You
read that right I totally kicked a Chihuahua today. I was out doing my
morning walk minding my own business and enjoying the scenery. I had
my head phones on singing to my praise music and feeling pretty good
about the morning.
THEN....
all of a sudden out of no where this Chihuahua comes at me! Full speed
barking, growling, snarling like a rabid animal. It all happened so
fast I had no time to think, before I know it this wild beast lunges
toward my ankle.
I
am literally screaming as if being attacked by a wolf. I start
kicking at it, BAM one good hit but it's not enough to maim it.
Another lunge, OH NO it's got my sweat pants, I can only
imagine my ankle is next.
Still
screaming, heart pumping, (more than if I had actually been running)
I'm in a panic!
It's
got me again, I kick it repeatedly but it doesn't let go. My lighting
quick reflexes engage and I take my other foot and hold it down my
it's neck. It's squirming beneath my foot and I'm still screaming not
sure what to do next.
I
look up and to my surprise, there's a man running toward me. He may or may not have
been in his boxers but he definitely has no shirt on. He's yelling “NO! NO!”
in what appears to be an Italian accent.
Is
he part of this crime scene? I don't know. He finally reaches me
bends down and picks up the squirming animal who continues to foam at
the mouth. My heart still pounding I'm not sure of my next move.
The
shirtless Italian man finally has the dog in his hands and I begin to
yell at him in my prayer language, I figure praying the perfect will
of God is a good idea instead of using the English words that were on
my mind... OK I exaggerated here I didn't really do that.
He
has the dog and as my adrenaline is still pumping he lifts up the
gums of the snarling beast and with his Italian accent yells “he
has a no teeth, he has a no teeth.”
I
was stunned.... I suddenly get a mental picture of myself screaming
in fear with this 2 pound dog on my leg and it's all I can do not to
burst out laughing.
The
poor man nearly had a heart attack running to save his crazy
toothless Chihuahua. I can't make this stuff up Gems.
I'm
pretty sure no one has ever been gummed to death by a small dog, by
any dog for that matter.
I
think I heard the Holy Spirit chuckle for the first time. In that
very moment I heard Him say “isn't it just like the devil to fill
you with fear and he's got no teeth.”
Of
course this got me thinking as I continued my walk home. How many
things does the enemy use to fill us with fear? How many times have
we exaggerated situations in our minds before they ever happen? How
many times have we become paralyzed in fear when we can keep the
enemy under our foot?
The
Bible tells us in
Ephesians
6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of
evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have
done everything, to stand.
16
take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one.
What
are the flaming arrows? They are whatever causes you to fear. They
are the things that keep you up at night. The worries that cause you
anxiety and depression. They are Chihuahua's that have no teeth because
God is in control even when the enemy attacks.
Gems
I hope this silly story will encourage you in your daily walk to
remember God is bigger than the enemies flaming arrows. Don't lose
your peace, but if you do, feel free to kick the “Chihuahua.” With
a spiritual foot of course :)
