Procyon lotor

My dogs were going crazy early this morning and there was a different kind of sound to their barking so I got up to investigate. They were still very agitated and poking their little white fluffy heads through the fence looking towards the street. I leaned over the fence with my trusty Moses staff in hand and there in the street in front of our house was a giant ring tailed possum – I yelled at him and hit the rocks with my staff and he scampered off. I have never seen him before but he's obviously very happy and fat in our neighborhood. As I was looking for a picture of the intruder I discovered it wasn’t a possum (where did I come up with that anyway?) it was one fat, really fat raccoon (Procyon lotor). It was much bigger than our two little Bichons combined. I also came across a hilarious description of one woman’s encounter that I have to share. I did a little editing for decency sake.

“Late last night my husband got up to let our dog out for his late-evening relief trip. I was upstairs in bed when I heard what sounded like two mountain lions trying to kill each other, which was closely followed by the sounds of my husband shrieking—er, screaming, not shrieking. Screaming in low, manly tones. I ran downstairs and out into the yard where our dog—a five pound, deaf, one-eyed, brain-damaged toy poodle (don’t ask)—was being chased in circles and occasionally tackled by a hissing, screeching 300 pound raccoon.

The raccoon was trying to kill—and eat—the dog. Once I was on the porch the husband ran inside, leaving me alone with the killer raccoon and the retarded poodle. I picked up four large table legs that were sitting on the porch. As soon I spotted a little space between the dog and the raccoon I hurled a table leg at the raccoon in an attempt to get the raccoon away from the dog. The table leg sailed through the air like a giant hurling lightning bolt.

Once I successfully separated the dog and the raccoon, I expected the dog to run into the house. Ah, nope. Our retarded dog, seeing the raccoon in retreat, concluded that he had the upper hand now, and proceeded to charge at the raccoon. The raccoon, seeing a dinner-sized dog coming back at him, proceeded to charge after the dog. The dog, suddenly remembering that the raccoon outweighed him by 295 pounds, proceeded to turn and run. I managed to separate the raccoon from the dog four times, and each time the dog went after the raccoon, which then went after the dog. I managed to separate the dog and the raccoon one last time just as the husband came back out of the house. He grabbed our retarded, suicidal poodle and dragged him inside”.

A pearl to string: Danger is lurking all around us though we may not even suspect. Life can change fast or end. Help - with skin on - isn’t always readily available. There are disasters that defy logic. Government may not have the answers you need. How do we keep from acting like that suicidal poodle? How can we keep from reverting to our old nature? The only way I know is to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, And he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) You don’t think hurling table legs was man’s idea do you? Oh, puh-leeez that was Holy Spirit inspired!

He’s got the whole world in His hands,
And you are loved,
Lyndi