Lost and Found Lucy

Yesterday Lucy (our beagle) got out of the fence 3 times. The fence here in Hays has had a hole in in and the pastor of the Nazarene church fixed it. (For those of you who don't know, we are living in the old church parsonage here in Hays while they try to sell it....we are so blessed to be able to do this the 2nd summer in a row!!). So Lucy had been having to be tied up with a stake and rope cord, but since the fence was fixed, she was out free that morning. I took Joel to the park to play, like we do every morning and when we got back, Lucy was gone.
About 5 minutes later though, there she was scratching at the door. I told her she was a bad dog and bopped her on the nose....and of course, Joel did the same. Then that afternoon when Lucy wanted to go out, I put her on the cord in the fence. Well, I came out a little later to find her gone...again. Somehow her collar had come off and she was again free. But she still wasn't far...so again we had her back. Third times a charm right? Justin, Joel, and I went to the free family pool night after dinner and so Lucy went back on the cord. I figured surely she had learned her lesson. I had scolded her pretty hard after the last time. But nope, she was gone. Some neighbor (we live next to some pretty run down apartments that are lived in my some college students...or at least mostly that age) had been "nice" enough to leave us a note (written in handwriting worse than most of my students) that said "get a better collar for your dog". Well, thank you...I would but I don't know where she is............lovely. A little side note of "she went east" would have been nice. Anyway, I put Joel to bed and Justin had to go to a study group for his classes. I didn't know what else to do so finally at around 9, I called animal control. And guess what? Lucy was there at the police department!! The policeman brought her home and didn't give me a citation since I explained that we were city folks just here for a month. He also told me that it was really funny because Lucy had showed up at the animal control officer's house. Yup, his house. So, Lucy was home. I gave her lots of love this time...no scolding. Even though she has eaten 4 pairs of my shoes and now has run away, we still love our dog. This morning, I felt like God was reminding me that I am not all that far from Lucy's story....
"I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands."
Psalm 119:175-176
"My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.Jeremiah 50:5-7
And this is God's promise to me...despite my wanderings and chewings:
"I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Ezekiel 34:15-17

Thank goodness that no matter how many times I get out of the fence, He loves me... and gives me extra loving when I return.