Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Cookie is our one year old puppy. I truly believe that he is God given gift for us, to ease me a bit through stressful days. As first time pet owners, we did miss out big time on teaching him commands and obedience. Staying within the boundary of the house, there is not much need to test his obedience skills.
We love camping trips and have gone for 3 years till the pandemic lockdown happened in 2020. I did miss camping trips and didn’t know when we could go again. Suddenly, it worked out as a friend initiated the conversation and plans started making effect and we got to go on our camping trip. We took Cookie with us. I had bought a basket for Cookie to ride with me in the bike. I myself am a very amateur bike rider. In my young age, I did not have the need to learn to ride the bike. Only few years back, I learnt to ride the bike as I have two boys and I didn’t want to be left behind when they all went biking. So, putting my trust is the Lord, I learnt to ride the bike at this age which itself is a miracle. But I can ride only my bike. I can’t just take anyone’s bike and ride. My height and lack of skills makes it scary for me to ride on unknown bikes.
We set up our tents on Friday evening. I had not done any biking during the entire of last year and this year. So biking skills on my own bike had become rusty and Cookie felt terrified to sit inside the basket. It was hard and scary for me to pedal with him trying to jump off from the basket. The camping area suddenly got so dark and we were biking to find the rest rooms. My friend suggested to try her daughter’s bike while my husband took my bike with Cookie. My friend’s daughter’s bike was right size for me and I was able to ride it but it got pitch dark. With my rusty skills on a different bike in pitch dark, I felt scared that I would fall off and hurt myself. So as I was riding in pitch dark not really knowing how to ride it and what is on the way, I prayed and asked God to help me to be able to ride without falling off. And the God whom I know who is always my very present help in my time of need did help me. I made it safe back to the tent.
The next day when both the families started off with the bike, I did a few trials with Cookie, all by myself. Again, I prayed that Cookie would stay still inside the basket without jumping off. And he did stay still this time. And I got the hang of riding with him. As it was hard for me to pedal with him for long, I just did a few back and forth rides close to the tent. Though I could not have gone biking for miles, I felt happy to have made use of the basket and to be able to even do short trips with Cookie. I thank God for answered prayers, even the smallest ones. In fact, I praise God more when He answers the smallest of prayers because that lets me know that He is very close to my prayers whenever I cry out to Him.
Psalm 20:1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. Amen!
