The Chase

If you've read much of my stuff, you know that I am pretty crazy about my dog, Coco.  She is a constant source of companionship, joy, and instruction.  Yep, I said instruction.  Coco's responses and antics in relationship to me are so very often a visualization of my relationship to the Lord.  Other times, she is a visualization of my shortcomings.  This past weekend was one such picture.

I've been taking her for walks because both of us need more exercise.  We often walk on or near the golf course that is just north of my house.    Coco loves to track...if it's got a scent, she is checking it out. On Saturday, she got onto a squirrel scent, then spotted the creature digging up what I can only imagine was the ultimate nut because the beast did not look up at all from his frenetic unearthing.  Coco spotted it, bowed her head into the 'pounce position', and clickity-clacked across the road toward it at full speed.  As is the normal chain of events, the chasee will then take off running, Coco will give it a bit of a run for it's money, then stop, turn around, look at me for that affirming "You are such a hunter!" atta-girl, then happily prance with her helicopter tail spinning in pride.  Well, that didn't happen this time.  Mr. Squirrel was still after the golden nugget, totally ignoring the looming doom.  Coco was in as fast of a run as her arthritic, surgically repaired legs could carry her and was upon it when he looked up in shock.  For that split second you could tell that neither of them quite knew what to do!  Coco skidded to slow down so she could think about what she would do with the nasty thing once she pounded on it, which gave him the split second to start to scurry towards a nearby tree.  The look of confusion on my puppy's face was priceless.  She just wasn't sure what to do, so she ran after again, chasing it around the tree about 3 times before the critter decided to head for higher ground!  Of course, after it was treed came the look at me for the atta-girl, then the prancing commenced. 


I've been thinking about this a lot over the weekend.  Coco's actions mirrored my all too often pattern.  There have been countless times I have went after something ~ ministry, relationship, career ~ for the pure thrill of the chase.  I rarely considered the cost of what I would do once I obtained what ever was in my scope.  Many times, I came to find that it was not at all what I'd envisioned, if I'd even thought it through.  I rarely calculated the hard work that would be involved after the chase.  I rarely looked at the big picture of how the 'prize' would play out in my life, or the lives of others.  It was simply the adrenaline thrill of the chase.  Funny thing, most of the time, I never got an "atta-girl" from my Master.  Most of the time, He was hurting at the consequences that I was enduring because I didn't look up, ask Him for direction, wait on His plan.  Oh, the lost opportunities, fruit and hurt that have been born out of those mistakes.  Yet, the opportunities, fruit and wisdom that has come out of the hard lessons learned!!  While I would love to have some better outcomes, I am so thankful that His mercies are new everyday! I am thankful that He forgives, lets me come to Him with boldness, and He showers grace on me.  I am thankful that I know Him!

Micah 7:7
Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.