Dogged by Grace

My  morning walk got my heart rate up in an unexpected way.

Having headed west on the road outside my house the past two days, this morning I took a left out of my driveway and headed east instead. The first house I passed was my neighbor’s newly-built  "barn-dominium", a massive structure with a beautiful wood deck circling the outside, overlooking the pond and the woods beyond. Enjoying a beautiful October morning, there sat my neighbors drinking coffee and chatting with each other, their dogs at their feet… that is, until they caught sight of me passing by.

Instantly on their feet, the two big dogs leapt off the deck and came racing up the driveway at me, barking furiously, acting aggressively. I froze in horror, tried to keep walking, but then just closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable when they reached me at full throttle, their owners’ loud hollers to “STOP!” falling on deaf and defiant doggie ears.

I’d met these dogs before, on a day when I’d stopped in to in to introduce myself to the new homeowners and welcome them to the neighborhood. The dogs sniffed me over good at that time and seemingly accepted me as friend, not foe.

Apparently, they had forgotten our earlier introduction. Thankfully they didn’t attack, but only circled me, still barking furiously, as I gradually inched my way past the house, waving at the neighbors in relief and gratitude that I hadn’t been consumed.

The dogs at the house two lots farther down had thus been alerted to trouble and were already barking furiously when I soon walked by where they were (thankfully!) securely inside a strong wire fence and continued on my way. I can handle any amount of barking; it’s big dogs running off leash towards me that terrify me! Another neighbor had given me a small can of pepper spray to carry with me for extra security if I insisted on walking on the road, after word came of a dog attack that severely injured a woman on a neighboring street. Of course I had forgotten to bring it with me today, and I likely wouldn’t have used it on the neighbors’ dogs, anyway. But I do like to walk on my country road on a beautiful morning, and I don’t think I should have to forego that pleasure on account of unsecured canines. Neither do I want to be eaten, however.

I decided to go a little farther than I had originally planned, just to give the neighbors time to get their pets back inside the house. But I changed my mind quickly when I saw that yet another neighbor had his two massive pit bulls loose in his front yard. They are supposedly contained behind an electric fence, and truth be told, I have never seen them outside of the so-fenced property. But I didn’t trust what I could not see and didn’t want to test the effectiveness of that barrier. I turned around and headed back the way I had come.

Thankfully when I reached the property with the barn-dominium once more, I was greeted not by the dogs but my neighbor herself, who was pulling out of the driveway in her car. She stopped to apologize profusely for her animals’ behavior, informing me that they weren’t wearing their dog collars that morning, which I assume are similarly outfitted with an invisible restraining mechanism. We parted on good terms, with an invitation to drink coffee with them on their deck sometime extended and happily received.

The term “dog collar” brought pictures to my mind of the clerical collar sometimes worn by those in ministry as public evidence of their calling. The sight of one generates assumptions and expectations of above the board behavior by those within the circle of grace… literally and figuratively. While not worn physically, all of us have certain beliefs which likewise limit our behavior, prompting us to act in accordance with the same. How often do we, as well, at times remove our dog collars… and act in spiritually unacceptable ways?

Maybe my morning “quiet time” as I prepare and then “dress” for the day is, spiritually speaking, fitting my personal dog collar snugly in place, that my actions may be pleasing to the Lord, and His blessings follow me wherever I go. If I’m going to be pursued by anything, may I be dogged by grace.

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;”

(1 Peter 1:14-15, NIV)

(photo credit: Unsplash/FranTaylor) 

 

Last Time till Next Time

Today is the day – my last hike for the year on my favorite trail at Huston Woods State Park – the 45-year anniversary of my first visit there. I’ve gone back every year on this date (as well as multiple times in between!) – to remember that first visit and enjoy this gift that God placed in my very own backyard.

You may wonder why it’s my last visit of the year when it’s only October, and the answer is that I am an evergreen girl at heart – I like my trees with needles or leaves on them! When the trees in the local deciduous forest shed their leaves, we enter what Noah Kahan calls “stick season” in his song by that name. The bare stems simply depress me.

The words Take comfort in rituals was  written on a sign posted on the door to the local Starbucks at one time, and it’s advice I take to heart. Thus I plan to really enjoy today’s visit, making it my day’s focus rather than just one more thing added to the daily schedule. That means I will hike first… hopefully catch a falling leaf, although that is no longer a requirement to my enjoyment of the visit… then find a cup of hot chocolate (that IS a requirement, lol)… and maybe a slice of warm apple pie to go along with it. (The calorie count is going to be off the charts today… oh well!)

I’m thankful that the weather is going to be much more pleasant today than on my first visit so long ago – then it was cold and rainy and most of the leaves had left the trees and were lying on the ground. I didn’t mind at the time, so happy was I to be walking in the woods once more after a 4-year treeless stint in the city of Dallas. Today looks to be sunny and warm – and I expect to see a good amount of some green but mostly yellow leaves still hanging on to their height on those wooden pillars!

It’s always a little sad to mark the last visit of the year, but I am grateful for the gift of a glorious day… and will vocalize the promise made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in The Terminator as I leave… “I’ll be back!”

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

(Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV)

Family Chat

She stopped in the doorway to tell me she was leaving.

Off to babysit her nephew for the day, my daughter-in-law smiled as she took in the sight of me propped up in bed, coffee mug in hand, dog cuddled up next to me and my Bible, journal and devotional book spread out before me.

“My day is off to a roaring start, isn’t it?” I asked with a laugh.

“It’s the best start,” she answered. “I’d still be in bed myself if I had the chance!”

After she left I wondered if she knew that Jesus was sitting in the chair that was pulled up to and facing the bed... if she had any idea that the Holy Spirit was perched on the exercise bike in front of the dresser… or that I was leaning on the (pillowed!) “everlasting arms” of the Father behind me. What looked like a Bible study/devotional time was really a Family chat!

I thought then of the human “family chat” message stream on my phone, one in which usually everybody takes part, offering advice, commentary, adding pictures and memes to promote points or poke fun at one another. There’s always a lot of laughter and love spelled out in the words on the screen… a safe and fun place to be.

If people viewed their “quiet times” with God in a similar fashion, they’d realize they are often anything but… and yes, truly the best way to start the day!

“… ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”

(1 Samuel 3:9 NIV)

 

I Don't Want Oscar's Outlook

 

I woke up feeling a little grouchy today.

No special reason – I slept well, I feel great… I generally have no complaints! But I noticed when I took the dog out for her early morning run that I was impatient with her repeated stopping and sniffing of the ground. I can’t blame her; the October wind blew in all kinds of leaves and delectable scents that needed investigating! I just got a little irritated with having to constantly wait for her.

I don’t want to be that way. So how do I imitate the overturned trash cans at the top of the driveway and dump Oscar the Grouch out on the ground?

My friend Mary sent me a “good morning” meme that had the answer. It came with a “Happy Friday” greeting, and underneath I found a few short phrases that spelled out the solution:

1)      Good coffee. Yes, I am totally on board with this! I’ll take pumpkin spice if you have it, but coffee of any kind today is more than just a joy… it’s a must!

2)      Fall vibes. It’s such a beautiful time of the year, and it’s gone in the blink of an eye. So I’ll open my eyes today and drink in all the October beauty along with that coffee mentioned above.

3)      Grateful heart. Yes, yes, yes! Counting my blessings and actually taking the time to thank God for them moves my mind, heart, and soul in a positive direction.

4)      It’s Friday! Even if you’re happily retired, as am I, it’s important to keep that “Friday feeling” alive to thrive!

(Oscar doesn’t know what he’s missing!)

“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

(Psalm 118:24 NKJV)