D O G Chronicles

[irishman]

D O G Chronicles
Lessons from my dog (from her point of view.)
An Analogy

Life at the end a chain can be quite frustrating. One sees many things that he would like to investigate, and yet, cannot reach. It seems as if this confinement is a prison, and yet, we all have our own “prison” whether of thought or in the flesh. Even when free from the chain, the confinement is there, for I am fenced in, isolated from the vast and interesting world of exploration. So, the freedom is a limited freedom, but welcome indeed.

A “limited freedom” is not so bad, since it also keeps out the bully dogs! Yes, it not only confines, but protects, and one must appreciate that… However, I still long for total freedom and the privilege of exploring far away places, and sniffing new things! It seems to be a redundant life, a miserable life to be chained all day to one area of the yard, but it does have its blessing. For one, I don’t have to forage for food! The master always provides; he takes great care in providing food and water for me, and this takes a huge burden off my back. When I retire at night, the food is there; when I awake in the morning, refreshed and ready to charge into the day at full speed, I am not worried about my next meal, he will provide. If he decides I should fast, then fast I must; if he decides I should have an extra portion, then so be it, I will trust him to provide. Sometimes I get an extra “treat”, a delightful “bone” to chew on, or an extra tidbit, just because my master loves me, and loves to see me happy. I am a “lucky dog”!

At times, I get to spend some time with the master, and we go for walks together. Oh these are precious times! He talks to me, and I listen intently, trying to understand what he is saying, I do so much want to please him and be a faithful friend to him. We walk and I stop and sniff, and explore a little, but usually in familiar territory, where I am safe and secure with the master. You see, I am a little afraid of the big dogs. They bark a lot, and charge boldly at me, and snarl and growl, and, many times I return the ill treatment back to them, but I know that I am on a leash, and tied to hand of my master. He is there, and he is my confidence. If they are too aggressive, though I stand my ground, I know my master will intercede on my behalf; he will let no harm come to me. Those walks are very special times, and I wish that there were more of them, but I also know that if there were too many, they would become routine, and lose their charm, so I must appreciate these walks and “talks” we have together, and I must quietly and patiently endure, and just be a faithful dog.

I do have some faults though, and my master seems unpleased with them. I like to dig in the yard. I like to bury things, and amuse myself with hunting them out again later. I guess it is my nature to act like a dog, I don’t seem to be able to change it. My master scolds me at times, because I dig in the flower garden, or somewhere else that I am not supposed to dig. You see, I can dig in my own territory, I guess the master expects it of me, and grants me this freedom, but I don’t seem to understand the boundaries, and often I end up in trouble! Oh, the boundaries are clear, but I am too inquisitive, and too compulsive to remain within the boundaries all the time. I usually end up straying. That is another prOBlem: If I get outside of this fence, my master calls and calls, but all I want to do is run, and enjoy my freedom while I can. Often my master has to seek me out, calling, whistling, beckoning, and sometimes I hear him and deliberately avoid him, until I get all my “running” out of me. I usually come back within a few hours, (I know where the food is!), but cautiously, lest I am reproved for my venturing off. I come back much more humbly than I left. There have been times that I was afraid to come back, and the master had to coax me and talk sweetly to me to get me to come to him. I would let him get close, then run away a little further, and wait until he got close again, and run again. It was not a game with me, really, but just caution and apprehension of the punishment I deserved. I guess it was a guilty conscience you might say.

That is another fault, straying away every chance I get. That is the reason for the fence too, to keep me from straying. I try to dig under the fence sometimes, but usually the master sees me and makes me quit. I am so glad that he cares so much for me. I know I am better off when I stay inside the fence, and after all, the yard is not a small one, I have much freedom there, but I still look out to other yards, and watch other dogs run, and I too am compelled to stray. Oh, if I could only break away from the “crowd” and do what is right to do. It is so hard when my friends come by and bark and beckon me to go with them, they don’t understand the fence, and the freedom I have within it, and sometimes I don’t understand either, I guess. That is when I really have a hard time doing the right thing, and I try to find a way out of the yard. Fortunately, my master has sealed off all openings, and made the yard secure, and I don’t have easy access to my wandering ways; in a way I am thankful for that, but sometimes I would just like to run freely, and go where I want to, and do what I want. One time I did get away for awhile (my master has to keep a constant watch on me it seems) and I found myself exploring the neighbor’s swimming pool. It did not have water in it yet, but there was nice liner that I enjoyed walking on, it felt good on my paws; the humans that lived there knew me, and called my master, and boy, was he angry that I got away and walked all over their vinyl liner. I don’t know what the big deal was, but I decided that I would not do that again!

I could tell many stories of “straying” but the best part was the return! You see, I was always welcomed back. Oh, sometimes I was punished, and even whipped with a slipper or rolled up newspaper, but I was always safe and secure when I came back home. Usually I would stay tied for a few days after straying, but eventually my master would let me run in the yard again, under his watchful eye, of course. Those were special times too, because my master would stay out with me and find something to do in the yard, and all the while watching over me, and at times calling to me, and making me get out of whatever I found myself into. We would sometimes spend hours out there, just him and I. I would run around a little at first, exploring the familiar territory, and seeking out anything “new” to explore, just happy to be off the chain, but then I would just go up on the porch and lie next to him, and bask in his presence. Often I would feel a gentle hand stroking my long hair, and hear soft words and see the look of compassion on his face. It was so comforting, and I will always consider those times to be very special, and very precious. Any time spent with the master is a good time for me.


ADDENDA: We had to put our dog to sleep after enjoying her for 14 years. She never did seem to complain much, and the amazing thing is that I prOBably learned more from her than she did from me. On May 6, 2006 she was laid to rest, but her memory remains and her legacy lives on, and the principles that I learned from her will be everlasting. By our times together I learned to trust in the Master for all my needs. I learned to appreciate the standards (fences) that He has set around the yard of my life, and how great is His provision, and just how much he cares for me. There were many meditative times and enjoyable times with her, as well as times of frustration when she acted like…like a dog! When she destroyed something, or strayed off somewhere, I saw myself in her and my relationship to my Master. When she returned, head hung low, and walking slowly, and humbly, I saw my state and what I needed to do when returning to my Master; when she ravished her food, and wantonly looked for more, I saw in her the need for God’s blessings in my life, and how I need to seek them diligently and earnestly; when she pranced around and ran and jumped excitedly every time I let her off her chain, I saw the excitement that I need to exemplify when I spend that special time with the Lord. Her exuberance was refreshing, and it was all because she was glad to be with me. I wonder if the Lord feels that way when we are excited about His presence, and spending some “quality” time with Him?

Edited October 3, 2010 by irishman

[JerryNumbers]

Enjoyed. We seem to hate that fence put around us by God, and we try to get out as often as we can.

[irishman]

thanks Jerry80...I sure used to feel hemmed in by the "fence" not realizing the freedom I had inside it! Thank God He straightened me out on that!