Pushing' and Shovin'

Awwww, don't they look sweet, sharing a bed outside while Joe and I eat breakfast. Pictures can fool you. Allow me to give you the real scoop. Lola is a big baby. If anyone has anything at all, she needs it too. AnnaBelle was laying in this bed and Lola came and crowded in. If you look closely you can see how how happy she looks about sharing. As much as Lola thinks she needs everything, AnnaBelle doesn't want to share anything. 

 As AnnaBelle shifts her position, so does Lola; slightly edging AnnaBelle out a little at a time, taking over a little more space. 

AnnaBelle, while almost falling out of the back of the bed, lets go of her hold on her spot, Lola, tries using her head, not in the intelligent, strategic way. She uses her head to try to push AnnaBelle out of the bed.  The head pushing goes on for a full five minutes, AnnaBelle pushing one way and then Lola pushing the other. Annabelle works to stand up to get a better foundation and then Lola goes for a new move. She plants all four feet squarely on on the bed and uses her butt to push her almost out of the bed. Finally AnnaBelle gives in and goes and pouts on the hard stone floor and eventually leaving the porch pout behind the bushes.

What perplexes me is that there are three, count them three, other places for a bulldog to lie down on the porch. 

We humans are often just like bulldogs; stubborn, selfish and pushy. What is said, is just like bulldogs, these traits put our human depravity on display for all to see. What we think they see is us, holding our ground for what is ours; what we need. What is really seen is us cutting off our noses to spite our faces. Lola could have gone a laid down in the nice teepee with the memory foam mat, or the small cooling mat, or even stretch out on the larger mat that used to be a lawn chair cushion, but she looks less than intelligent fighting to hold onto the worst bed on the porch just because someone else wants it. AnnaBelle could have just walked away, rather than be difficult, letting Lola have the bed, which by the way has lost the padding on bottom and is just a thin piece of fabric, and taken one of the equally comfy other beds on the porch. Yes, AnnaBelle has the right to hold on to the bed - she had it first, of course. And how dare Lola just come and grab it. Lola could have chosen a different bed, and not been pushy, but doesn't she have the right to go for what she wants in life? 

All of these traits in ourselves, often keep us from having the blessings God intends for us. White knuckle gripping and holding on to what we think we want or deserve can often block what is coming our way that could be much better. 

As I study I am drawn to The Story of the Rich Fool in the Gospel of Luke (Chapter 12:13-21.) Jesus is teaching with a parable that it is foolish to fill your barn with treasures and not filling your heart with God. In other words, fighting to get the worst dog bed because someone else has it and causing yourself to miss out on the best possession ever; a Heavenly Father that will give you much better gifts if you make room for them in your life. Maybe we wouldn't have to fight so hard for what we feel is rightfully ours when we realize all the good things come from God as a great and wonderful gift. Possibly we won't hold on to things so tightly when we realize God will give us something much better if we make room. 

Today:

🐶 Empty your barn.

🐶 Let God make things happen for you.

🐶 Don't pout like AnnaBelle when you don't get your way - you will look silly.