Lessons From My Dog!

The most frustrating thing about having a dog is when our dog acts like a dog! With the ravages of winter, our makeshift fence has taken a beating and Max has found ways to jump over or wiggle underneath when the motivation is strong enough, ie. the neighbouring dog is out, the deer are visiting, a rabbit runs by...a squirrel! The funny thing about this whole running away thing is that he knows it is wrong! He sees us coming to get him and doesn't want to meet up with us. He knows we are angry and that he has done wrong by us. When we catch up, he stands there looking out his peripheral, drops his tail and head and basically goes completely limp. When we get back into the house he sits there raising his paw over and over again in apology. At that point you are left looking into pathetically sad little puppy eyes and think, "you're just a dog following your instincts, what more can I expect!"
We are working on training him. If we watch him and he sees us in the window, that stops him dead in his tracks. Training takes dedication. It takes complete commitment to training the same way every time he goes out.

A recent replay on this situation near midnight the other night!!! reminded me of a few things I have read over this past week. I read about how, in Noah's time, God was grieved and His heart filled with pain over the humans evil inclinations. That "every inclination of the thoughts were only evil all the time." (Gen. 6:5 - 6) I've also been reading that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Phil.4:13). When I think about my human inclination and how lousy my willpower is; I can see how I have grieved God by my attempts to become "Jr. god!" I have constant access to the Holy Spirit, who will help me choose not to jump over the fence. It is so important that I have dogged determination to bow to the rule of Christ's authority in my life as I work to overcome stronghold's and avoid snares.

God has created us with the ability to choose and we are faced daily with counterfeits that need to be tested against the truth. In case you needed this encouragement today too, here is a verse that I am reading and repeating over and over:

Psalm 28:7 NRSV
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in Him my heart trusts;
So I am helped, and my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to Him.

Oh Deer!

Since we moved into our place in summer we have had neighbours telling us that we would be seeing deer in our backyard. We thought maybe our big viscous dog......had scared them away and that we wouldn't have to be concerned about our shrubs after all.

A number of days ago, we spotted them. (There in the arbour...positioned so nicely for the photo!)We thought there were three of them but as it turns, there are four!!! They are beautiful.

It is quite funny. They sit and stare at our house as if spying on us to see what we are doing! And our household, including Max, stare back!!This afternoon one deer came to eat our cedars.
As the deer was coming closer, I grabbed for the camera. I opened the patio door to get a picture and out shot Max ready to save our shrubs!! He bounded through the snow scaring all four of them, white tails up, chasing them deep into the yard and toward the river. I missed the best picture as I was shouting for Max to come back, frantically hoping that the deer wouldn't change their minds and decide maybe they were meat eaters after all!!

Here they are. Dave making sure Max wasn't in over his head. Max is just in front of Dave...can you see him, our big strong dog!