Lisa and I are old dogs. For those who do not know Lisa, she is the princess of the house. She outranks me. I have often said that if the house vote ever had to be between me and Lisa, I am toast! Lisa is about seventeen years old. I am not sure what that translate into dog age but it is old.
Over the past few years, Lisa has lost her hearing. Sometimes I think she is fooling us and hears more than we think. Her eyes are glazed with cataracts. She takes as much medicine as I do now. But she gets a treat with her meds. We give her meds to her when she is most excited about getting something.
I am amazed at how much Lisa comes alive! Yesterday evening Mandy and I went walking in the park and decided to take Lisa. The sight of her pink leash brings her to life! The newness of the park was overwhelming to her! New smells. New trees. She missed half the people that passed by. The other dogs barked at her and she did not even hear them. When I stopped sometimes, she was pulling at the leash to keep going! Her tongue hanging out but yet her tail just wagging.
When she got home, she was exhausted. I still have not seen or heard her this morning.
I chuckled sometimes at how old dogs like me could learn some really good lessons from old dogs like Lisa. Let me share a few.
Always be ready for the journey!
When the leash comes out, go! I have to admit that some journeys that God has put before me are not ones that I would have chosen. I am sometimes a reluctant traveler. Okay, sometimes God has to drag me, pull me--you get the picture. I am the reluctant Israelite that sees bondage as a better option than the pillar that goes before me.
Learn to wag your tail more.
Old dogs still wag their tail. It is a way of hospitality and welcome. No one, or at least most people do not like to be greeted by grumpy old men or old women that complain. One of my clergy friends had an interesting sermon title for the story of Mary and Martha. You remember the story. Martha is complaining about Mary not doing her part. He called it "Bitchin' in the Kitchen!" In dog terms, Mary is wagging her tail. Martha has an old bone that she has been chewing on for a long time!
Maybe we should all wag our tails more. (I hear those chuckles out there!)
When life is over people miss old dogs.
Maybe they will even miss grumpy old men too!
Pray for me as I pray for you.
In the Master's Name,
Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
www.midweekmanna.com
www.stlukesimpson.org
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