Dogs, Snakes, & People, Oh My!

We've seen a lot of them this year. According to reports, warmer than normal winter temperatures and an increase in the number of rodents have led to an explosion in the snake population. Unfortunately, my husband, Steve, and I can attest to the fact. The snakes we're seeing? Copperheads.

Don't get me wrong, I have a healthy respect for the role snakes play in the environment - the copperhead eats small rodents, birds, lizards, other snakes, amphibians, and insects. The problem? When it comes to our dogs, up close and personal is a bit too, well, up close and personal!


Our Golden Retriever, Precious, had to learn the hard way that not all animals want to be her friend. As Steve and I headed out to walk our dogs, we could tell something was wrong with Precious. Although her tail wagged furiously as she came out of her doghouse, she didn't look right. Her slim retriever face had been replaced by that of a Shar Pei. With neck and face swollen twice their normal size, we loaded her into our SUV and headed for the vet.


Two tell-tale punctures above her lip, dotted with blood, spoke volumes. She had been bitten by a copperhead - the venom  causing the distortions to face and neck. A shot of steroids helped to bring the swelling down. Armed with antihistamine and antibiotics, the vet assured us that she would look like our familiar Golden within 48 hours. What a relief!


But we still had a problem. A snake problem. Where had the copperhead come from? And if there was one, there were probably more. Not a comforting thought.


We began the eradication process. Steve mowed over the ivy that had slowly begun creeping across Precious' area, and cleaned up the tree debris that doubled as a potential snake hideout. We were feeling much better already. But our relief was short-lived.


Over the next six weeks, Steve and I killed three copperheads  - each one within a stones' throw of our dogs. Unlike what I had read about these snakes, these copperheads seemed to be extremely bold. Instead of staying hidden during the day and relying on camouflage for safety, these slithering creatures were in plain sight on our walking path.


Obviously we needed to dedicate more time to yard clean-up. Woodpiles, leaf debris, and branches would all have to go. One step at a time.


What an important lesson for me. Without realizing it, I often leave myself vulnerable to the enemy. I allow sin to go unconfessed in my life - and pretty soon I've got piles of debris in my heart that become a breeding ground for more sin. If I refuse to begin the eradication process, the bite of sin will inject its venom - marring my testimony as a follower of Christ. The consequences are devastating - a broken relationship with the Lord, and the potential to cause others to stumble.


No one wrote more poignantly about the consequences of sin than King David. He accurately described the affect of concealing, then confessing his sin, "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah," (Psalms 32:3-5; KJV).


Confession of sin invites forgiveness from the Lord. A clean heart re-institutes intimate fellowship with our Savior. What could be better?!


Do you have some internal housekeeping to do? Are there any piles of debris in your heart that need to be removed? What step will you take today to rid yourself of sin?


Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the lessons I can learn from Your creation. Help me to willingly eradicate sin from my life, so I can have a right relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.



*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Come join in the discussion!

Put on Your Running Shoes

Our neighbor had warned us. It was an unusually good year for copperheads. Several had been spotted in our neighborhood, and our neighbor’s dog had run into one of the slithering reptiles, that landed the poor animal at the vet with a snake bite.

When we walk our dogs now, we take extra precautions to keep them out of ivy and other areas that the snakes might frequent. Last week, as we walked the last few blocks to our house, our Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Joe, bounded over to explore something in one of the neighbor’s yards. The lawn had been freshly mown and he was in a mood to explore.

His sudden leap backwards, caught us by surprise. As we walked over to take a closer look, there it was. A copperhead coiled up in the grass, ready to strike. You better believe we hightailed it out of that yard in seconds flat! We sure hadn’t expected to see a snake out in the open like that. Fortunately for Joe, he was able to move quickly enough to avoid danger.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, the Bible warns me of the dangers I will face in life. Some of the temptations lurk in the shadows, beckoning me to come take a closer look. Others, are out in the open, but attempt to blend in with the surroundings. No matter how the temptation appears to me, God’s word gives me a clear directive, ‘Flee.’

Paul’s letter to the Corinthians spells out some things I’m to flee, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18; KJV). A few chapters later, he warns, “…flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14). Paul was very familiar with human nature. He wrote a letter to a young preacher, Timothy, and his congregation, and included a strong admonition to avoid worthless arguments and the longing to be rich.

Get the picture? Temptations come in all shapes and sizes. As I walk through this life, am I alert to these pitfalls? Do I have my running shoes on so I can be quick to flee? Fortunately, Paul doesn’t only warn me of these dangers, he points me to help and hope. How encouraging to find that when temptations come calling, I don’t have to answer. God’s word assures me, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). An escape route DOES exist, I just have to look for it and make my exit!

When I’m aware of the pitfalls, and realize that Jesus provides a way to escape every temptation, I can stay on a path that gives me hope, allowing me to “…follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Timothy 6:11b).

In life, there are definitely some things from which to flee. But I love the fact, that when I’m careful to submit to my Heavenly Father, and I refuse to give in to the enemy, the word of God tells me that Satan has to flee! “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Picture the devil having to beat a hasty retreat as you deal him blow after blow with the word of God! Now that’s a picture worth remembering!

The next time temptation knocks on the door of your heart, keep those running shoes on, and find that way of escape - rejoicing in the One who is faithful to deliver you!