Life Is A Seasonal Affair

Sweet Dreams

It’s a given that I am madly in love with my dog.  Almost eleven years ago after my first heartache I found myself staring at cute, little pup behind a glass wall and I remember trying to capture his attention, but the puppy just kept lying down without any desire to be disturbed out of his great sadness.  All of his siblings had been purchased and he was the last one left in the litter.  His sorrow was deep - it matched my very own.  After asking the salesperson for permission to hold my future dog and the little guy being unresponsive to my touch I knew that I had to bring him home.  I took out my credit card and without looking at the price I adopted him on the spot.  I have often thought about our first meeting and the beginning of our story.  While it saddens me deeply that he was confined to such an inhumane, small space for the first couple months of his existence and that he suffered being left behind after each of his brothers was purchased – in truth he was waiting for me to walk into his life.  Though nothing seemed to be happening (as he sat in his cage) God had predestined for the two of us to come across and to be each other’s saving grace!  A great sadness connected us – yet, out of our pain God created such a beautiful redemptive story.

I just wanna hold your paw!

When I get discouraged about things like not finding my one-and-only or feeling dissatisfaction with my career and especially when I get really blue and feel like a complete failure- I reflect on the story of my Dog and I and I realize that during the times when I feel stuck - God is at work.  Since God is never early or late, we must learn to enjoy the periods of respite.  I was reading about wine vines and how during the winter there’s not a whole lot of visible activity; but the plants are resting storing energy for the demands of spring.  That’s such a sweet image – I almost envy nature because unlike us, it knows exactly what to do throughout its lifespan.  You will never see a bush trying to be a tree or a daisy trying to be a tulip- they know what they are and they embrace it.  Furthermore, they know when to grow, when to blossom and when to stop producing to simply rest! I think in this hustling culture we devalue moments of little productivity or times of patient waiting.  Yet, life is a seasonal affair from the time of our conception we must learn to wait.  The mother waits nine months to meet her babe and from that point forward everything follows a melodic tempo with highs, lows and the often dismissed lateral phases.  The biggest virtue one can pick up is patience and a docile spirit to not be troubled during the rhythmic intervals and transitions of life.  That’s why when I contemplate on the difficult wait of my dog in his confined glass cage I feel joy knowing that God has a perfect plan and a perfect time to execute His plan for each of us (smile).  If I hadn’t been in so much pain over the demise of my first romantic relationship when I entered the pet store I wouldn’t have recognized my equally depressed dog and I would have missed out on one of the most beautiful experiences of my life!  Though pain brought us together the joy of a love so pure has kept us united.  Dollar & Penny, two silly, little creatures full of love for one another and a happiness that was certainly worth the wait!

This week my babe started coughing on Sunday and he’s almost eleven so I was really worried and afraid of taking him to the vet because I didn’t feel capable of receiving bad news.  But after a full body examination the vet concluded that Dollar has Bronchitis.  “Praise God!”  Am not sure if I will be able to let him go when the time comes, but I rely on God and trust that He will give me the strength to bare the separation for I know without a doubt that dogs go to heaven too- it wouldn’t be heaven without their loyal, sweet, pure animal souls!  Until then I am going to love him more, spoil him more and enjoy him more…  When I come home he always waits for me and does this energetic dance- as I enter the door he hops, smiles and flips- I hope that one day instinctively I will be that excited every time I come in the presence of my Lord (smile).