Dogs

It’s unusual at this time of the year as I’m not working.  I’m a teacher by trade.  I miss having my own class, my own little family of kiddos, but currently, I substitute teach at my son’s former elementary.  It’s a wonderful little school just 5 minutes down the road from us.

Because those teachers are so conscientious, jobs don’t really start or pick up until the middle or end of September.  Anyway, I digress…

I was home…almost all day.  Didn’t leave to run errands or go out for lunch.

Our dog, Duchess, who was feeling a little puny, followed me all around the house.  Usually, she camps out in her cozy bed in the living room.  But today, she was on my heels as I went to our son’s room to clean his bathroom….even on the cold floors!  She moved to her bed in our bedroom when I went in there to fold towels.

It just dawned on me…or maybe the Lord spoke to me.  It’s the way I should be with Jesus.

I should be so aware of HIM that I’m constantly on HIS heels, wanting to be with HIM and following HIS every move.

Duchess, our miniature daschund, is a precious pet, and we love her so.  But we always joke that she is “high maintenance”.  She needs and requires lots of attention and energy.

For example, if you’re dog tired (no pun intended) and come in the door (and she hasn’t seen you in a while), she will immediately greet you and need lots of lovin’…petting, talking, letting her lick your nose and you making over her.  When Norman comes home from work, she meets him at the door.  But if he doesn’t “fawn” over her enough, she will bark at him until she gets what she needs.

Then, she’ll bring her purple ball to you and is ready to “play”.  As Norman says, she is not subtle.  If we ignore her attempts to play, she will push her ball under the dresser in our room or the sofa/loveseat in the LR.  Then, she’ll bark like crazy until one of us retrieves it and plays with her.

Again, it makes me think of my relationship with the Lord.

I should be so in love with HIM that daily I get up wanting to spend time with HIM more than anything else.  Duchess lives for those times when we “connect”.  I should be the same.  My Heavenly Father should know that HE is the most important person in my life…and I can’t wait to meet HIM early in the am, but also talk and listen for HIM all day long.

I’m reminded of the bumper sticker a dear man at church has on the back of his truck.  I read it every Sunday and love the sentiment.  “Lord, help me be the person my dog thinks I am”.