Reason #362
Scout and I have established a nightly routine. Every night before we get in bed I make her go outside to "potty," as she has finally understood what I mean by that. Of course, she gets in bed every night around 9:30, so have to I wake her up and take her out before I get into bed. I do this for a few reasons, mostly selfish ones. I know that if I don't make her go out before I go to sleep, she will wake me up sometime between 2:00AM and 4:00AM to let her out. I'll have to crawl out of bed, turn off my alarm, wait on her, turn my alarm back and get back to sleep. This totally interrupts my night, and I don't quite apprecaite it. Really, I don't think she likes waking up to go out at o'dark hundred, either. So she knows what to do when I carry her to the back door every evening. There's no surprise about what I'm going to ask of her. Some nights, she complies. Some nights, she puts up a fight.
Tonight was one of those nights where she put up a fight. Scout hates getting her paws wet. It has rained all day and is still sprinkling, so she did not want to have to walk out into the yard. On my first attempt at getting her to go out, she turned and ran from me. I finally got her and took her outside myself. I know she didn't want to get wet, but a little water wasn't going to hurt her and it was for the best. Plus, I knew if she didn't take the opportunity now, she'd find herself in the same predicament in about 5 hours. She finally ran out into the yard and tip-toed around. She carefully chose her path and FINALLY did what she was supposed to do. She tore back in the house and ran circles around the living room, growling at me the whole time. This is her number one way of letting me know she's very unhappy with what just happened. She ran, she growled, she ran, she growled and I finally just ignored her. I decided that if she wanted to make a fool of herself, I'd let her. After a few laps, gave up the act. She wandered back into the bedroom to join me. I picked her up and sat her beside me on the bed, glad she was over her rant, and she curled up next to me as is the norm. And although I didn't necessarily enjoy making her upset, I am glad to know we'll get a full night of uninterrupted sleep tonight.
I learn a lot from Scout, and I often realize that I act a lot like her, too. Because the truth is, I know what I am supposed to do. I know what is expected of me. But sometimes I just don't want to do it. Sometimes, I just don't feel like complying. I want to throw a little fit and put up a fight. And it may be something I've done a thousand times, but now a certain element has changed and so I'd just rather not do what is asked of me. But there are times when we're asked to do things regardless of whether or not we want to. Because God is wise, all knowing and all seeing, and so He knows what needs to happen. He also knows what will happen if we don't do as we're supposed to, and we may very well find ourselves in a less desireable predicament by not being compliant the first time around. So maybe it does require that we get our feet wet. Maybe it means that we have to be a little uncomfortable, a little less selfish, and a little more obedient. Maybe it means that we don't get our way, or that we always get to do what we'd like to. But we can trust that God would never ask or expect anything of us that wasn't a.) out of love and b.) in our best interest. Big or small, He is always looking out for us. We may not understand it in the moment, but we can know full well that what He is asking us to do will benefit us now and in the long run. So I'm grateful to serve a God like that. A God who loves me enough to not give in and let me always do what I want in the way that I want to, but rather asks and requires of me what He knows will be best for me.
#362 - Because He would never ask or require us to do something that wasn't to our benefit or the benefit of those around us.
"...but I will do what the Father requires of me so that the world will know I love the Father." - John 14:31
Tonight was one of those nights where she put up a fight. Scout hates getting her paws wet. It has rained all day and is still sprinkling, so she did not want to have to walk out into the yard. On my first attempt at getting her to go out, she turned and ran from me. I finally got her and took her outside myself. I know she didn't want to get wet, but a little water wasn't going to hurt her and it was for the best. Plus, I knew if she didn't take the opportunity now, she'd find herself in the same predicament in about 5 hours. She finally ran out into the yard and tip-toed around. She carefully chose her path and FINALLY did what she was supposed to do. She tore back in the house and ran circles around the living room, growling at me the whole time. This is her number one way of letting me know she's very unhappy with what just happened. She ran, she growled, she ran, she growled and I finally just ignored her. I decided that if she wanted to make a fool of herself, I'd let her. After a few laps, gave up the act. She wandered back into the bedroom to join me. I picked her up and sat her beside me on the bed, glad she was over her rant, and she curled up next to me as is the norm. And although I didn't necessarily enjoy making her upset, I am glad to know we'll get a full night of uninterrupted sleep tonight.
I learn a lot from Scout, and I often realize that I act a lot like her, too. Because the truth is, I know what I am supposed to do. I know what is expected of me. But sometimes I just don't want to do it. Sometimes, I just don't feel like complying. I want to throw a little fit and put up a fight. And it may be something I've done a thousand times, but now a certain element has changed and so I'd just rather not do what is asked of me. But there are times when we're asked to do things regardless of whether or not we want to. Because God is wise, all knowing and all seeing, and so He knows what needs to happen. He also knows what will happen if we don't do as we're supposed to, and we may very well find ourselves in a less desireable predicament by not being compliant the first time around. So maybe it does require that we get our feet wet. Maybe it means that we have to be a little uncomfortable, a little less selfish, and a little more obedient. Maybe it means that we don't get our way, or that we always get to do what we'd like to. But we can trust that God would never ask or expect anything of us that wasn't a.) out of love and b.) in our best interest. Big or small, He is always looking out for us. We may not understand it in the moment, but we can know full well that what He is asking us to do will benefit us now and in the long run. So I'm grateful to serve a God like that. A God who loves me enough to not give in and let me always do what I want in the way that I want to, but rather asks and requires of me what He knows will be best for me.
#362 - Because He would never ask or require us to do something that wasn't to our benefit or the benefit of those around us.
"...but I will do what the Father requires of me so that the world will know I love the Father." - John 14:31
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