Lessons from my dog
Sorry...this isn't about the Purpose Driven life. But I wanted to share a thought so hopefully, ya'll will indulge me!
I'm not kidding....my dog has amazing lessons to teach when it comes to living life. I just realized some of this today so let me explain. My aunt was praying for me. She thought of a small dog that was clearly fighting the owner that was pulling and tugging the dog along. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the dog is me. I'm not insulted.... that's why I've needed prayer! As I contemplated the thought of me resisting my owner....I looked over and stared at my dog - Isis, and revelation hit me like a ton of bricks.
One of the reasons why my dog is GREAT is because I don't really have to worry about where she is. My best friend fondly nicknamed her "velcro". She's never really that far from you. She might wander a bit away but when she looks up and realizes that....she comes running fast. You can't loose her. And if she's doing something and you want to go...just let go of her lease....go and call her. Once she realizes that you're going...she runs to catch up. Never fails. Even at home...she goes from room to room with me.
Another reason why she's super is that she NEVER fights me on her collar. I've had other dogs....I've known lots of dogs. They dislike their collar for the most part. The good dogs don't mind their collar. After all, they know and we know that they have a collar because it attaches to a lease and we control them with it. But my dog LOVES her collar. If it comes off while we're on a walk, she comes back looking for me to put it back on her. After her bath, she comes looking for her collar. She doesn't mind that it means that I'm her owner. She finds security and reassurance in it.
She's also totally trustworthy with people. She loves people! She's the biggest 80 pound lapdog you can find. She loves people being in our house and is very fond of sharing. If someone makes her unhappy....she doesn't growl or bite. She quietly goes away. She doesn't like drama or confrontation....she's much better at kisses.
And the final reason....she loves me unconditionally. It might be a bad day, a bad week, a bad month, or a bad year...but she loves me. I guess she loves me because she trusts me. She doesn't understand why things are the way they are. She knows me though and that's enough. She suffers through the rest and trusts that it'll get better and that she's loved no matter what. She's right. I do love her regardless of how it might seem right then and there. She might not a walk on a certain day. She may not get all the treats she wants. She can't see the bigger picture. She doesn't understand....but she trusts and loves.
I look at those characteristics that she shows and I realize how much I have to learn from a dog regarding christian life. Sad, huh? But I know myself and I know that I don't measure up with my heavenly master even to the same level as she does with me. But through the power of the cleansing blood of his precious Son Jesus Christ....through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me....through the Word of God....may God give me the grace to learn from my dog.
I'm not kidding....my dog has amazing lessons to teach when it comes to living life. I just realized some of this today so let me explain. My aunt was praying for me. She thought of a small dog that was clearly fighting the owner that was pulling and tugging the dog along. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the dog is me. I'm not insulted.... that's why I've needed prayer! As I contemplated the thought of me resisting my owner....I looked over and stared at my dog - Isis, and revelation hit me like a ton of bricks.
One of the reasons why my dog is GREAT is because I don't really have to worry about where she is. My best friend fondly nicknamed her "velcro". She's never really that far from you. She might wander a bit away but when she looks up and realizes that....she comes running fast. You can't loose her. And if she's doing something and you want to go...just let go of her lease....go and call her. Once she realizes that you're going...she runs to catch up. Never fails. Even at home...she goes from room to room with me.
Another reason why she's super is that she NEVER fights me on her collar. I've had other dogs....I've known lots of dogs. They dislike their collar for the most part. The good dogs don't mind their collar. After all, they know and we know that they have a collar because it attaches to a lease and we control them with it. But my dog LOVES her collar. If it comes off while we're on a walk, she comes back looking for me to put it back on her. After her bath, she comes looking for her collar. She doesn't mind that it means that I'm her owner. She finds security and reassurance in it.
She's also totally trustworthy with people. She loves people! She's the biggest 80 pound lapdog you can find. She loves people being in our house and is very fond of sharing. If someone makes her unhappy....she doesn't growl or bite. She quietly goes away. She doesn't like drama or confrontation....she's much better at kisses.
And the final reason....she loves me unconditionally. It might be a bad day, a bad week, a bad month, or a bad year...but she loves me. I guess she loves me because she trusts me. She doesn't understand why things are the way they are. She knows me though and that's enough. She suffers through the rest and trusts that it'll get better and that she's loved no matter what. She's right. I do love her regardless of how it might seem right then and there. She might not a walk on a certain day. She may not get all the treats she wants. She can't see the bigger picture. She doesn't understand....but she trusts and loves.
I look at those characteristics that she shows and I realize how much I have to learn from a dog regarding christian life. Sad, huh? But I know myself and I know that I don't measure up with my heavenly master even to the same level as she does with me. But through the power of the cleansing blood of his precious Son Jesus Christ....through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me....through the Word of God....may God give me the grace to learn from my dog.
2 Comments:
This is a great analogy, and I think these thoughts do tie together with the series ... sometimes our purpose is not revealed to us, but that doesn't mean that we don't affect others in profound ways. Your dog doesn't realize her purpose, she just takes each day as it comes and does the best she knows how to do.
How many times to we stick to God like velcro? (He is sticking to us even when the little loops start to wear out on our side.) If we didn't rip it apart so many times and run off doing our own things, it wouldn't be so hard to stay close.
Also - how many times do we fight our "collars?" We are where we are at this moment for a specific purpose. We might not know what it is, but that doesn't mean we aren't agents of change in a given situation. Are we so independent that we know what's best for ourselves in all situations? How's that working out? Trust that God has a bigger plan for each of us, and that He knows all the alternate routes to get us from point A to B.
Dogs also have an amazing way of forgiving. If you're gone for a week, they're like the father in the story of the prodigal son running to meet you, and accepting you back without questions. There's an old joke that has a deeper truth to it - "Sometimes your purpose in life is simply to be an example to others." We've been given the instruction book and a real-life role model. What better example than that do we need?
By drummergirl, At July 31, 2007 11:10 AM
hehehhehehehehe
By qtienabie, At August 15, 2007 10:32 AM
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