There was a farmer had a dog and Bingo was his namo.. remember that song. Well this isn't a story about him. This is a story about Banjo, and how the Lord used him to reveal parts of His character to a new Christian. We may think that there are things that are trivial to HIM. But we need to think again. His love for us far out weighs the Love we have for our own children. Just like a parent, He is concerned with our emotional and mental health. And I believe that what He did in this little story was to give this New Christian some testimony, and understanding about the omniscient capacity of his love.
Banjo was a Brittany Spaniel. That is a hunting dog and supposedly a good one. But Banjo never really got to hunt. My ex-husband never really took the time to train him. So he spent most of his time tied up to the fence in the back yard.
I am not a dog person and don't like dogs but I would never harm one. And I hate to see one being mistreated or chained up all the time.
So, that never did set right for me and when my husband would leave I often would bring him in and or let him loose so he could run and play. He was a very gentle dog who of course adored the woman who saved him from his prison. But he was also a very rambunctious dog. He had a tendency to tear and chew and just have a grand old time. So it wasn't really smart, but my emotions often over ruled any sense I might have. Any ways.. . this is how it was.. the man was gone and the dog looked sad, and I let him run.
Well my oldest daughter was almost eleven at the time and she wanted to walk down about four blocks to a corner store. I had never allowed her to do this before but I thought.. well she is going with friends..and if she takes the dog.. it will be okay.
So I let them go.. Amber and her friends and Banjo. About ten minutes later Amber comes running in crying.. .Banjo got hit by a car crossing the street. Oh boy.. what was I thinking.. I was in a panic now. I said .."where?" "Down in front of the store!!" she screamed.
Well we hurried as fast as we could on foot, and when we got there.. there was no dog! I asked the owners of the little store and they said the man that hit the dog had taken Banjo with him, they assumed to a veterinarian.
Well Flint is a pretty big city and still being a drunk at the time I had no idea about dog hospitals and such and I certainly didn't have the sense to call around and see if a Brittany had been brought in hit.. I thought.. well. the man will take care of it.. Banjo must be in good hands. The only thing was.. the man didn't know where I lived.. so how would he bring him back.. and maybe Banjo was hurt too badly. All manner of questions arose in my mind.
I tried to console my daughter.. and the other kids... but I really didn't have an idea how this was
all going to turn out.
Well as with everything else, the business of children and life sort of put Banjo out of our minds for a while. Every once in a while I would wonder about him or one of the kids would ask about him.. if he was okay.. if he had died. or lived and had a good home.. There were no answers or solutions to these questions so they were always just pushed back out of the way of the thoughts of the day. In those months to follow I became a Christian.
We lived next door to a flower shop. It was on the corner, and then a big alley, and then our house. It was the day before mother's day and I was sitting with the kids on the porch enjoying the warmth. I had a new life and things were very exciting. Everything was wide open to my eyes now. I was watching the parking lot of the flower shop, thinking about the families as folks went in and out. How lucky they were that they were getting flowers.. who the mom was.. or wife.. how nice it must be..
A truck pulled into the lot and a middle aged man got out. The windows were open and as he walked away from the truck a dog stuck his head out the window. Then, half his body hung out. He watched the man go into the building. Then he turned towards me. He started moving his nose as if he was smelling something, and then he started getting excited. He was staring at me and his whole body was wagging. If he leaned any further out of the window he was going to fall out. It was Banjo!!!
I knew what he was waiting for. I knew all I had to do was call his name and he would be there as fast as a bullet. I know it was only seconds.. but it seemed like an hour.. the debate.. the should I argument, after all. if we had him back.. he would once again be tied to a fence.. with a dirty dog house .. and I would feel terribly guilty..
I had to think about this for a moment. He had been gone almost a year. He was clean, and with a man who was picking up flowers for someone on mothers day. The truck was nice, he must have a good home! And then it hit me. The Lord was just showing us how much He loved us. That now we could put "what happened" to Banjo to rest. He was loved, he was safe, he seemed happy. And I had a great example of just how much the Lord loves us to share with my kids, and the world.
Now you might think that I am stretching things a bit. We tend to put restrictions on the Lords love. What He loves, how He loves, what is significant to HIM. We are significant to Him. And just as he knows how many hairs are on your head. He knows just how to love you in every perfect way.
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