To the Editor,

It was a warm summer evening. I came back in the house from feeding my cats. The first thing I noticed was one of my dogs sitting there with his mouth wide open. Then I noticed the calmness of all my dogs. This was unusual at meal time. When I looked in my dog’s mouth, there was a can lid! I had foolishly left the lids from the cat food cans laying on the sink counter.

All I could say, or think, was “oh Lord!” Over and over again.

The dogs were calm, and I had to keep them that way. I had to somehow use my short nails to scratch the lid loose and out. I knew I could easily instead push the lid in tighter. I thought, “hands, don’t shake. I started scratching at the lid, and praying the same words, “oh Lord.”

Just before the lid fell down, it looked like my dog gave a small swallow. That did it. That little swallow, and maybe a little tug from one of my scratches, did the trick. It was like magic in just a few seconds!

You would think we would both have gone “whoopee” with relief, but we didn’t. My dog walked away like nothing had happened. He joined his brothers and sisters in walking around and being rowdy as before.

I stood a while very still and unbelieving at what had just happened. Then I served up supper for my four-legged kids. God bless them. Somehow they knew to be still and quiet; but most of all they knew to be patient with me.

I will always believe that God stepped in. Psalm 46 begins with “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” It ends with, “be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

We should spend some time each day alone with God and his Bible, His road map for our lives, knowing that we need God in our lives. How could you call on God in the bad times, but ignore God in the good times? Please think about this.

Mary C. Albertson

Albany, Kentucky