By Sherry Tetschner
Bartlett Correspondent
The Biblical Bible Story of Christmas is filled with interruptions from God. Zechariah was interrupted by an angel, telling him that his barren wife Elizabeth would have a child who would prepare the way for the Messiah.
Mary and Joseph were interrupted by an angel’s message, which would forever change and bless their lives.
Our Advent Bible study asked us to list or journal some of the interruptions we experienced. We were to look at moments of grace, and ways God might use these interruptions.
Well…..Two days after Thanksgiving, as Jodi was working at We-mart, a man came in exclaiming, “ Ma’am, a dog with a collar just fell through the ice. “ Shortly after, Vicki our village clerk, fireman and EMT , came rushing to our door. “Glenn, we need your help. A dog is drowning in the lagoon! “
Glenn and Vicki left for the lagoon. I stayed at home. Later, Glenn called and asked me to bring a heater to our shop. Glenn arrived a short time later and started a fire in the shop’s wood stove. Soon the rescue team arrived with the dog, a large German Shepherd type, cold, wet, exhausted and smelling like wet chicken feathers.
After the dog was made comfortable, the rescuers began to unfold the story;
The rescue crew consisted of Adrian, Doug, Riley,Vicki and Glenn. Their mission ; to rescue a dog who had fallen through thin ice in the village sewer lagoon.
From the shore the rescuers could see the dog with front paws on the ice, struggling and exhausted, looking at them as if to say, ”Please help me!” Knowing they had to save the dog, Doug and Riley quickly found Riley’s two man pond hopper boat,and added a sledge hammer and a flat bottomed shovel to the two oars that were already in the boat.
Once the boat was placed on the lagoon they used the hammer and shovel to chop the ice, clearing a channel to get to the dog.
As the ice splashed all over them, Doug kept telling himself,” This is only ice, this is only ice!” (Remember this is a sewer lagoon they are traveling through.)
As they continued to chop ice, the top of the sledge hammer fell into the water. Then Doug began to notice that the inner lining of the boat was developing a crack. With each blow of the hammer he noticed the crack opening a little further.
But Doug’s and Riley’s thoughts remained on saving the dog , not on their safety. As they got nearer to the dog they made plans on how to get the dog into the boat, without capsizing it.
Doug sat at the back of the boat as Riley grabbed the dog’s collar and rolled him into the boat.
Had they tipped the boat over, the team on shore was not prepared for another lagoon mission.
After getting the dog into the boat they headed back to shore.They chipped their way through the channel they had made previously, with the water line growing higher at the edge of the boat. When they got to the bank,with the assistance of rescuers, they were helped out of the boat . The dog lay on the shore weak and exhausted. The rescuers watched and waited……then they saw a spark of energy. The dog got onto his feet. Huge smiles covered the rescuer’s faces. Then…..the dog shook lagoon water all over them.
As the rescuers exchanged and shared thoughts about the late afternoon events, as they showed the dog love and attention, a warm glow filled the room.
Coincidence perhaps, but I believe that the grace the dog received was no coincidence, but an interruption in the villagers life. God’s interruption.
God’s blessings to each of you. P.S. Glenn helped with writing this story.
