A friend recently showed up at my house with a couple of surprises. First, she was dropping off some homemade pepper jelly. Mmmm… I could just taste the cream cheese and crackers that were waiting to go with that. My mind wandered for a moment as I contemplated whether or not I would tell the rest of the family that this gift was nearby. Oh, of course, I’ll share. My potential for selfishness disappeared, and I snapped right back to reality when my eyes focused on her second surprise. In the car with her, loving the ride with the top down on a sunny day, was her four-month-old Labrador puppy.
Such energy, such enthusiasm, such… body weight! The puppy immediately caught sight our lab and landed squarely on top of my friend as he tried to break free from her grasp and leap from the car. The goal was clear. My friend and I could social distance if we wanted, but for the dogs, it was playtime! As I lifted the pup out of the car and introduced him to his new best friend who was already wagging and panting, my friend untangled herself from his leash, let him loose, and they were off – two of the happiest dogs you can imagine. Jumping and running wild, playing and tackling one another, it was as if they were long lost friends reunited with unspeakable joy.
The best part of the next thirty minutes was watching the two water dogs head for our backyard creek. Belly-deep in water, they ran and splashed, chasing one another chaotically, tongues hanging, tails held high, and having a marvelous time.
Several times they nearly bowled me over. One hundred and thirty pounds of dog running full steam ahead without thinking or paying attention is about more than my knees can overcome. Other times, they would blast by us so quickly they would be out of sight before I could react. Occasionally, when one or the other would neglect reasonable boundaries, we would call our pets to return to us. I have to say, our three-year-old is somewhat less rambunctious than the four-month-old and came back to me every single time I called. The younger dog, understandably, needed a bit more encouragement. He’s certainly a sweet dog, but he’s young, immature and easily distracted. Several times, I sent our dog to “go get him, bring him back” which was immediately minded. I was quite proud of his good and balanced attitude; he only wanted to obey my will.
There are days when my Christian walk gets rambunctious – days when I am running full speed ahead without thinking. Other days blast by nearly knocking me over, and my spirit needs a bit more encouragement. As much as I want to be good and balanced, I tend to resemble the younger dog. Immature in my faith and easily distracted, I might neglect reasonable boundaries and run wild, splashing through deadlines and chasing chaos. If I listen, I always hear God calling me back and expecting me to do his will. If I slow down enough and pay attention, I may even hear God sending me to help someone else make better decisions. “Go get him, bring him back.”
As my friend loaded up her puppy and backed her car out of my driveway, I picked up my jelly jar. The dog and I headed to the house, both content in our afternoon. I smiled to myself thinking of how I’d been reminded to be a good friend and realized that the unexpected visit was the best surprise of all. Now I could return to my work refreshed, peaceful and feeling a little more complete. I knew God had provided me with a special blessing today, and I was more determined than ever to dedicate myself to following God’s will.
“Now may the God of peace… make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will….” (Hebrews 13:20-21, NRSV) What a perfect benediction to a wonderful afternoon. Thanks, God!
Determined to listen,
Pastor Beth
Such energy, such enthusiasm, such… body weight! The puppy immediately caught sight our lab and landed squarely on top of my friend as he tried to break free from her grasp and leap from the car. The goal was clear. My friend and I could social distance if we wanted, but for the dogs, it was playtime! As I lifted the pup out of the car and introduced him to his new best friend who was already wagging and panting, my friend untangled herself from his leash, let him loose, and they were off – two of the happiest dogs you can imagine. Jumping and running wild, playing and tackling one another, it was as if they were long lost friends reunited with unspeakable joy.
The best part of the next thirty minutes was watching the two water dogs head for our backyard creek. Belly-deep in water, they ran and splashed, chasing one another chaotically, tongues hanging, tails held high, and having a marvelous time.
Several times they nearly bowled me over. One hundred and thirty pounds of dog running full steam ahead without thinking or paying attention is about more than my knees can overcome. Other times, they would blast by us so quickly they would be out of sight before I could react. Occasionally, when one or the other would neglect reasonable boundaries, we would call our pets to return to us. I have to say, our three-year-old is somewhat less rambunctious than the four-month-old and came back to me every single time I called. The younger dog, understandably, needed a bit more encouragement. He’s certainly a sweet dog, but he’s young, immature and easily distracted. Several times, I sent our dog to “go get him, bring him back” which was immediately minded. I was quite proud of his good and balanced attitude; he only wanted to obey my will.
There are days when my Christian walk gets rambunctious – days when I am running full speed ahead without thinking. Other days blast by nearly knocking me over, and my spirit needs a bit more encouragement. As much as I want to be good and balanced, I tend to resemble the younger dog. Immature in my faith and easily distracted, I might neglect reasonable boundaries and run wild, splashing through deadlines and chasing chaos. If I listen, I always hear God calling me back and expecting me to do his will. If I slow down enough and pay attention, I may even hear God sending me to help someone else make better decisions. “Go get him, bring him back.”
As my friend loaded up her puppy and backed her car out of my driveway, I picked up my jelly jar. The dog and I headed to the house, both content in our afternoon. I smiled to myself thinking of how I’d been reminded to be a good friend and realized that the unexpected visit was the best surprise of all. Now I could return to my work refreshed, peaceful and feeling a little more complete. I knew God had provided me with a special blessing today, and I was more determined than ever to dedicate myself to following God’s will.
“Now may the God of peace… make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will….” (Hebrews 13:20-21, NRSV) What a perfect benediction to a wonderful afternoon. Thanks, God!
Determined to listen,
Pastor Beth