Monday, June 1, 2009

Lay Down


Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to watch some of our nations leading trainers showcase their finest companions in the Bluegrass Classic Sheepdog Trails. The objective of both master and beast was to rally a small flock of sheep through a series of obstacles. The communication method for doing so ranged from a succession of whistles to animated hand gestures. While a majority of these cryptic messages were lost to my untrained eyes and ears, the universal cue to stop was unmistakable… “Lay Down!” If you are unfamiliar with the breed, a Boarder Collie is wired to be on the move, therefore watching one of these creatures respond to such a request is comical. While the older dogs were more apt to comply, the less experienced ones simply disregarded the command... after all they were on a mission and lingering for any span of time would be nonsensical. Despite the fact that the puppies were covering more ground, they were often doing so in the wrong direction.

For better or worse, my immediate family is comprised of five Type-A personalities. While most of us have mellowed over the years, it is still counterintuitive for us to remain stationary. The fears linked to non-motion are innumerable. I fear stagnation. I fear appearing lazy. And probably the heavies of which, I fear losing the remaining sense that I have any control over my life. In love, my gentle Master has recently challenged my puppy nature. Sometimes I need only wait a few more minutes, in other instances I sit for days. I have recognized that when I fall short in waiting, I miss the joy of watching Him work things out on my behalf. His fingerprints are so much prettier then the smudging I often leave behind…and so with a deep breath and a few butterflies, I am going to go Lay Down for a while.

2 comments:

  1. In addition to being God's running frisbee dog, I want to be God's laying sheep dog.

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  2. nice.
    btw, this is the blog I really write stuff on..now you have it, in case I hadn't given it to you.

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