It has been almost six years since Buddy came into our life. Jon and I had finally been convinced by the girls that we needed to add a dog to our family. We talked about the kind of dog we would like to have, and we prayed that God would send the perfect dog our way. I searched the local shelters, and we had a good friend keep an eye out for us. Our friend, Donna, lives out in Riverside, and she spotted a two year old dog in a shelter that fit the description we had given for our perfect dog.
Buddy was so happy to meet us. He jumped up on the table in the room and gave us a big smile. His smile was extra special because he has a funny under bite. We all agreed that this was the dog for us, and we loaded him in the van and took Buddy home. (See picture below)
In the days and weeks to come, we discovered that Buddy was not the perfect dog we thought he was. He liked to jump on tables, even the dinner table. We wanted to be able to sit with him on the couch, but it seemed that every time he jumped up on the couch he released a little pee. When he released the pee, I would get frustrated, and he would release more pee. It was not long before Buddy released pee quite frequently because he was getting in trouble, which made me agitated. A vicious circle.
Besides the pee, there were other signs that indicated that Buddy had been abused in his first two years of life. It took a lot of prayers and patience to get through the first year with Buddy. There were times I wanted to drive him back to the shelter, but I also knew he needed to be loved ( and the girls would not let me). Buddy has come a long way since that first year. He is often a happy little guy who loves to be around our family. But, there are those moments of darkness that he slips into and his insecurities come out.
The other day I was walking Buddy and I was thinking of about how sensitive he is. I wish I could become a dog for a day and get down on his level and speak to him and tell him that he could feel secure and safe with me, and that he does not have to worry so much. I wish I could tell Buddy that I am constantly doing what I can to protect him for harm, and that I love him and I want him to be happy. Sometimes Buddy wants to veer off our path, and I have to gently draw him back to me. At times I will call Buddy to me, and he does not respond. He does not understand that I really want to bless him with treats and toys. When I call him it is because I want to interact with him in a positive way, but he is apprehensive.
When I thought about how I wish I could talk to Buddy, I thought about what God did for us so that he could come down on our level and talk to us. God wanted to have a relationship with us, but he had to communicate with us in a way that we would understand. God decided to send a part of Him, his son, to become one of us so that we could know how to communicate with God. God calls us every day to talk with Him, but we often don't take the time. He has many blessings He wants to bestow on us, but we miss out because we don't trust God to do what is right in our lives.
Here are a few promises that God made that should assure us that even in scary and dark times, God is near and is waiting for us to call out to him.
"I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress. Psalm 32:8
Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to him, so he can show you his love...
Isaiah 30;18
Most of us can relate to Buddy's insecurities. We can't seem to accept the fact that we are part of God's family, and that he wants to bless us. If you are having a hard time communicating with God, then remember, He sent His Son so that we could understand how much he loves us.
For God so loved the world, that He sent His only Son, that we may not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
Blessings to you all,
Sandy
