Have you ever watched a new puppy? When they are not sleeping they have a driven
brain. Not always focused on one task at
a time, but driven! We have a new
puppy. He was a free puppy, one that no
one wanted. He is a white, fluffy, soft,
furry ball of curly fuzz, with floppy tan ears.
He is a mix of, let me see... Maltese, Miniature Poodle, and Cocker
Spaniel. His goal in life is to
play. He does sleep a lot, but when not
sleeping his singular driven goal is to play!
He is so little he does not like to jump off the couch, he will if no
one responds to his requests to be lifted down, then he will jump. He chews.
He chews his toys, he chews the couch, he chews the rugs, he chews my
kids’ ears, he tries to chew my fingers as I type. Fortunately, as he learns what is acceptable
to chew and what is not – his teeth are too little to do any damage. He is not a popular little guy with the other
pets. We have two medium to large dogs
that will not have anything to do with the bundle of energy. One dog is very old, the lab is only 3. They don’t like him - they avoid him - he
chews their toes and tails. He also
cleans their faces whenever he can reach them.
The cats have not tried to kill him, this is a positive, but they avoid
him also. He’s lonely in a house full of
pets.
The kids however love him, even when they have
to get him out of the other dog’s food and take him out for bathrooming. (Although one daughter can’t make him come
in, he has figured out that she will chase him if he runs away, at least he’s
smart.) I have taught him to come for a
bit of cat food. One little piece of the
forbidden kitty food is his all-time favorite treat! He will do anything for a piece of kitty food
(which resides safely up in the cat house).
I do in
fact have a point here. Our zeal for
God. What would our life be like if we
had the zeal for God that a puppy has for getting into trouble? Can you imagine the joy? Can you imagine happiness of a life filled
with a singular drive for God? It would
be amazing. All you do to meet the daily
demands of life can be all wrapped up and packaged with a joy and fullness that
only comes from Christ!
Summer
has hit, along with the demands of school disappearing, all our usual routines
and schedules have also disappeared. One
and a half weeks into summer break have felt even busier than the school year. I have missed several Wednesday bible
studies, I missed church last Sunday, and it is dragging me down. I finished the bible again the other day, in
trying to decide what book I want to start up again with, I have read short
random passages, and only when I am very tired and heading right to bed. I felt the absence of a focus on God in my
life. I sat down today, determined to
write this blog, and return to a singular focus on God. It feels so good! I am not missing more bible study, no weekend
plans up and coming, and I have begun my reading again in Jeramiah (picking up
where we were in all the bible studies I missed). My goal for the day, one day at a time, is to
have a puppy’s focus on God! I may do
lots of different things in my day. I
may run here and there, but I will keep my focus on God. As I say this, my lab has finally began to
play with the new puppy (for a bit).
Great things come from a singular focus.
God likes to bless us with kitty treats.
Finally, brothers, whatever
is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Matthew
6:33 ESV
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things will be added to you.
Proverbs
4:25 ESV
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight
before you.
(bible
verses pulled from http://www.openbible.info/topics/staying_focus)
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