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| Loving Lucy, happy as ever! |
Loving Lucy, for she is the epitome of loving when it comes right down to it, is absolutely totally fully completely utterly dedicated to keeping her ears, nose, and hear in tune with my whereabouts – ALL the time. In fact, just minutes ago, she hoisted her three-legged body high up into the air, braced herself on the brick side of my house, and like a puppet hanging from above she popped her head next to my bedroom window so she could peer in and make sure I am here. But this is not an exception to Lucy’s rule. This is how 3-legged Lucy lives.
I used to be annoyed by Lucy’s predisposition to this before she was adopted out. I am not as annoyed as I once was, though I still can lose my patience. For Lucy is so committed to staying focused on me, and being wherever I am, that she literally hops (and she can hop FAST) along right beside me – as she bounces up and down like a kangaroo as close to me as she can get. The first time she lived with me, and even now sometimes, she has to stay so close by my side that she will move right in front of me and make it difficult to walk. She absolutely has to be with me. She is as close to being glued to my side as I believe I have ever seen a dog.
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| Lucy doesn’t sit or lie still for long, but every once in a while. . . |
The moment I open a door, or she hears my voice, or she knows I am on my way near her, she stops anything and everything she is doing to be with me. Perhaps this results from her loving lab personality. Perhaps it is because she was once abandoned. Maybe it is a combination. But whatever causes it, there is a powerful lesson in the midst of it all. And not just any old lesson, but a life-changing faith lesson.
With 17 dogs in my care, and many more through the years, I am well aware that many dogs will simply live their lives independently of me, while they are sure to come leaping and bounding into my presence when it is time to get their food, get some occasional petting, or come in from bad weather. But, for the most part, as dogs will do, they spend a good bit of their time enjoying their lives without giving me a second thought. But then there are dogs, every once in a while, like Lucy. The rest of her life really is nothing compared with her need to be focused on me. Sure, she enjoys aspects of her life, why wouldn’t she? She has a pretty good life. But the pleasure she finds in her daily life is absolutely nothing compared with her need to be fixated on me and my whereabouts. For that is where she finds her true joy and satisfaction.
The faith lesson in all this? Many of us live our lives without even a single passing thought about God. Okay, maybe some of us have an occasional thought about Him. Some of us, meanwhile, come leaping and bounding to God when we need or want something. Then off we go, forgetting about Him until our next need or desire comes. But is this how the Lord would desire for us to live? Or would He desire that He be absolutely number one in our lives? Would He desire to be our focus? Would He desire that no matter the temptations, distractions, pleasures, enjoyment, responsibilities, no matter anything at all, that we would ever have our hearts and eyes and ears seeking, and waiting, and being open to Him?
May the Lord be the absolute number one focus of your life. May you be ever seeking Him, ever waiting on Him, ever open with your heart, your ears, and your eyes to the voice and the will and the love of the Lord. May you follow Him wherever He leads. No matter the distractions of this world, nor the responsibilities you believe so important, may there be nothing more important in your life, not now, nor ever, than being ever in tune with Him as your absolute number one priority!
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.