Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough … (Isaiah 56:11)
Columbus, Nebraska experienced bitter cold, biting northerly winds, and blowing snow this past week (January 7-13, 2024), and the forecast calls for more of the same in the following week. On days like this, I thank God for a nice, warm, well-insulated home that shelters us from the elements. Columbus won dubious notoriety for the greatest snowfall amount in the area with 13 inches of snow on Monday. More snow followed on Tuesday with strong winds creating deep snow drifts. Some of the drifts around my house were more than three feet deep. Then again on Thursday and into Friday (as I write this article) more snow and wind continued making the snow drifts deeper and covering all the areas I had cleared on Wednesday.
That said, occasional excursions into the blast chiller are necessary even for brief moments. So it was on Friday morning. As routine demands, our dogs, Chico and Lizzie, woke me for their morning potty run. When I opened the back door (which faces north and directly into the wind), I found that all the paths, which I had cleared earlier in the week, were completely covered up with deep snow. However, it was not as deep along the north side of our house, so the dogs could take the easier path in the direction (east) of my shed. The shed is situated behind our garage with about a three-foot concrete walkway between the two buildings. The space provides partial protection against the blowing snow, so the dogs have learned to take advantage of the clearing to get them to their favorite potty place.
The dogs quickly found the easy path and took it. Chico, being older and wiser, quickly took care of business and wasted no time returning to the warmth of the den. Lizzie, on the other hand, went around the shed (out of my sight) to her usual potty spot on the north and east sides of the shed. While there, she spotted a squirrel up in the giant Linden tree that towers over our backyard. The squirrel probably spotted Lizzie first and started chattering at her – squirrel smack talk.
Seeing the squirrel, Lizzie forgot all about her business and went after the insulting tree rat securely perched in its towering fortress. Lizzy, totally oblivious to the three-foot snowdrift between her quarry, charged headlong into the mountain of snow. Lizzie is about 10 inches tall at the shoulders, so the snowdrift is way over her head. However, that did not stop her.
Having successfully navigated the frosty obstacle, she arrived at the base of the tree. Remarkably, the ground around the base of the tree was mostly bare of snow, giving Lizzie a clear path for circling her prey. The squirrel, secure in its lofty perch above continued to hurl insults to the barking dog. Undeterred and oblivious to the bitter elements, Lizzie continued her assault. I called her several times, but she ignored me; she had a higher calling. At one point, she looked back at the path she blazed earlier and decided it was more effort than the effort she was exerting on the squirrel. I continued to call, and she continued to ignore me.
Seeing I was getting nowhere with her, I decided to go after her. That meant I would have to bundle up, get the show shovel, and dig my way over to her. After about 15 minutes of digging into the stiff north wind, I arrived at the base of the tree and my crazy dog. Thankfully, she did come when I called. I picked her up and took her into the garage where June, my wife, was waiting to do the deicing. Lizzie was covered with tightly packed snow from head to tail, which June had to comb out of her hair. Apparently, the cold finally hit her and she shivered like I had never seen before. June wrapped her up in a warm blanket and held her until she finally warmed up. June said that her belly was pink indicating that it was close to frostbite.
Since that time, we have made several more trips outside, but the excursions have been brief and down-to-business. At least for now, she seems to have learned her lesson.
This experience brought to mind our sinful condition. The squirrel represents the strong temptations that we often face. Like Lizzie, we chase after those distractions to the point that we become blind to the danger that surrounds us. God calls out to us, but we ignore Him. Then, when we find ourselves trapped and running around in circles with no apparent way out, God comes to the rescue to dig us out of our trap.
While God does rescue us from our troubles, sometimes He will leave us in our trap to teach us a lesson. Of course, that is provided that we are one of His children. We need to take care that we do not presume on God’s love for His children thinking that He will surely dig us out of the mess into which we get ourselves. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). However, if you unwittingly dig yourself into a pit, He will dig you out if you will call out to Him.
P.S.
Saturday morning when I let the dogs out for their morning run, and Lizzie once again plowed through the deep snowdrifts to get to the tree where the squirrels reside. However, the squirrels, who may be a little smarter than Lizzie, were in their nest high up in the tree trying to survive the bitter cold not caring at all about the dog below. Overnight, the wind had blown snow over the path I blazed the day before. It was as if there had never been a path there before. I called her to come, but she ignored me and kept circling the tree and looking up as if offering an invitation to the squirrels to come down and play. Once again, I had to dig my way over to rescue her before she got frostbite. Some people just never learn!
Ernie's Musings 