Lessons from a Canine

I'm a cat person. I grew up with cats and developed a fondness for them. I've always had a cat up until about 5 years ago when our last one decided she was going to poop on my carpet if I didn't let her sleep on my bed. That earned her a free one-way ticket to the Darke County Animal Shelter. I don't handle well pets using the floor of my home as their toilet. It must have left a bad taste in my mouth, (or smell in my nose), as we've never gotten another cat.

Don't ask me why but we now have a dog. It was not a premeditated purchase. I suppose you could call it a really pricey impulse buy. Back in August of last year, we went to the pet store in Richmond to kill a few minutes while we were waiting to see a movie. We never saw the movie. We came home instead with a 10-week-old Cocker Spaniel. She looked me in the eyes and she was so cute and sweet. At the risk of sounding sappy, she stole my heart. Of course, I'd heard people talking before that having a puppy was a lot like having an infant in the house. But come on, how hard could it possibly be?

One thing I forgot to think about--dogs are kind of.......dirty. You must understand, I really, really, REALLY enjoy having a clean house. And smell is crucial too--I love a fresh smelling house! Yes, I have three children and they throw a bit of a kink in that. But I've learned to deal with it, lowering my standards enough so as to not go CRAZY! Over the years I'm sure I've spent many hours on my hands and knees cleaning out of my carpet spilt juice, milk, marker, play dough, adhered-to-the-carpet-raisins found under the couch, and other interestingly gross things. Then there are the body fluids--you know, the ones that have, at one time or another, landed on all of our couches and carpets. For some reason, though, when it comes from your own flesh and blood child, it doesn't seem QUITE as gross--you clean it up, let it dry, and find yourself laying your head on that same spot the next day without much thought. You just sort of get used to their messes because you HAVE to. You know, we can't just take our kids to the pound.

But when your DOG poops all through the house, (like mine did this morning), leaving countless tiny piles of this nasty, soft, green stuff and dragging her feet through it to leave poopy footprints clear down the hallway, through the living room, and across the couch..............I feel like I've had about all I can take! She is not, may I remind you, my flesh and blood. She is not like one of my children, who shares my last name and is required to live with us. She is OPTIONAL. And the OPTION is SOOOOOOO tempting at times like these!!!

It had been just a couple of hours before that, during my quiet time, I was asking God to help me make improvements in certain areas, namely, controlling my reactions when "accidents" happen around the house. I admit, I had things like 'spilt milk' in mind. I sometimes react violently to things like that; it seems like one of those areas I can't quite get a grip on and feel like I'm setting a horrible example for my children. I want to learn to act like Christ would if a child had spilt milk at his kitchen table--with PATIENCE, KIND WORDS, and UNDERSTANDING. But there was no spilt milk today. Just the dog. And once again, I failed to act as I know Jesus would've if his dog had pooped on the rug. I yelled and ranted and whined and pouted as I scrubbed the mess. (One of those moments when my oldest child gathers the younger two together and encourages them to "stay out of Mom's way!")

Thankfully, somewhere in the midst of my tantrum, God was speaking to me, "This house isn't important. This carpet isn't important. It doesn't matter if your carpet isn't new and fresh anymore. It doesn't matter if your couch is stained and even stinks a little. Nor do the numerous marks and dings on the walls matter. Nor the Manwich stain on the kitchen ceiling from 1998 that your husband said he would fix. Nor the scratches all down both sides of the van. Nor the black streaks on the roof. Nor the holes in the kitchen linoleum." IT DOESN'T MATTER, KATI.

I don't know of anywhere in God's Word where it says we should take pride in our homes. Yes, I know its important to care for the material blessings God gives us, but are we to shine them, and stare at them, and forbid children to touch them, and TREASURE them? I know of only One who is worthy of being treasured. Lord, thank you for using something so silly as my dog to remind me of this.

I'm still going to strive to do better at reacting to these messes. Whether its the milk being spilled on my newly mopped floor, or the dog relieving herself where she's not supposed to, or whatever tomorrow may bring, I'll continue to trust that the Lord CAN and WILL teach me to behave more like Himself in these moments.

Oh, and one more thing--just for anyone who might happen to find themselves in this situation: Resist the temptation to strap your 3 yr old in his car seat naked, on your way home from the pool and having forgotten to bring dry clothes along, thinking you'll save the car seat from getting wet. Apparently the whole nakedness thing can throw your child off a bit and give him the idea that its okay to pee right then and there while strapped in the seat, spraying the back of the drivers seat, passenger's seat, your husband's Bible, your pool bag, the box of tissues you keep in the vehicle, and the CARPET!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHH! Now I have a house that smells like dog and a van that smells like pee! (But it doesn't matter, Lord!)

Sorry for all the references to bodily waste in this post. As you all know, its just part of life. Granted, a much bigger part of life than we would choose for those of us with small children or dogs.