Very dirty, but safe

"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." (Luke 15: 4-6)

My Lord had one hundred sheep
One of them did go astray
And that left just ninety-nine
Go to the wilderness, seek and find
If you find him bring him back
'Cross your shoulders, on your back

Tell the neighbors all around
That lost sheep has done been found

Done found my lost sheep
Done found my lost sheep
Done found my lost sheep
Hallelujah!

We got the call from a woman named Diana this morning as we were sitting down to breakfast: "We've got your dog." They live just on the other side of our own neighborhood. Izzy nosed open their front door last night and walked right in on the two women and one small child. "This isn't the first time this has happened," Diana said. "It's like they know somebody here will take care of them." God bless those women, they checked Izzy's rabies tag and made the necessary calls till they tracked us down.

We left our breakfast to get happily cold on the table. I grabbed whatever I could find to cover my body, and out the door we flew to retrive our pooch. There they all were on the porch, waiting for us, the rough and lovely women still in their bathrobes, the child with blender hair, and wide-eyed Izzy, wrapped in a blanket. It took him a moment to register that his family was there. I think he was in shock. He looked like Pigpen from the Charlie Brown comics, but I didn't care. He was in my arms, smelly and shivering, all the way home. There was a strange short makeshift leash tied to his collar; he barged in on Diana and company with it trailing behind him, so I'm guessing some kid or possibly one of the many homeless people in our area chummed around with him for a while. I wish I knew where he spent the rest of the weekend, but the main thing is he's safe now, if a little nervous and urpy.

I feel blessed and loved. We prayed so hard for our old pup to come back to us. I'm grateful the Lord said yes. Today will be a much better day than yesterday was. Now I can finally begin to unpack my bags, literally and figuratively, and ease back into my good life, my life at home.

Thanks for your prayers. And very special thanks to my tiny niece Daffodil who prophesied that Izzy would "make good choices" and come home, and to my thoughtful sister-in-law who fasted(!) for Izzy yesterday. That was some pretty quick turnaround time on the divine intervention. Whoosh.