Last week, I rattled on and on about my sister's book launch party because, let's be honest, it was a party that deserved a lot of rattling! It was beautiful and I felt honored to donate a piece of art for the party goody-bags. During the weeks leading up to the party, my sister and I texted back and forth tens of times about what quote she'd like done up in calligraphy. And, in the end, Barb chose this one: What's for you will not pass you by.
Several weeks ago, my husband was bitten by a dog on his route. He said that it was the only (and probably the last!) time he had gone against his intuition concerning a dog. The dog was normally inside, but that day it was in the driveway. Steve threw the dog a treat and after the dog ate the treat, it bit my husband. I know, I know! What a naughty dog! Steve insisted the bite looked worse than it felt. And, you guys, it really did look awful. It reminded me of those photographs you see from shark attack victims-- the kind where you can literally see the outline of the shark's mouth! Yes! I could see the dog's teeth imprints. Let's just say this dog was a little bit larger than the last dog that bit my husband. (The last dog was a poodle, and Steve's seminary buddies, the ones that he worked with at FedEx in Virginia, still don't let him live that one down!) (Edit: My husband wants me to clarify to his seminary buddies that the poodle was a standard-sized poodle. Did you get that guys? Tim Baylor? Scott Logan? Don't let me down. I'm waiting for your responses to that one.)
After a couple of required (via FedEx/workman's comp.) visits to the clinic, you know-- the ones where you wait for two hours only to be told, 'why yes, that is a dog bite' and 'come back in one week', we really thought nothing else of the dog bite. We were just thankful that the dog hadn't done more damage and also that it was registered and up on its rabies shots!
Fast forward to last Friday, when Graeme and I drove down to the studio to say sad goodbyes to Aunt Barbie. I was walking around the studio admiring all of the beautiful things that my sister had curated and created and gathering up an armful of things she insisted that I take home with me, because she's just like that!, when Steve called. "So, good news!" he said. (I can't tell you how many times I've heard that phrase come out of my husband's mouth. I love that he celebrates the good of this life, both in the small things, like rejoicing that his coffee mug kept his coffee hot until he could enjoy it after a busy work morning, or in the bigger things, like a mechanic noticing that the lug nuts hadn't been properly put back on the car and we would have literally lost the entire wheel just miles later.) Steve went on to tell me that an insurance claim adjuster had just called to say they'd be putting a check in the mail that day for $800 for the 'pain and suffering' from the dog bite. I literally had to have Steve repeat himself! And then, we laughed. We laughed a 'we should have known because God's goodness is this big' kind of laugh. We laughed and stuttered out our thanks to our God-provider, the one who takes car accidents and dog bites and turns them into needs met, savings, gifts for loved ones and unknown ones, unexpected date nights, and extra vacation days for our family.
And, as Steve peered over my shoulder tonight to find out what this post was all about, we laughed once more as we realized that even dog bites, when they are meant for you, will not pass you by. (smile)
p.s. This print is the fifth installment of my 2013 Heart Art project and will be available in the Cranny Etsy shop.
p.s.s. My sister has, what she calls, favorite numbers. I wanted this print to be especially for her and so each line of arrows is summed up in different numbers. Her favorite numbers 7, 8, and 6 are found in the numbering of the arrows.
