Wednesday, September 6, 2017

I am My Dog


Almost three weeks ago we brought home a Basset Hound puppy.  He is cute, soft, and adorable.  He has the longest ears and huge paws.  I named him Hickory and I love him.  I wouldn't trade him for anything.

Hickory has been teaching me how much God loves me.  One day while I was picking up Hickory's poop I realized that I am just like him.  No, I don't go poop in the yard, but God is patient with me and has to clean up my messes at times.

Just like Hickory, I am stubborn at times.  Basset hounds are known for being stubborn and you need to be more patient with a basset because of it.  God is so patient with me at times I wonder how He can manage to put up with me.  I have time and time again gone against God, and time and time again come back to Him whimpering for forgiveness.

Hickory knows his name now and can sit.  I am teaching him to ring a bell when he needs to go out. Sometimes he needs to go out, but refuses to ring the bell (stubbornness again).  If I am patient I know he will learn and hopefully soon be house broken.

God has lessons for me as well and slowly I am learning.  I think I am house broken now, but I still have a few lessons to learn like: Stay (Don't go off ahead of God's plan)! Beg (be humble)! Heel (Stay beside Christ and walk with Him)! Play dead (die to self)!

Hickory is still a puppy and like most puppies he likes to play and when he plays he bites.  He is slowly learning not to puppy bite and that can be frustrating at times.  I have cuts on my hands where his teeth have playfully drawn blood.  I give a good loud "OUCH!", grit my teeth and pry his teeth from my arm.  I then say through my gritted teeth "No Hickory!  No biting!"  I give him something else to chew while I put on a tourniquet.

Through it all I am learning to be patient.  I look at Hickory and I see past the puppy he is and find a trained basset hound dog which sees me as his best friend.  I see him as completely house broken, never gnaws on me and is obedient.

When God looks at me He sees a mature Man of God.  He is so patient with me now even though I am still a puppy.  I am as much a puppy as my Hickory is, but thankfully I am house broken.

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