Leading or Coincidence?

Having just decided on the breed of dog I wanted, I happened to bump into a friend from another boat who has a Boxer dog. He walks around the lake every morning and has got to know other dog walkers. When I mentioned I had decided on a Cairn Terrier, he said he knew someone who walks around the lake who knows a breeder of Cairns. He said that she walks her Border Terrier each morning and that I should recognise her because her terrier swims round the lake on the end of her lead! I thanked him and decided to have a stroll. Since it was 3pm I didn't expect any dog walkers around as they all tend to walk early mornings or evenings.


But yes, just as I rounded the end of the lake, there was a little terrier swimming towards me, on her lead. I spoke to the lady and yes, she was Jane and yes, she knew a woman who breeds Cairns just up the road. She also knew that she currently has a litter ready to go but was pretty sure they were all reserved for buyers. She helped me memorize the breeder's phone number and I raced back to the boat before I forgot it. I got hold of the breeder and yes, she had a litter and although they were all reserved, a buyer had just dropped out, leaving one female pup available!


Two nights later I visited the breeder who turned out to be a lovely lady who also rescues both Cairn Terriers and Tortoises! I then met the canine family - Dad, Mum, Grandma and six lively ten week old puppies. They were all gorgeous! All the puppies were healthy and happy and both their parents were lovely. The puppy's forebears were long lived (Great Grandma lived till 18!) and several have been champions. The bitch available is a brindle colour with a little black face. Not surprisingly it was love at first sight! So I'm going to have her. She still needs one more injection and because I haven't anywhere private to exercise her, we have decided that she will stay with the breeder for another 2 weeks, so any danger of catching something nasty from strange dogs will be well past. Meanwhile I can visit her to get to know her and the breeder has offered to bring her to the boat so we can see how she reacts and also to give any advice I need. She has also said that if I need any advice she will be happy to help any time. So, it couldn't have worked out better. Yes, she is expensive to purchase, but I am going to sell my car so I'll have the money and anyway, for me, having a healthy, happy pup to love is priceless!


The way things worked out made me think about coincidence /fate /God. A lot of Christians believe that God is concerned and active in our every day lives, even to the extent of arranging for me to find a puppy. I've met some who even believe that if they pray, God will find them a parking space! Others believe that if something is meant to be, it will happen; either because I was moving in the right direction to merge with the flow of the universe and so it was all going to work out, or that it was fated. Others believe in coincidences; that each event just happened to dovetail with the next, but it could just as easily not have worked out.


I am not convinced that God intervenes when I need a parking space or even when I need a puppy. In fact, I wonder now how much God intervenes with the natural order of things at all? I wonder if it is not more that when we are moving in the flow of the Spirit of God, then things will work out as they should, but when we have stepped out of that flow, or are actively fighting against it, then things go awry? Either way, I am very grateful for the opportunity to care for a living creature again and to love. When I visit the pup, who I am almost sure I am going to call Bonny or Bonny Lass again, I will get a photo to share on this blog.