying about us getting another dog...and asking Don how he felt about it....it had to be right, you know. All I know is that my desire was to have a small female dog. When Don said it was ok with him to get a little dog, I began to prayerfully search for the RIGHT little dog. Mary said, "Mom, we have to RESCUE a dog from an animal shelter. We can save it and give it a good home." I thought that sounded great.

I began to visit our local animal shelter and it was bittersweet to be there. Lots of homeless dogs jumping up and down in their pens begging and barking for someone to rescue them by taking them to a loving home. I kept telling the animal shelter staff that I only wanted a small dog and they were so gracious as I kept coming back to find her. I knew I wanted a female dog. It just seemed right.

During one of my several trips to the shelter I found a sweet, charcoal grey, long-haired terrier mix. She was little and adorable. I couldn't wait to take her with me to get groomed before I brought her home. I filled out all the paperwork to legally adopt her. I had to wait a couple of days because she had to get "fixed" so I went to PetSmart and bought a hot pink leash and collar. The day came and as I was ready to leave home for the animal shelter my cell phone rang: the animal shelter staff member said that the owners of the dog just showed up and said that my dog was their dog. What? She had been a resident of the animal shelter for two weeks, why have they waited two weeks? The people at the animal shelter said that legally the little dog was mine and they knew I would give her a good home. It was up to me if I wanted to give her up to them. Whoo boy!

My thoughts were, "Lord, what is this about? Am I being tested? Hmmmm. Well, Lord, if that is really their dog, then I can't take one of their family members from them. Besides, I understand the providence of God. You rule over every circumstance. You must have something better out there for me." So I gave the dog up and got my money back. Disappointed? Yes. But still, I know God and I know I'm HIS, and I know He loves me and He does not do cruel things to His children. So after I left the shelter I returned the hot pink leash and collar to PetSmart. I knew that if I was supposed to have a new dog the Lord would give me a new dog where and when HE says so. And that's the best thing.

Believing the Lord had something else, something better for me and my family I went back to the web and looked at pet adoptions to see if there was another little one that I was supposed to bring home instead. I found some cute dogs and then in my research discovered that local PetSmart stores have pet adoption agencies show up on weekends with loads of adoptable pets! Whoo hoo. I was on it and still praying for God's will in all of this.

I asked Mary, still living on the KSU campus, if she would check out the pets at the Kennesaw PetSmart while I revisited the local animal shelter and the Canton and Alpharetta PetSmart locations. It was a sunny Saturday during my quest and I couldn't find a little pooch who could fit the description of what I was looking for -- and then Mary called me, "Mom, I found our new dog and she's adorable and she's everything you wanted in a new dog! I'm with Rob & Ryan at PetSmart and I'm holding her right now!"

I zoomed down 575 and pulled into the parking lot. There they were sitting on the sidewalk at PetSmart. Mary was holding her. It took me only five minutes to see she was the dog! I already had a name picked out, too, "Lexie". This decision made Mary's day :) because she's been wanting new pup in the family for a while. She's already planned to take her "little sisterpup" back to school with her for visits!

While I was filling out Lexie's adoption/rescue paperwork , Mary and her buds were in the pet store picking out puppy toys and fulfilling my request for hot pink collar and leash for Lexie. She is a terrier/pug mix , estimated to be about 10 months old. She shouldn't get any bigger than her 13 pounds and that's perfect!

I recently told a friend about Lexie and she said, "She's black and her name is Lexie???? That sounds just like your car -- oh, she sounds like a little black Lexus! Hahahah. That's very funny! Yeah, I can picture that!!!!"

Another friend recently saw a photo of Lexie and said, "Hmmm. All of this seems very familiar, she's jet black with a hot pink collar and leash??? Sounds like That Girl colors!"

Uh-huh! She's become the little mascot of That Girl Marketing as well as a new member of the Balint family! Par-tay!

Ok, so what's the lesson here? There are probably several and as God's children we should always work at being teachable. Personally, through all of this God has reminded me to trust Him and wait for HIS best for me and my family. God really does care about every single, tiny detail of our lives -- why else would He talk about the number of hairs on our head?

I believe rescuing a little black female dog matters to God. I also believe He wants us to live out our lives to the fullest -- for His glory. John 10:10 tells us the Jesus came that we might have life in abundance. The fact is we are here to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. And I'm trying to give Him my best so I will be able to do just that! :)

Love & blessings, Polly