A Sighting In Our Neighborhood

We both saw it at the same time.
We had just turned out of our street on our way to church.
We ere passing a quaint farmhouse with twenty acres of land that is for sale.
There are open fields on one side of the house.

We saw something run into the tree line.
Did you see that fox? My husband said.
That is not a fox, I said quietly, still trying to discern what I saw.
Whatever I saw was much darker in color and was the size of a dog.

My youngest daughter likes to go for a run after work.
Sometimes, she will run after dinner in the cool of the evening.
Whatever ran into the woods nagged at me as I thought about her running.
Something was just not right.

The women in our neighborhood have a text thread for updates and concerns.
It is so helpful to stay connected this way in an instant.
With children in the neighborhood, we all look out for each other.
The text thread has been very helpful.

The text came in the afternoon.

I just wanted to alert everyone that (two of our neighbors) spotted a coyote in their yards. I didn’t know we had coyotes around here. The coyote looks like a German Shepherd with a long neck. Do not run from it! Make a lot of noise and flap your arms. (Our neighbor) will call animal control if he sees it again. You’ll want to watch little dogs and the kids need to be aware, of course.

A shiver went down my spine.
Now, I know what I saw on the way to church, right outside our neighborhood.
It was not a fox.
It was a coyote.

Coyotes are naturally timid animals and will usually flee at the sight of a human. If they linger or approach, it’s time to begin “hazing.” This is a term applied to the following actions that can be taken to scare coyotes and chase them away:

The effects of hazing may not last unless all food attractants are permanently removed. This information should be shared with neighbors, friends and homeowner’s associations since hazing is most effective when the entire neighborhood is working together.

Hazing should never be attempted if the coyote is accompanied by pups or appears to be sick or injured. (https://www.coyotesmarts.org/what-to-do/)

I agreed with my neighbor.
I never thought we would have to worry about coyotes here.
Thankfully, we re all looking out for each other and for the children in the neighborhood.
Thankfully, we are one text away from warning everyone of any potential danger.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf, and the lion, and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9)

One day, when God makes everything new, this will be our reality.
God will restore His creation to the way it was supposed to be.
Sin will be removed and the effects of the Fall will be no more.
We, who are in Christ, will see the created order the way God intended.

We think of sin as something we do to ourselves or others.
In this fallen world, everything is groaning because of the effects of sin.
Everything is not as it should be.
But one day…

For now, we watch and we take care of each other.
We know that sin is present but one day it will be gone forever.
One day, Death will be swallowed up in victory. (1 Corinthians 15:54)
One Day…

We groan now.
We see things that are out of place.
We know that something is just not right.
However, one Day…