Poor Timing

Asherel and I volunteered at our club obedience show yesterday. We have no obedient dogs to enter in these kinds of shows, so instead, we went to help our wonderful club and maybe absorb some molecules of dog obedience to bring home to our dogs. Unfortunately, I suspect hard work is at the root of obedient dogs.

We were amazed by the expert dogs, the ones in the advanced classes, but the classes I most enjoy watching are the novices. You never know what you will get in a novice class. Sometimes the owners luck out and the dog does everything right. The owners, dogs, and judges all look surprised when that happens.

More often, the newbies provide much needed laugh therapy. My favorite yesterday was a happy golden retriever. He trotted out onto the ring at his owner's side, looking gleefully around. His tongue lolled out of his mouth, and his golden wispy tail flapped back and forth. He pranced and seemed surprised when his owner told him to sit. He glanced at her, paused, and then wagged his happy tail and sat. He needed many leash tugs to follow her commands. Each leash tug is a deduction, but it was clear the retriever didn't mind.
Deduct away, he was thinking, I am dog and I am happy happy happy to be here with you all!!!

Then came the part when the owner was to down the dog off leash, tell him to stay, and walk away. As soon as the leash came off, the retriever bounded into play position. The owner told him, "Down!"
The retriever raced around the ring, returned to the owner, and dropped again into an enticing "play with me" pose. For some reason, the owner did not want to play. Each time she approached him, leash in hand, ready to snatch him, he was off hurtling and bounding around her and around the judge. The judge remained stoic. I never saw him crack a smile. Finally, after several happy moments for the dog and agonizing moments for the owner, she grabbed him, leashed him, told the judge she was sorry and melted away.

So much of life is a matter of proper timing. A playful, happy dog is greatly to be desired....but not when what is needed is sober obedience. I can sympathize with the dog. Much of my life would be vastly improved if my timing were better. I always think of the perfect thing to say after the situation is over and gone. I often do the right thing too soon and it is then the wrong thing. I push the send button before I check that I sent it to the person I wasn't making fun of.....(haha, actually, I did send it to the wrong person, but I have grown spiritually and I wasn't making fun of anyone in the content of the email......for once.....)

As usual, the retriever and I are not alone in our mismanagement of timing. In the Bible,when Paul is arrested for rabble rousing (as speaking the message of Jesus was proclaimed to be), he is sent to plead his case to Festus. Festus hears him out, but before he comes to a judgment, Paul says he is a Roman citizen and appeals his case to Rome, as was his right as a citizen. Festus confides later that it was too bad Paul appealed to Rome as Festus did not think Paul was guilty of anything deserving death.  And we may conclude that Paul had a timing problem- he should have waited to see how Festus would rule. But as a result of his appeal, Paul is able to tell many in Rome about Jesus whom he would otherwise have had no access to.

That is the wonderful thing about God's timing. He can use anything and turn it around for good.
All things are perfect in His time.... and God doesn't give deductions when He has to tug on our hearts. He just pours out His mercy and love and as gently as possible steers us to the better path.

Ecclesiastes 8:
 ⁵ Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm,
   and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
⁶ For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,

2 Corinthians 9:8
⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.