Little Teasers

I'm gonna call this one little squirrel, "Come-on-big-boy." He is always teasing my dog, Major.

"COBB" seems to know when it's time for Major to go out to do his, well, ummm, business. So Cobb and his buddies decide to scamper up and down our trees which go completely around our back yard and into the neighbors. Then Major forgets what he was let out for...sigh.... That squirrel also knows just how low he can go before Major reaches him. Then Cobb sits and stares, or eats another acorn, dropping the shells which makes Major even more excited. I can tell it's the same squirrel because of his face markings.

Now I love squirrels and all, but it's not always convenient for me to chase my dog around right before work, or when I need to leave.

I seem to have Cobbs in my life too, beckoning me to do things other than what I know I need to do. Sometimes throwing just an idea in my head distracts me. It might be as easy as a load of wash that beckons, irritating me. Am I alone?

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways." Psalm 139:1-3

The Lord knows just what will distract me, yet He waits with watch-care over me, until I realize what I should be doing instead. Then He leads me back onto the way. Thank you, Father.
 

Palm Protection

Major seems innocent enough, standing under this palm tree. He's such a lovable fellow. He's just hanging out in the shade. NOT.

He chased this squirrel up the palm and is waiting for it scramble down. Yeah right. This little one knows he's safe up in the tree, although my dog is just feet away.

In fact he decided to continue eating this acorn he just dug up while waiting for Major to leave. I finally put Major inside, to protect the little squirrel.

"And I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.: John 10:28 (Jesus)

Life chases us up trees sometimes. But while the danger nips at my heel,...or tail, God keeps my soul and protects it forever.

I'm sitting pretty in the palms.

Photos: karenevans

Look Up!

Major, my dog, finally figured out that squirrels run up the tree, while the rabbits run under the fence. He keeps sentry from our glass slider and when a squirrel is spotted, his happy, antsy feet start and he comes and stares right in our faces.

Open the slider and he bolts out the door hoping to catch that squirrel. (Rabbits he has caught.) Major will stand there for the longest, oblivious to possible fire ant beds (which are numerous here and a constant battle) and heat until he can no longer see them, or they hide.

"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Colossians 3:2 (NAV)
"Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up and be alert to what is going on around Christ--that's where the action is. See things from his perspective." Colossians 3:2 (Message)

When my mind, and heart are down, dragging the floor, I don't get better by just sittin'. If I look to Him expecting something, then my draggy-dumps lift. Then, what's around me doesn't seem so bad.

Keep your eyes up, feet ready, and heart filled.

Photo:karenevans

Dumb Bunnies 4-10

This post comes on the tails, uh, pun intended of Parsley's post, Dumb Bunnie. Can you make out this baby rabbit? My dog is staring, waiting for my release command. He dropped the bunny to get a "treat" instead, but intense, animal focus remains.

No, I did not let him eat it.

Now for those of you who don't know, my yard backs up to a four lane road. I am not in the country. Anyway, Major found a nest of four, yes four baby bunnies, just like this one, Wednesday. I was out in the back yard, and saw him lay down with something wiggling in his mouth. My first thought was a snake. I ran up and told him to drop it which he did. That one was hurt, by the time I removed that bunny he had # 2 in his mouth. And so it went, till all four were rescued.

Here's where the dumb bunny-(DB) comes in. My neighbors on both sides are pet free, but where does the DB nest? Yep, right here. And get this, this time it was right behind my hubbie's barbecue pit right next to our patio. Helllloooo, is anyone home?? We counted all the nests that Major has found and DB has had about 15 bunnies in the past 2 years. Sigh......

I love the little bunnies, but this is not the right yard for them. This picture is how Major was restrained, he didn't do it all on his own. (We're lucky retrievers have such a soft mouth.)"They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay." Psalm 18:18

How many times have I gone after something that I shouldn't have? Maybe it wasn't even anything bad, but not the best, not what God wanted? Yet God became my "stay," my protector and treated me with something better.

Ah, keep Your good hand on my collar, Lord, this one is prone to chase.

Work for Treats

Major, my dog, gets treats for doing "work," or a training session. Oh, all right, and sometimes for nothing at all. (See the treat sitting on the edge of the chair?) Here, the trick is to "wait." He does real good, and if you look closely, a bit of drool is beginning to form, in anticipation.

Yummy food is a great motivator. Hey, I know that personally, too. But let's not go there.

Major learned this behavior by repetition. At first he would see the treat and be eager to do anything to get it. After a while he did commands without the treat. Conditioning. Receiving praise and attention from those he loves is enough, but treats are always appreciated.

"Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:28-29

God requires no tricks to please Him. So why do I think I "must" do things to get His treats? When once I realize I only need to believe and trust in His Son, then all the treats in heaven become mine, too. My works happen out of love for Him. No drool necessary.

I'm glad God never runs out of treats.

Photo: karenevans

Pursue-verance

"Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action." Oswald Chambers


Every morning, afternoon and night, Major can't wait to go out in the back yard and hunt for rabbits. There is only one, right now, that repeatedly comes in our back yard to rest and sometimes nest in the ferns.


It doesn't matter to Major whether the rabbit is there or not, he prances about the house until we let him out. Dashing from rabbit spot to rabbit spot, he tracks, anticipating a new run. I guess it's the pursuit that he loves. When the rabbit is there he chases it out of the yard until the rabbit scoots under the fence.


Not catching the rabbit does not bother him. He perseveres with renewed eagerness each day.


"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint." Romans 5:3-5


I need to take a lesson from Major and keep pursuing my dreams and visions even if they don't come true right away. For I know that it's in the "keeping on" that builds the person, with or without the "rabbit." And God's hope does not disappoint.




What dream do you need "pursue-verance" for?






Photo: karenevans


For my dear friends who commented concerning my grandson. He is still struggling. Thank you for your prayers.

The Five Word Game

Diane gave me five words to use in a story or post. This one is true. So here goes!



Puppies, puppies everywhere! In among those is our Major. We took this picture at the breeder's, Hidden Meadows, where different colored ribbons are tied around the puppies necks to distinguish them for prospective buyers. We held different ones to see if we could tell their temperament. Not.


This is the one we chose. Mr. Orange ribbon. Here is Major at four weeks.

We didn't hold him long before he started to whine for his mom and get back in the box. Before some had even finished eating, little yellow spots appeared in the box or wading pool where they stayed. (Hey, this is Florida, what do you expect.) That's why the breeders had plenty of blankets around.

Once we got Major home, he had to taste all the flavors and textures around him. (I found Granny's Bitter Apple spray worked wonders.)

And finally, when that darling pup slept, I wanted to just squeeze that cute little fur ball to death.



"You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should bear much fruit." John 15:16


Okay you knew I had to add a scripture, right? Just as we picked Major, the Lord picked us to be His children. How many times do I whine and fuss like a baby when I am taken out of my "box?" How many times does He get my hands and feet out of trouble? But the whole time I know He loves me, and even watches over me as I sleep. Who could ask for more?


Okay, here's the deal. If anyone wants to play, I'm changing the game up a bit. Uh oh?! Well anyway,I will list the five words below. Then whoever wants to use them in a post let me know in the comments, then I will list all the participants in the next post on Monday. That way we can hop over to all the blogs and see the different stories, real or made up-you decide.


And the words are:


Zone, Ring, Dust, Pineapple, Elephant.


Have fun! Can't wait to read them.



Photos by karenevans

Major, A Sometimes-Retriever

English Golden Retrievers are bred to run through fields, waters and grasses to retrieve birds for their masters. A long history of ruggedness and obedience follows these gentle dogs. This is my dog, Major. In my yard we have sand, grasses, and wild ferns, which shouldn't be a problem for this hardy dog.












Well, guess again. It's not his white coat that's the problem. He has allergies to certain foods, so he eats Science Diet Sensitive Stomach food. And he is prone to skin allergies which I treat almost daily. He is one of the best dogs my hubbie and I have owned, but high maintenance.

And no, he's not too spoiled. Hey, he's my empty-nest dog, so give me a break.

Anyway, Major chases rabbits and even catches the small ones, ferrets out snakes, yuk, and today even caught a bird. Yes, one of it's wings was hurt, and it couldn't fly. But man, could it run. However, he didn't bite it, but put his paw on it until hubbie rescued the bird. As soon as hubbie pulled Major off, the bird ran away under the fence.

Major's breeding automatically insures certain actions. But, my dog will not retrieve, he likes to go get and not "bring back." Sometimes he won't even go get the object at all. He lacks the training to do work at that level.

"So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:10

As a child of God I possess the spiritual history that Jesus gives. But without His instruction, I run helter-skelter chasing "rabbits, birds and sometimes snakes." God in his love for me and His creation, must grab a'hold and make me release until I am ready and trained to work the right way. I have been known to chase a grudge or gripe and not only hold onto it, but step on it to grind it into the ground. I'll not go into the snakes...... Is my skin sensitive? Am I high maintenance for Him?

This post was written at a request from a new blogger friend, Parsley who loves dogs. :)

May I chase only the things God directs me toward and learn to release when commanded. I want to do the work He's saved me to do.

Photos: first and last one by Brenda Knoll the rest by karenevans