When Something Seems Very Difficult…

    If you were going to move across the nation with two dogs and a houseful of possessions, how would you do it? Al and I spent many sleepless nights trying to figure out a plan for the move out to Michigan, but there wasn’t any easy solution. We finally decided that driving would be easiest on the dogs and the cheapest way to go. But eight to ten days of steady driving cooped up in the car seemed like a grueling ordeal for all of us.

    Then we heard of another idea. Our pastor’s wife told us that her family had flown from Florida to California with two cats. Even though it was difficult to accomplish, she reasoned that a few hours on a plane was far superior to several days in a car with two unhappy cats. We hadn’t seriously considered that option since it was expensive, complicated and potentially upsetting to the animals. But she assured us that their cats recovered just fine.

   Al decided to investigate that possibility, checking out the cost to transport the dogs in the cargo section of the plane. It was expensive, especially since two large plastic carriers had to be purchased in addition to their tickets. Eventually, with advice from family and other friends, we chose the second option and booked a flight on the red-eye special, leaving LA at 10:30 p.m. and arriving in Michigan at 6:00 the next morning. The two crates were purchased several days ahead of our departure so that Teddy (retriever) and TJ (lab) could get used to sleeping in them at night.

   Another arrangement had to be made to get the car to Detroit using a transport company near the Los Angeles airport.  My youngest brother, Jack, volunteered to meet us there. After we dropped off the car, Jack would drive us to the airline’s cargo building where the dogs had to be checked in three hours ahead of time and then take us to the terminal.

   Slowly everything came together; but worries still seemed to crop up now and then. We were told that the live animal section was directly under the first class passengers! If dogs barked and disturbed the people above in first class, the pilot could request that the animals be unloaded and their owners either re-book to another flight or cancel altogether. What if Teddy (the barker of the two) began his penetrating, nonstop barking down in the cargo hold?

   Well, it was amazing how smoothly things went on the day of the flight. We said good-bye to our kind neighbor who helped with last minute cleaning, before leaving the empty house and the yard we loved so much. Despite heavy Friday afternoon traffic, we were able to drop off the car before the company’s closing time and even had dinner. The dogs knew that something was happening, but were fairly calm.

    With Jack’s help, the crates were assembled and the dogs were left at big cargo building. Al and I were assured that we would all be on the same flight (not guaranteed in the beginning)! Jack took us to the terminal, where we zipped through security with time to spare. The flight took a little over four hours, landing at DTW right on time.

    Shanda got up early and picked us up from the airport. Teddy and TJ seemed alert and happy to see us when we arrived at the cargo building. By 9:00 a.m. Sat. morning, they were in a kennel close to Shanda’s house.

   What a relief! It was really amazing how smoothly everything went—well, maybe not so amazing! God is the great planner and coordinator of details. He is just waiting to show us the extent of His love and power, often using people as channels of His grace. A combination of prayer, faith and obedience opens the floodgates! Praise the Lord!

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Genesis 18:14a NIV

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 14:10a NIV