The Seeking Daddy Project Day 1: Come here, Sweetheart!

More than two weeks ago, some good friends of mine adopted an adorable little white Maltese.  Originally her name was Sweetheart; they renamed her Lady.

After picking her up, with their two young children in tow, they took Lady to Petco to get her the necessary doggie items, when she leaped from their car right in the parking lot and took off into the suburban sprawl that is north Raleigh.

Frantically they've searched, set traps, and enlisted the help of everyone in the surrounding area to keep watch for the little five-pound girl.  She's been spotted multiple times, even very recently, over the last two and a half weeks...but no one can quite seem to catch her.

Because I myself have a five-pound dog I couldn't do without, I brought my Lottie and some various treats up to where she'd been spotted and walked around on several occasions trying to find her.  Today, we made another sojourn to the area where she's hiding out, dog biscuits from when I picked Lottie up at the groomer's crumbling in my pocket.

We walked up and down, up and down.  Lottie sniffed, barked, went potty.  I put down treats to try and bait her - the biscuits as well as softer chewables from the posh pet store where I frequently get pliable delights for my little toothless wonder-dog.  As we walked, I called out, "Sweetheart!  Come here, Sweetheart!"  She has to be hungry, and cold, and lonely, and sad.

For more than half an hour we canvassed the area, but we never saw her.

As we walked, I thought about all the effort we're putting into finding a dog who doesn't seem to want to be found.  She'd be so much better off at home with her new owners:  a warm home, a loving family, food, cuddles.  But instead, she's scared; she hides; she chooses to forage around in a dangerous forest all on her own.

We hear a lot about God pursuing us.  For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost, Jesus said. (Luke 19:10).  Growing up, I heard stories in Sunday School about sheep:  that we are like the lost sheep, and that the Shepherd (God) will leave the 99 to save the one that is lost.  The story goes that He'll risk life and limb and the safety of the others and then rejoice when that one is found.

I feel like a lost sheep, wandering around in a strange place where I don't know the way back.

Does God call out to me the way I was calling out for that little dog this afternoon?  "Come here, Sweetheart!  Sweetheart, please come here!"

I honestly don't know.

I hope we find her.  I hope she comes home, and is safe, and lives a long, happy, healthy life in the embrace of her family who longs to have her back with them.

Is it the same for me?