As there is no rest for the weary, after our exhausting weekend, we had a jam packed day with school, DI practice, and then our Agility Handling class in the evening. I did find time to fuel my addiction to art on the IPod between the aforementioned list and packing a dinner for Asherel and me to eat in the car en route to dog class. It had been a great DI practice with Asherel's aim with the banana plant catapult so excellent that it smacked her best friend right in the nose with a flying banana. These are what memories are made of....Giggling, we gathered our gear and headed off to class.
In our class is an adorable Cavalier Spaniel who could not be cuter or slower. He just trots through the course, smiling at everyone as he clanks around. He clanks because he is a tiny little dog but his owner always leaves a 6 inch lead attached to his collar as he trots over the jumps. I assume she does that in case he decides to run away so she has a greater likelihood of catching him, but he shows no inclination to run.... and his legs are all of 8 inches long... how fast could he go?
Anyway, at the class, the little spaniel was clanging slowly over the jumps and got remarkably slower and slower until he was walking and then pouncing over the jumps. I saw the class leaders conferring as they watched him.
"Tell you what," they said to the owner, as the spaniel finished the course (finally) not with a bang but a whimper,"Take off that lead. We think it is bothering him and slowing him down. Or let's put a chain around your neck that hangs to your knees and see if you want to run very fast." She opted to remove the lead, and then tried the course again.
This time, the little spaniel galloped over the jumps. I had not known his little legs could move so fast. He did the course beautifully, and fast.
I can relate to that spaniel. Sometimes the weight of worry, to-do list, sin and failures weigh me down so heavily, I don't want to wake up, let alone run the race with abandon. But I can't remove the lead myself.... I need a loving Master to free me.
On the other end of the spectrum is a cocker spaniel, Flynn. I think I have mentioned him before. When his master takes off his lead, sometimes Flynn obeys, but last night, Flynn took off and sprinted around the field and the owner spent the rest of class trying (unsuccessfully) to catch him. That was a dog that needed something to weigh him down, a restraint imposed on him as he was incapable of imposing it on himself. I can relate to Flynn too. Sometimes I throw all caution a little too incautiously to the wind, and flit in a flurry of activity often to an inglorious result. I need a loving Master to restrain me.
It is a wise dog that chooses a wise Master.
Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
This is a test.
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