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How Like My Dogs

             “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

This morning’s walk with Oh My Goodness Gracious! is meshing nicely with this passage. She didn’t do her wind up/wind down-run, run, run, or the pinball game that she sometimes does, but she flung herself on her back to be dragged through the grass, and she rolled onto her back on the road for belly rubs several times. And she did go to everyone she thought she could to get some attention. In other words, it was a grand morning for a walk and she was enjoying herself. The fact that a car or golf-cart could come down the road, or that someone could have hurt her didn’t enter her mind.

She’s like the oblivious characters in a movie who go along with their shopping, unaware that they’re being stalked.  Of course, if a danger were approaching, I would notice. I would get her out of the way. I’m the one who is supposed to have my eye on the bigger picture while she lives her doggy life.

None of this means that she’s oblivious – she noticed the cat, and the mockingbird that was on the ground. Then it was, “Reporting for duty!” but even then, there’s the tug on her leash that tells her, “Nope. Come on.”

And once again, I have to consider the parallels between my relationship with Grace, and God’s relationship with me. It’s my job to provide her with food, water, walks, and protection (even from herself.) I’m the one who gets to serve her royal majesty when “Bark!” (the water bowl isn’t full enough) or “Bark!” I want to go outside, or hop, hop, “Whine!” There someone I want to visit!” And I’m the one  who gets sulked at when she doesn’t get her way, or “Growl-Bark!” (Don’t touch/Stop combing!), or “Scream!” (Bath! I hate baths! (it only sounds like “Murder!”))

Like her, I go through my day, sometimes running in circles, sometimes chasing after whatever happens to be my ball at the moment (or the blowing leaf, blowing bag, little critter, or piece of palm tree.) I go through my life doing the things that I do without really considering the bigger picture. What does it matter how what I’m doing affects the life of another person? I’m busy being myself, and growling and snapping at those who tell me “no” or otherwise get in my way.

All of this illustrates that just as we humans see a bigger picture (or should!) than our pets do, and take actions they might not appreciate in order to take care of them, God sees a bigger picture than we do. I just need to be reminded how like my dogs I am.

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