“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.”  Psalm 37:3  NLT

Each work day morning as I am hurrying out the door, the last event is a word of goodbye spoken to Famous. He has already found his temporary spot of security underneath the dining table and watches me as I routinely gather my coat and coffee. I will often find myself saying, “Be good!“ as I prepare to pull and lock the front door.

I will be the first to question whether or not that statement has any bearing on his behavior while I am away. But I do know it is part of our ritual, and it must give him some assurance that I have blessed my departure with familiar words which he hears nearly every day. He neither barks or whines. He just endures the hardship of saying goodbye as all of us learn to do.

But God never leaves us. He has instructed us to do good because through fulfilling his command we find blessing. This can direct our daily path allowing us to find the peace and purpose God intends for us to know.

And there is one more ritual Famous and I share. After I lock the door we walk to the front window, he on the inside and I on the outside, where I wave goodbye before I open the car door and drive away.

On this day’s journey, Lord, guide me with your goodness.

“The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.”  Psalm 145:18  NLT

Naming a dog has become an art. Dogs which are registered often have official names as well as nicknames. The name of Fame’s sire was My Way, but he was called Bobby. The names can be quite fancy and related to one another. For example, Fame’s grandpa was named Pawmarc’s Northern Lights. And that dog’s mother was named Pawmarc’s Neon Highlights. As you can see, the official name could be quite a mouthful if you found yourself walking through the neighborhood trying to call your dog home.

God is always available if we only call. This may seem odd or strange if we only pray during a crisis. But no matter the circumstances, God hears even the one lamb that has gone astray. God has many names in the Bible to help illuminate how He relates to his people. But simply calling him God or Father will open the lines of communication.

Father, hear my voice and listen to my prayer.

“He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep.”  Psalm 121:3  NLT

God is always on duty. His love is not fickle. He does not take a vacation from guiding and protecting us. As much as I love Famous, my love cannot compare with the love God has for me. I have to leave Famous alone almost daily, and sometimes I will make choices with less than desirable outcomes for him.

But God is worthy of our trust. He can handle the questions we have about our futures and our faith in a world that seems to be leaving Him behind. Famous trusts that I will protect and provide for him. I see that he gets his inoculations and his flea protection. But I will also try to be there to get burrs out of his ears or tangles out of his coat. I will read the ingredients in his dog food, and I will see that he always has fresh water.

When we hike we often encounter steep paths with large steps and sudden drop-offs. I am there to help choose the path that will keep us both safe. God is there to help guide me through each day by His steadfast love.

God, shine your light upon my path today that I may know You and your protection are near. 

“Where is another God like you, who pardons the sins of the survivors among his people? You cannot stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing mercy.”  Micah 7:18  NLT

Trust between a dog and its master is a two way street. We hear a great deal about getting a dog to trust you, but an even greater deal is being able to trust your dog! After reaching a certain age, Famous became very trustworthy to stay at home by himself without getting into mischief. By mischief, I mean tearing down the blinds or scratching up the front door.

If you choose to honor the relationship with a dog, you must select the “tricks” which can best enhance your coexistence. For example, Famous knows not to beg at the table. If he wants to be near me when I am eating, he must lie down on the floor. I have even heard of owners who have trained their dogs to never enter the dining room while their masters are eating.

God knows we cannot perform every spiritual discipline every day. But if we practice what we already know brings us closer to Him, be it prayer, sacrifice, or service, then we can trust He will bless us with his favor.

I will trust God to help me learn how to worship Him with my life.

“Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everywhere in his kingdom. As for me–I, too, will praise the Lord.”  Psalm 103:22  NLT

One of the advantages of owning a dog is the opportunity to take outdoor walks. And one of the blessings of walking outside is experiencing the beauty of God’s creation. When it is cold, you see nature’s frost and crystals. When it is windy, you hear the wind in the leaves. And when it is dark, you might just catch the sight of a shooting star as I did this evening. Now I have seen plenty of meteors and a handful of comets, but I would not have seen this one and been reminded of God’s creation if I had been simply watching television inside of my house.

Invite those things into your life that remind you of God. We are created to praise Him, and to ignore our calling is to diminish God’s creation. However, if you choose to praise the Lord, to keep his song in your heart throughout the day, then the God of all creation will bless you.

I praise God when I acknowledge how He has blessed me with a dog such as Famous–his ambassador of praise!

Lord, I praise you for the beauty of your creation. Take me today and teach me to look up to your heavens.

 

“May God be merciful and bless us. May his face shine with favor upon us.”  Psalm 67:1  NLT

Most dogs if kept bathed and groomed are handsome creatures. However, Famous has an excellent coat and markings which help him to get more than his share of compliments when we are out in public. As a new dog owner, I was really mesmerized by the sheen and color of his coat in the first sunlight of the morning. Set against the fresh green of new grass, his liver and white coat almost glowed with the sunbeams. I would say he was well-favored.

Just as God can kiss this magnificent creation with the light of day, so his face can shine with favor upon us as sung in this beautiful psalm. You don’t have to be at the beach to watch the sunrise or even have a sunny day to feel the warmth of God’s love. His blessings are all around. I continue to receive his blessing through Famous for he constantly reminds me of God’s favor. But truly for each of us, God has placed a person, a pet, a creation, or even an angel to help impart his love and care.

Dear God, direct your light upon my path and into my heart. 

“For the Lord will go ahead of you, and the God of Israel will protect you from behind.”  Isaiah 52:12b  NLT

I love to walk Famous. I live at the end of the road, and our path nearly always takes us to the opposite end and back. This can take anywhere between fifteen and twenty minutes depending on the number of “sniff” spots and how many other dogs we encounter. He gets a minimum of three walks daily and longer walks if I am home during the day. This adds up to a minimum of forty-five to sixty minutes every day!

The two of us walking must be a familiar sight to our neighbors from inside their kitchen windows. Famous usually takes the lead as this is designated as his time. He has to be on a lead since we are within the city limits, but I made the choice when he was young to not force him to adhere to a “heel” command since we do not usually walk on crowded downtown sidewalks. He gets to set the pace and the course. At times I encourage him to take one path over another, but we eventually end up back at home.

Just as I walk behind to insure we are out of the way of cars, God protects me from all that would endanger my path. He has a plan which He prepares for me, and the more time I spend with Him, the more I can see the path He would have me to choose.

I praise You, God, for your protection. Help me practice the way of choosing the path which is right today.

“Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!”  Proverbs 8:34  NLT

As a general rule Famous has not been given permission to climb up on the furniture. He has his designated spot at the foot of the bed, but chairs and sofas are off limits. That is, when I am at home. He has found the choice spot for watching the world go by and waiting for me to return is a plush, leather upholstered armchair which sits in front of a window facing the street. It obviously gives him a great and comfortable viewing spot. I have conceded to leave a quilt over this chair for its protection. And his face in the window makes me very happy to be home again. By the time I unlock the front door he has abandoned his secret perch and is eagerly ready to greet me. Not knowing his trick has been discovered, he is once again the obedient pet.

Each day gives us the opportunity of seeking the Lord. This is a joyous task with the promise of his tender mercy and care. We disobey his instructions at times, and in those moments we lose fellowship with Him. He knows our hearts and our deeds, but He is willing to have us return to his home for a blessed reunion.

I will watch for the Lord and daily invite Him into my heart.

“Listen to my counsel and be wise. Don’t ignore it.”  Proverbs 8:33  NLT

Communication is a two-way street. Just as I can train Famous to fetch or stay, he has been working on training me as well. Truly, he rarely asks anything of me. I suppose that means I may be doing a decent job of providing for him. But there can be times he asserts his will against mine. Then it becomes my responsibility to interpret his intentions.

There are a few examples of this. The most frequent is letting me know he wants to go outside. There are four signals he can give depending on the importance. The first is the excited bark when he spots a squirrel or cat in the yard. This is an urgent request as there is a need to initiate a chase. The second is the whimper at the door. This is less urgent and usually means, “I want to sit outside if it’s OK.“ The third signal is retrieval of his lead and bringing it to me which pretty much means, “I think I’m long overdue a stroll through the yard, and you’d better get a move on if you don’t want me to be miserable.” Finally, there is the sitting at my feet with frozen stare into my eyes, as if he were hypnotizing me. I usually interpret this as “Won’t you please pay attention to me? How about a nice walk together?”

Communication with God is also both ways. But given that He has every desire to care for me and to lead me through this life, it is my responsibility to learn to listen to his voice.

Dear Lord, help me to hear Your truth and to heed Your counsel.

“Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.”  Proverbs 2:2  NLT

Dogs can hear approximately four times the distance of humans. I have often noticed Famous reacting to car doors closing near the house or sirens screaming on our walks before I do. He is like a radio broadcaster telling me to stand by for an important announcement. I make a point not to listen to music when we are walking for two reasons. The first is to be able to react quickly to any sudden danger such as a bicycle approaching us from behind, and the second is to share a bit of his sensory world.

Dogs can also use those ears to hear our “emotional’ broadcasts. Famous may have a limited vocabulary, but he understands when I am loving, frustrated, sad, or angry by the tone of my voice. He knows when I am most approachable and when it is best to leave me to the task at hand.

With so many distractions in the world it can be difficult to “tune in” to God. If we make listening to God’s prompting a part of our every day, then He can also give us a forecast of what is going to transpire.

Open my ears, Lord, and help me to listen.