In Need of God's Help

'My help comes from the Lord...' Psalm 121:2 NKJV

Did you hear about the guy who prayed, 'Lord, so far today I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, lost my temper, been nasty, greedy or grumpy. But in a few minutes I'm gonna have to get out of bed, then I'm gonna need all the help I can get.' We smile, but the truth is, it's hard to acknowledge our need of help, especially in a world that prizes self-sufficiency.

The most dangerous time in your life is when you think you don't need God! Complacency will set in. Smugness will grow. You'll say, 'I need you, Lord,' then act like it all depends on you. As a result your faith will be unused, and when you're not using your faith you can't please God (Hebrews 11:6). If your vision doesn't require God, it's not of God! When He gets involved in your vision, He becomes the only means of achieving it. Without His help, what can any of us say or do that truly makes a difference? We can't even begin to make progress until we humbly acknowledge that we are powerless over most things in life. We are, but God's not! Whatever you're facing today, read these words and rest in them: 'He will never let me stumble, slip or fall. For He is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah Himself is caring for you! He is your defender. He protects you day and night. He keeps you from all evil, and preserves your life. He keeps His eye upon you as you come and go, and always guards you' (Psalm 121:3-8 TLB).

My day started out normal enough. True to form though, nothing ever stays normal with me for long.

There was no coffee in my friend's home. Anyone that knows me knows that i cannot function without a bucket of caffeine in my system first thing in the morning. By noon, without caffeine, i am nearly dead. Making sure i have coffee for the following morning is one of the things that i usually make sure of, right before i hit the sack. I usually do this because i usually take a coffee to bed with me!

So i headed down to the local New World, in my jammies.

As i was jumping back in to my car, i noticed a little dog that was following everyone back to their cars. No one was paying much attention to it. I actually thought it belonged to one couple but then they just hopped in their car without the poor little guy.

This New World is on a busy road, and it was only a matter of time before someone hit him, so i stopped my car, and had a little chat to him. He has a collar but no tags on him. I offered him a ride, you know, just to make sure that he didn't get hit by another car.

I then drove back to my friend's place with coffee, bread, butter, toilet paper, and a stray dog. I strolled down the driveway with my shopping and a little dog under my arm and my friend is still laughing about me going out for bare essentials and coming home with a dog.

Now me, you know - being me - is struggling to phone animal control. I don't like animal control much. This little dog has no tags which probably means he is not registered. I know from experience what that means. It means darn near close to a grand in fines. It also means about $300 bucks to get him out of jail.

What if the owner can't afford that? I really hate how animal control fine people through the nose for dogs that are not even dangerous to anyone but themselves.

So today, i am going to make posters with the little guy's mug shot and put them up at the New World and the surrounding neighbourhood. THEN i will ring animal control - if that does not work.

In the meantime - Nixon is hell jealous. He growls every time i go near the little fellow. My friend has named him Joan Jett. Joan was named before we noticed that he had a wing wang.

Joan Jett without his Runaways - found at Stoddard Rd New World.

If you recognise Joan please contact the doesn't need another dog - no matter how much my friend loves him -  helpline @  jackie.sperling@xtra.co.nz