Things That Pull My Gaze Away

Like children, my pets are often jealous for my attention. If one is getting a belly rub, they all want their bellies rubbed. Hadley, my beagle, is probably the worst for it. She can be curled up somewhere dozing and if she opens an eye and catches one of the cats on my lap, she is there in a instant trying to get on too. Usually, she bulldozes Katy or Mali off my lap.

At night, I usually go to bed and Hadley joins me. Eventually the cats will follow. I've noticed that I can be giving Hadley some great one-on-one time (practically a full body massage) and she will hear one of the cats come in and be instantly drawn into an unwanted game of chase. Her focus moves from enjoying my company to wondering what those silly kitties are up to.

I must confess, I think I am like that with God. It's so easy for things going on in this world to pull my gaze away from God.

I think it is a bit like Peter in chapter 21 of John. Jesus has died and risen. He shows up on the beach to cook breakfast for the disciples and then pulls Peter away for a much needed talk. Peter's attention is drawn away by one of the other disciples.

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

Jesus tells him not to worry about that disciple. It is none of his concern.

But I am just like Peter. I want to know, "What about so and so?" Or I say, "What about this situation? How is that going to work out?"

What I need to be doing is continuing to fix my gaze on Jesus and enjoy my time with Him.

Praying today that all of us would fix our gazes so firmly on Jesus that nothing will pull them away.

Birthday Promise

This summer I started getting to know a little neighbor boy, Alex. I enjoyed going on walks with him, his baby sister, and his mom. More than once, the subject of birthdays came up. He wanted to know if my puppy, Hadly had a birthday. I assured him that she did and said we would do something to celebrate.

Hadley's birthday is officially on Thursday. However, Alex won't be around then, so we opted to celebrate today. I took him on a trip to Petco to buy Hadley a toy. (She got two. An orange ball and a squeaky bone as well as a bag of treats that Alex picked.) Then I treated Alex to ice cream.

When we got back he enjoyed giving Hadley her treats and her toys. He even sang her "Happy Birthday."

It may all sound a bit silly to some of you. Hadley isn't really aware of her birthday. But I had promised Alex we would do something. Hadley was the reason, but more than anything, I wanted to keep my promise to Alex.

How do you do keeping promises -- especially to children? I think it is important. It teaches them to trust what you say. It makes you a safe, trustworthy person -- to adults or children. I try to be someone who does what they say -- even if "I promise" isn't spoken.


I think Alex and Hadley both had a good time. Alex and Hadley both enjoy each other and I enjoy both of them.

How To Make A Parent's Day

Hadley and I just got back from a nice long walk. As we were coming up the alley, a little curly headed girl of about 3 came running out of her garage. "A puppy!" she squealed.

Hadley can be a bit jumpy still, but I held her in a sit and invited the little girl to pet her. Then I asked her if she could follow directions.

She nodded.

I asked her if she wanted to give Hadley a treat. More squeals of delight. First, I told her she had to know how to do it. I showed her how to hold her hand flat with the treat on it so Hadley could just take it off. (Dogs can sometimes accidentally nip if you just use your fingers instead of your palm.)

She held out her hand and Hadley took the treat. Again, squeals of delight. "She likes me!"

I agreed that she did. Then I said, "You did such a great job following directions! That was super!"

She beamed. But I'm not sure whose smile was brighter -- hers or her father's.

Recognizing something a child does well to a parent seems to encourage them as much as the child. It sends the message to the parent, that in the tough world of parenting, they might be doing something right.

So, at Barnes and Noble when kids are behaving well, I tell them what a nice job they are doing and even give them a sticker.

When I'm in the grocery store, I might say something about what a good helper the little boy is doing.

When I see a child help another, I let the mom know.

I don't have kids, but I recognize that parenting has got to be stuff. A little praise might encourage a weary mom or dad that they are getting something right.

Buried Treasure

Hadley loves her rawhide bones. When I initially got her, she would devour them. Though, since they are hard, it took a bit to finish them off. I think it had a lot to do with her teeth.

She still loves them and her tail goes nuts when I give them to her. However, she is now more apt to hide them. The go under pillows, in between couch cushions, into the dirty clothes basket . . . . Anywhere is fair game.

I laugh when I see her doing it. She takes it so seriously. And she absolutely remembers where she put them. She gets put out if I move them and a bit frantic if she didn't see me move them and cannot find them. Her bones are very important to her. But I have to wonder if she didn't get more pleasure from them when she really chewed on them as a younger pup?

And then there is the question of why she is hiding them. The cats and I really aren't interested in them at all!

It has gotten me thinking about buried treasure. What is it that I bury that I think others might want? Why do I bury things?

We all have things that we hold dear. But is burying them the answer? Probably not. Because if we bury them, we may not be enjoying them. Honestly, when God gives us good gifts, I think he intends for them to be enjoyed rather than buried.

I should do some laundry now. First, I'll make sure there aren't any of Hadley's bones hidden in the basket.

Afraid of What We Triumphantly Faced Before

"Hadley, leave it!"

Pounding feet and barking greet my ears.

"Hadley! LEAVE IT!"

Occasionally, she will leave it. It (in many cases) is my cat Mali. Don't get me wrong, for a cat and dog they actually do reasonably well together. But, sometimes Mali boxes Hadley's ears for no apparent reasons. Other times, even the slightest movement on Mali's part results in a game of chase and barking on Hadley's part.

As annoying as these moments are (especially since leaving a running cat is next to impossible for my pup), I have noticed something interesting. Hadley is obviously not afraid of Mali. As a general rule, she does not cower around her. She and Mali sometimes sit calmly nose to nose. And she chases her. Who chases what they are afraid of?

As well as "leave it," Hadley and I are also working on "Come." She's actually doing fairly well with this. She will scamper to me with her tail wagging and is typically rewarded with a treat.

However, there are times when this is not the case. For example, the other morning she had chased Mali upstairs. Since "leave it" was not working, I called for her to come.

Silence.

I called again.

Mournful barking.

Curious, I went to the bottom of the stairs only to find Mali (whose is almost exactly half Hadley's size) barring the way. Hadley's head was down and she was admitting pitiful whines. She wanted to obey but Mali sat there triumphantly -- the queen of the castle -- blocking her way.

The scenario was comical, but it also begged a question. Why was Hadley giving chase one moment and cowering the next?

The scene tugged the story of Elijah (1 Kings 17-19) to mind. Elijah lived during a time when it was dangerous to be a prophet of God. God had the prophets in hiding. For a couple of years, God took care of Elijah in miraculous ways -- being fed by ravens and later an unending and miraculous supply of flour in a widow's house. In the third year, God decides it is time to confront the evil king Ahab and queen Jezebel.

Through Elijah, God confronts Jezebel's prophets of Baal. They both build altars and declare that the god who answers with fire is the true god. Baal's prophets go first and call on Baal -- slicing themselves and dancing to get his attention -- morning to past midday. No answer.

Elijah's turn. The altar is built and he pours water on the sacrifice and altar three times. There is trench around the altar and the water fills the trench. Then Elijah prays to God and fire comes down, burns up the offering, and laps up the water in the trench. God answered. Elijah had all the prophets of Baal put to death.

It was a great victory for Elijah and an even bigger victory for God. But Jezebel is not cowed. She is angry. She vows that she will kill Elijah -- whom God has protected and done mighty works through. Perhaps we can understand her anger.

But the perplexing bit is Elijah. He turns and runs. And when he interacts with God, he whines about his plight.

What changed? Did God abandon Elijah when Jezebel threatened? No. God never changes. Rather than look at the God who had just displayed His might and authority, the God who had cared for him in miraculous ways, Elijah turned his back and looked instead at his circumstances.

With his back to God, he stared intently on the threat on his life.

Don't get me wrong. I understand it. Been there. Done that. But it is a reminder to me. When I feel afraid or panicked or hopeless, where are my eyes? Are they on my God or on myself and my circumstances?

Sometimes a cat can look like a lion. At those moments, we need God's vision to put everything back in perspective.

How can you adjust your vision today?

Not Better, Just Different -- Boys, Girls, Cats, and Dogs

If you've read this blog for awhile, you will know that I am crazy about my pets. I had gotten a dog several years ago. I had her about 6 months, but it turned out that she had pretty severe separation anxiety. It broke my heart, but the situation wasn't good for either o us. When I took her back to the shelter, they suggested a cat. I was hesitant since I believed that cats were aloof. Out of pity on me, they suggested I take a certain cat home for the weekend and provided a litter box and food. Within the first 12 hours, I was sold.

I now have two cats. I think they really see themselves as dogs. They greet me at the door and Mali can even be persistent about having guests pet her. They both sleep with me.

Still longing for a dog I could walk with and such, I got Hadley a few months ago. It's been interesting to see how people respond. It's as if I've somehow joined the "right" club and people will say, "Don't you like having a dog better than cats?"

Truthfully, no. Don't get me wrong. I adore Hadley, though she is a good deal more work then Katy and Mali. I love all three of them. They are different, but neither is better than the other.

I interact with them differently. For example, my cats are quite a bit smaller than Hadley. Their bones feel lighter somehow. When I pet them or cuddle them, my touch is a bit more gentle. Hadley gets a bit more rough housing. She likes to be wrestled with and will play tug of war. Katy and Mali go nuts over the laser pointer. Hadley could care less.

Katy has always been a fetcher. Hadley is still learning to fetch. She'll chase a ball, but will only bring it back about half the time. In this, Katy has her beat. But rather than fetching a ball, Katy fetches hair bands.

As I was thinking through this, I realized it is much the same way with boys and girls. Even as infants, the way people play with a girl can be much different than a boy. There is often more of a gentle touch with a girl. Though they can't show a preference as a baby, even the toys we encourage them to play with are different.

A long time ago, there was a book out called Children's Letters to God. In there was a letter from a girl who wrote,

Dear God,

Do you like boys better than girls? I know you are one.

No, God doesn't like boys better than girls. And I don't like dogs better than cats. They are different. So, there are different ways of loving them. Even with the cats, there are nuances to my relationships with them.

And I suspect that there are nuances to God's relationships with each of us. Does He love any of us more or less? No. But He does know what we each need to feel loved.

What's Your Other Name?

The other day I was putting some medicine on Katy (one of my cats). She didn't squirm or anything like that, so I was telling her what a good girl she was. Hadley, who is in puppy obedience, came bounding into the room. She'll come sometimes when she is called, but it isn't 100% yet. So, her sudden appearance took me by surprise. Then it dawned on me. I thought, perhaps, she was responding to the phrase "good girl." You see, "Good girl" is often followed by a treat.

I know it may sound silly, but on days where I work both jobs, I take Hadley to doggy daycare. It's $6.25 and wears her out. I can then go to my evening job without too much guilt. I told Rose, one of the people working there that Hadley's second name was "Good girl."

Later that day, she was trying to get all the dogs on leashes and Hadley decided to play keep away. She called her several times without luck. She then opted to try "Good girl!" Hadley was there in a flash.

It's cute and funny, but it also got me thinking. Is there a word or phrase that you always respond to? Do you have a second name like my sweet Hadley?

It's not a name or phrase for me. But sometimes, there is a still, small tug in my soul. I don't respond to it 100%. I wish I did. But it always feels like God tugging on my soul to get my attention. Just like Hadley responding to "Good girl," there is always some "treat" or measure of peace when I respond to that tug.

How do you hear God?

Bad Bloggy Friend

Yes, I know that it is important to keep up with the whole blog thing. And I have been missing it. My blog time has fallen victim to a few things:

• The cutest thing it has fallen victim to has 4 legs and the cutest, wagginest tail. Right now she is giving me a reprieve and is curled up on the floor at my feet. If I could only schedule that behavior. It is very much like having a toddler. But I am enjoying my Hadley.
• Having a puppy also mean puppy class. So, we are practicing. Hadley now throws "sit" and "down" my way whenever she thinks she deserves a treat.
  
• Running. I am running my first race since field day in elementary school. (Yes, that was a really long time ago. I didn't win then and don't anticipate winning now. But finishing would be good!) So, I've been trying to put time in running. The race is 4.37 miles (one sixth of a marathon as the folks that the running club like to point out).
  
• This makes an excellent prelude to my competitive spirit. Yes, I have one of those. At work, we are having an 8 week health challenge. Everyone in my office is in on it. We get points for every minute of exercise, for eating fruits, vegetables, and having dairy, for reading about a health topic, for making a healthy dish and sharing it, for any number of things. It might not be too bad except out of 37 teams we placed 6th the first week. So, I've set the sights on 1st. (Last week we were 2nd.) The only problem is that rank is determined by the average number of points per person on each team. The one person team currently out front has an advantage. But they are also missing the advantage of having everyone in their office eating smarter. Our monthly junk food/pot luck day was turned into "Healthy Food Day." For every healthy dish that was prepared and shared we got points! But the competitive spirit has kicked in. Why only exercise 60 minutes when 120 will get you double the points?
• Read immediately above if you cannot fathom why I'm tuckered.

But I hope to do better here soon.... If you think of it pray for me on Saturday at the race!

Toddler?

I had a dog for a bit as a child. Her name was Heidi. I was probably about 7. She would start out in her bed on the floor, but she typically ended up in my bed. I didn't invite her, but that is where she would be found in the morning. I was crushed when my dad insisted that she had to go. We gave her to an aunt. I don't think my yearning to have a dog has ever gone away.

A few years ago, I got a dog from the Humane Society. Her name was Cassie. I had her for 6 months and was crushed when after consulting with the Humane Society we decided she was probably best in a different home. She was pretty high strung. It turns out that she was very anxious to the point that she was on meds. She really needed to be around someone who was home more often.

The Humane Society encouraged me to try a cat. As you know if you follow this blog, I now have two cats. I'm crazy about them.

But still, something in me has longed for a dog. I liked going for walks with Cassie and such. So, I've ended up with a puppy. Her name is Hadley. I've had her about a month. I think she is a bit like a toddler. Everything goes in her mouth if I'm not looking! But I have enjoyed her. I'm just not sure the cats have!

Seriously, she is pretty laid back and incredibly social. She gets along well with other dogs and is friendly with people. She has done reasonably well with the cats. She chases them on occasion, but she also puts up with unprovoked boxing of her long ears. Mali, in particular, has made it her mission to keep Hadley in line.

Why Hadley? Well, the folks who had her before me were calling her Harley. I just couldn't manage to stick with that. Yet, I didn't want to confuse her by changing it too much. So, I went with Hadley.