LIFE LESSONS FROM THE DOG

Peyton is my sweet 11-month-old collie. I think of him as my "rescue dog" because he came to me at five-months of age with no real name, never having walked on a leash outside of his backyard, hair chewed off his hind legs due to a skin infection, fleas, knowing zero commands, no confidence, and extreme fear issues--as in this boy was afraid of bouncing balls, sounds of all kinds, people, other dogs, his shadow! All he wanted to do was hide in a corner, tail between his legs for days on end. And play? He didn't know the meaning of the word. He still has lots of problems, which we are working through on a daily basis, but he is EMERGING, my friends, and it's a beautiful thing. He's showing us who he is, shaking off his fears about life and darkness and spooky noises and squealing kids. He is becoming a new creature, and he's teaching me important stuff about trust and hope.

Tonight we took a long walk around my neighborhood. He walks like a champion now, head up, tail out, nose high and sniffing. I am a stickler about walks as in I walk him; he does not walk ME. (No dog should walk a person. Why do people allow their giant dogs to pull them on a fast gait down the road? How can that be fun?) When I first got Peyton he thought he was in charge. He pulled, bucked, and fought me with the whole leash thing. It scared him half to death. But slowly I showed him he had nothing to fear - that I was in charge, and I was going to keep him safe. He just had to trust me with this leash business and know that it was for his own good.

Do you see where I'm going with this? Trust is a learned behavior. If something hurts us, we tend to draw back to avoid the same hurt twice. God is our ever present help. We can trust Him. Others will fail us, disappoint us, drag us down bumpy, dangerous roads, but God can bring us back if we let Him take control.

He's a good Master. You can trust Him.

*Be on the lookout for future "lessons" from my pretty boy and, of course, more pictures!