This guest blog was written by Mysterious Ways assistant editor Daniel Kessel.
Last week on Facebook, the Mysterious Ways staff shared some of our most unforgettable holiday memories. One thing I noticed is the importance of spending these special days in a warm, loving place. Whether it was Kate and her family driving 4 hours each year to open Christmas gifts at her grandma’s house, or the mysterious stray dog who found a welcome home with Sharon, we seem to end up exactly where we’re meant to be around this time of year.
Today, I passed Sharon in the hallway. “Look at this, Daniel!” she said, holding up a news story she’d printed out. A photograph showed your typical Nativity scene with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, two donkeys, and… a pit bull?
I had to chuckle. Sharon is a notorious dog-lover, as the holiday memory she shared demonstrates. But this time, she’d outdone herself. The pit bull, curled up and fast asleep, looked right at home in the Nativity scene. Perhaps he had been hired to play a sheep?
Actually, the stray dog had wandered by himself onto the scene in Village Square in Glendale, Ohio. A Glendale local then spotted the dog asleep in the hay and called the officials. What if the pit bull was dangerous?
Upon closer examination, he’d been terribly wounded. He was tired and confused, not aggressive. His leg and his eyes had both been injured. He needed treatment, and soon.
Thanks to the dog’s publicity stunt, a local rescue group–Cincinnati Pit Crew–volunteered to oversee his care and adoption. They brought the dog to a vet, where he was examined and treated. They even named him Gabriel, to honor his love of Christmas. As of Saturday, Gabriel is now safe and sound in his new foster home!
In a way, Gabriel’s story is the perfect Christmas tale. Wandering around with nowhere to go, finding safety in a manger… I won’t draw any further parallels. Suffice it to say, Gabriel somehow stumbled upon the perfect place to spend the holidays. Wherever we find ourselves this season, may we all be similarly blessed.
What mysterious events led you to spend the holidays in just the right place? Share your story with us!
Photo credit: Cincinnati Pit Crew Facebook page
