Best of 2012: "It seemed like a good idea at the time..."

...but what would follow surely got my attention. Thinking back, this could have ended badly. Tragically really.

We were out for a nice, but chilly, walk along the river in Stillwater, talking over our plans for the next few weeks. Elvis was with us, and because of his being cooped up inside lately, he was pulling the leash and raring to go.

As we approached a grassy area, Elvis spyed a flock of gulls, his head remaining still while the rest of his body swayed as he walked. I felt him pull gradually harder and heard him wheeze slightly as his collar tightened his throat.

"Bird!" I yelled, letting go of the leash. Elvis was off like a shot out of a gun. It was beautiful to watch his lean, muscular body sprinting toward the flock.

The gulls scattered and took flight toward the river. Elvis gave chase, made it to the water's edge and leapt in to swim after an injured gull that could only swim. He closed in while the gull squawk with terror.

Kimberly ran toward Elvis yelling, "No! Elvis! No!"

Elvis closed in on the gull as Kimberly and I ran toward the water. Everything from that point on seemed like it was all in slow motion.

I saw Elvis's mouth open wide, ready to catch the screaming gull only inches away from death. Suddenly, Kimberly yelled again and Elvis turned his head toward her and began swimming back to us. He was struggling in the cold water. He's awesome in the water. Today though, he sputtered from the excitement and cold water.

Elvis made it back to the barrier, but was still a good 3 feet below us and his head sank beneath the water. I could tell he was cold and tired fighting the waves. I got on my belly on the sidewalk as Kimberly tried to reach.

Grabbing his neck just as he was about to give up, I pulled Elvis out enough so he could get his footing. Suddenly, the fear in his eyes left him, in effect saying, "Did you see that? I almost had the bird!"

Thinking back, how many times have we jumped in the cold water to go after some desire or other false comfort, only to have God call our names just as we're about to take a chomp of sin? Clearly, if Elvis had caught the bird, he would have been too far out to make it back. K and I would have been crushed by a great outing turned tragic.

I think of when I turned to Christ. After losing my dad to a massive heart attack, I turned to sin as a way to dull the pain; to "live life to the fullest." Only I was deceived. There was no life. Just death ahead.

Then there was God's voice, calling me back to true life where I could discover that Christ pulled me out of the frigid water.

We know what real love is because Christ gave his life for us (1John 3:16) and each of us has a story where God sent Christ to save us from ourselves, which would lead to certain death.

Take time to thank God for his saving grace.