24 Dogs and a Dead Alligator

They call this low country but I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it's the southern side of South Carolina. Dogs run free here in packs of four and five. They're strays and no one cares for them, at least that's what Miss Linda from the local newspaper said. She stopped to do a brief interview of a guy the townspeople were describing as Moses.

Walking through Fairfax, four dogs of various sizes and appetites spotted me strolling through town. They started to bark and yelp and make their way toward my leg bones when I decided I better cross the street. There wasn't enough traffic to slow them down until a gentleman in a pickup saw my plight. He slowed down, placing his truck between the dogs and their noon day lunch...that'd be me! He actually "escorted" me down main street. I felt like the mayor on fourth of July! I was tempted to smile and wave but I thought I'd better just concentrate on scurrying on down the road. When he determined I was in the clear, the kind driver sped up, waved and drove off. Unbeknownest to me, one of the dogs decided to make another run at me. He never saw the truck that hit him. Neither did I but Lucy, unfortunately, saw the whole thing happen.

That wasn't my only encounter with multiple mutts. Over the next three days, I encountered dogs in groups of two's and four's and five's. If you know of anyone who sells leashes, collars or pet sedatives, send'em on down to South Carolina...there's a market here!

On our first journey, I met a dog trainer who gave me some insight on seemingly aggressive canines. She said some were just territorial, they would make a lot of noise just to drive you off their domain and then be done with it. She said never be aggressive with a dog. Face them, stay calm and make yourself bigger. She told me to use my stick to hold them at bay but not to threaten. Generally, I face the animal, point the staff downward toward the dog and move it side to side....much like someone looking for water with a divining rod. All the while, I'm moving down the road sideways whispering "Blessed be the Name of Jesus." I got a lot of practice with my sidestep these past three days as I encountered two dozen of God's little (and not so little) darlings.

Dogs I'm kind of used to but the road I was on walking out of Allendale toward Sylvania, GA had swamps on either side of it. I knew they had alligators in Florida but did they have them this far north. I wondered what I would do if I saw an alligator. How fast do they move? Could I outrun it? I pictured myself heroically subduing the reptile with with trusty staff and right in the middle of my day dreams, I glanced over to my left and saw an alligator on the lane next to me. Thump! Thump! Thump! Be still my heart...I took a closer look and thankfully it was dead. I don't know what he would have done with me if he was alive but I know this...even dead he quickened my step and improved my prayer life! "Blessed be the Name of Jesus!"

Friendship Addiction

Drugs and alcohol. We hear about them so much, the damage they do to human lives doesn't even seem to register on our "I care meter." Today I met a gentleman who is addicted. He was trembling as I held his hand and prayed. When I asked him if he had ever tried to quit, he said he had, but then he "slipped back."

God directed me to ask him if after he had gotten clean, if someone had offered him a taste. He said they had and it was then I began to see the drug problem through a different set of lenses. The words that came out of my mouth had nothing to do with giving up drugs or even giving your life to Christ but it did have something to do with giving!

I started to talk with James about giving his "friends" the boot! He had the power to stop using. He had proven that. Now he had to "withdraw" from his associations. The people he hung around with...they were his real addiction. He had to quit them or they would kill him in the name of friendship and the brotherhood.

As I spoke to him, he listened, he smiled shyly and his eyes brighten a bit. He began to understand something that he never saw before. If you hang around with thieves, you're likely to steal rather than get a job. Hang around with drunks and drug addicts, you're likely to drink, snort and smoke and then push the stuff on others to pay your own pusher. But...if you will change who you associate with, then you change! Hang around with honorable men and you're likely to become honorable. Surround yourself with Godly men and your own Godliness will begin to shine.

Did what I say make a difference? Whether it did or didn't, it needed to be said. But more is needed....you and I need to pray for James and anyone we know that may be like him. People are coerced and pressured into doing things that are harmful to themselves and to their families for a momentary high. Why do they do it? For acceptance to begin with. Then they isolate themselves within a small group of users. They have no one to tell them they are valuable children of God and they begin to crave, not just the drugs but the deceptive words that counterfeit family; "We're family, Bro." "I got your back." "It's just you and me against THEM."

Lord God, there is a spider web in our society that catches the unwary. It shows itself like a glittering diamond necklace in the moonlight but it is dangerous to those it ensnares. It is full of deception. Drug and alcohol addiction steals the hopes and dreams of Your children. We ask You, Father, to help each of us encourage those around us. We do not know who is on the fringe of falling into this deadly trap. Give us boldness to speak love and hope into friends, family and strangers alike, for all are Your children. Protect us, O God, and our families from being lured into this life ourselves.

Diamonds

Two days of rain thanks to Tropical Storm Nichole and then two days of brilliant sunshine and mild temperatures! We're in beautiful North Carolina and each hour of walking seems to bring the nicest people my way.

Miss Elizabeth is an artist/journalist who is working to help the flood victims of Pakistan. She told me the Pakistani people are filled with fear because of terrorists and lack, yet the fabric of

their family remains very strong and close knit. We talked about how in America, it seems the family is fragmented as we struggle

amidst our abundance. The fear in Pakistan draws the family closer in an effort to survive. In America survival is taken for granted and yet the distractions of our wealth and independence often divide us. The difference between the two cultures does not exist in the people themselves but in the outside circumstances and our fearful reactions to them.

Lynn is a young man who is not trying to solve global issues. He is more concerned with the ''invisible" people around the corner. There's a family that has been living in an abandoned house for the past two years. They have no transportation, no "real" address and so, no job. No job means no money which translates to no food, no heat in the winter, no air conditioning in the summer and literally no existence in the community. He "stumbled'' across them, recognized the problem and God touched his heart to do something about it. Lynn has enlisted the help of a few loving folks to, not just donate money, but learn how to work the system and use the resources available to help these folks get re-established. Lynn inspired me. I heard God whisper "Go and do likewise."

Janese and Leslie drove by our parked RV and "just had to stop." We must have talked with them for an hour! They were delightful. Saved through the ministry of Chuck Smith (Calvary Chapel), acquainted with the House of Prayer in Kansas City, we listened to worship music with them and found we had a lot in common.

Adam raises horses and he and his wife Mary were on the way home when their curiosity stopped them. Although our conversation was brief, we got a picture together, became friends on Facebook and plan to stay in touch.

Marcus & Dustin are a couple of twenty-something guys who had passed us early in the day. They couldn't stop because they were on their way to a Baptism. Dustin prayed that God would let our paths cross again and so it was. Lucy had pulled into a parking lot, I had finished up for the day and was changing into my 21st century clothes when they came by. Lucyah talked to them for awhile and then once I got presentable, I went outside to meet them. They seem to be intrigued by what we were doing and I was pleased to meet two such young, respectful men of God.

Americans are like diamonds...each in a unique and beautiful setting, each with a different dimension and each extremely valuable.