In my last blog, I wrote about losing my German Shepherd, Amber. She was the dog my kids grew up with, and it is bittersweet to think about what she meant to us. She was protective, fiercely loyal, and a good friend. Time with her was a special season in our lives, and I miss her.
Some months went by before I even considered another dog, and every time I thought of it, I thought – rescue. I pictured this nice, older dog who would patiently stand at the back door waiting to be let out; a dog who knew to chew on raw hide bones and not furniture; a dog who slept through the night and could wait till I had coffee for a morning walk. I felt too old, too busy, too overwhelmed to train a puppy. Try as I might, I was unable to locate an animal I had peace about, till I saw a listing for a corgi puppy.
My struggle with buyer’s remorse is well-known to my family. Rethinking decisions, even if they are good ones, is pretty much legendary. This puppy was no different, and the whole long trip to Oklahoma I fretted and drove my daughter nuts. Driving up to the breeder’s home, I could see two littermates running around like maniacs in a pen. I had serious second thoughts. The lady let the pup she had already named “Tova” out of the pen and that little monkey made a beeline away from us to some chicken pens. I called her name, and to my amazement, she zipped back just as fast as she had zoomed away and jumped up to lick my face. This was so great. A dog who came when I called. Maybe this puppy thing was not going to be so hard after all. Ha!
I kept the name Tova. It’s the Hebrew word for good or beloved, and who wouldn’t want a good dog? We brought a kennel for the trip, but Tova sat in my daughter’s lap the whole way back, only barking one tiny woof when she finished the chicken strip we offered her from lunch. She wanted more Cane’s chicken. Who wouldn’t?
Tova had perfect recall and car manners that first day, but after that initial success, life got harder. She stopped coming when I called if she got interested in something else – which was most of the time. She decided table food was better than kibble and staged a hunger strike. She learned, and then promptly ignored, commands like sit and down. She was smart but stubborn, and I began the long process of training.
For me, the Christian life has similarities. It is so marvelous to be adopted into the family of God. I, for one, told all my friends that God was real. To my utter amazement, most of them weren’t very interested. We stand in wonder when we are born again but are oblivious to the training we need the rest of our lives. A great start does not mean a strong finish. In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, the Apostle Paul said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
We come to God by grace – something we have not earned. We are saved by the sacrifice of Christ, not through any goodness of our own. We continue in that same way – only finding success through God’s help. But we have to continue every single day. What are we trying to do? Be like Christ. We are learning the characteristics of a new family. We are adopted in, but we need to learn how to belong.
The process is simple and hard at the same time. I committed to Tova, but she did not act like a family member right away. In her case my plan was sit means sit, down means down, come means come, and my floorboards are not for chewing. If you are a Christian, you need a plan, too. A training plan might look something like this:
- Ask God for one thing holding you back – one thing He wants you to work on.
- Find a way to address that one thing every single day. You will want to quit trying. Don’t. And know in advance, there is no lasting way to change without the Holy Spirit. You are completely dependent.
- Do not change the plan until you have made a new habit and have seen real change.
It might be that God wants you to be more giving or forgiving. You might struggle with anger, impatience, or jealousy. He might be asking you to be disciplined in reading your Bible and praying. You don’t really get to decide what to work on. God will show you, though I suspect most people already know. At the center of this is, that God is God and His word is non-negotiable. This is dying to yourself. 1 Corinthians 15:31 says, “I declare by my rejoicing in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord: I die daily.”
After a year, a goofy puppy is turning into a valued companion. Tova is quirky and entertaining, warm and wiggly, and I have zero regrets. The training is frustrating, because what seemed easy at first, actually has required work and persistence. It reminds me that I too, still have my old nature and old habits that don’t bring glory to God. I admit that I did not see this truth on day one. Proverbs 16:2 says, “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.”
So today, if you have a plan, come back to it. If you never made a plan, now is the time.
– Jill
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