I read this blog and wanted to share it with everyone here in the parent section. The lessons learned from their pet give wonderful examples on raising children and I ended up reading all the other parts in the blog. This was part 2.
As mentioned in Part 1, Buffy and I have no children, not that we haven’t tried, and we decided to meet our need in parenting by adding Dubz, a Poodle/Maltese mix, into our happy home. He certainly wormed his way into our lives in unexpected ways. Raising Dubz has become a mirror to parent hood for us, and another view to seeing how God loves us.
Walking a little fuzzball in cold Yakima can be a challenge. Sometimes he doesn’t want to walk any further because he’s a bit cold, but mainly, he becomes distracted. Dubz is beginning to learn what becoming a dog is about; the smells, sounds, and other doggy impulses are becoming an even greater impact on our daily walks. Smells are are becoming even bigger distractions that before, and every sound is an opportunity to stop and examine. His curiosity for the world is growing, and that includes passing cars. When a vehicle passes by, he has the urge to chase the vehicle. As gently as I can, I hold him back with his leash. He rushes towards the oncoming hulk of steal, and feels the short term pain of the leash restraining him from what he wants. Dubz doesn’t understand why I do not let him run freely towards his desires.
A few thoughts passed by as I observed Dubz’s behavior. I wondered how much is this like parenthood? To have a child, or teenager who wants nothing more than those sugary treats, independence, boyfriend, or girlfriend, but have a parent lovingly restrain them from these desires. The boy or girl may not understand, but the parent knows better. In Hollywood we have been shown a picture of kids that are wise beyond their years and are only being held back by their not so smart, or overprotective parents. This is an inaccurate view of parenting that caters to market youth. Rarely does a teen’s, or child’s desire set completely free benefit them, and can have severe consequences on their, health, lifestyle, or character for their entire existence. Yes, parents can be over bearing, over protective, and certainly aren’t perfect, but most of the time they are looking out for the best interests of their sons and daughters.
God is looking out for our best interests as well. God is more concerned with who we become for eternity than rather than short term happiness. Sometimes we go bankrupt, lose family members through various circumstances, lose our health, but in the end God is concerned with who we become in trials. Our Heavenly Father loves us with great intensity, and the temporal pleasures of this earth may or may not be in our future before we pass. Just as God tests us through what we deem as negative events, he can also test us in what we call blessings. Money, fame, power, job promotions, etc. can show us who we are. God knows what we can and cannot handle. Sometimes that tugging we feel on our leash is God protecting us from those things that we cannot understand that may be harmful to us.
I think I’m the one protecting my puppy, Dubz, from being steamrolled, but in reality, God is also protecting me from the oncoming vehicles of life.
As mentioned in Part 1, Buffy and I have no children, not that we haven’t tried, and we decided to meet our need in parenting by adding Dubz, a Poodle/Maltese mix, into our happy home. He certainly wormed his way into our lives in unexpected ways. Raising Dubz has become a mirror to parent hood for us, and another view to seeing how God loves us.
Walking a little fuzzball in cold Yakima can be a challenge. Sometimes he doesn’t want to walk any further because he’s a bit cold, but mainly, he becomes distracted. Dubz is beginning to learn what becoming a dog is about; the smells, sounds, and other doggy impulses are becoming an even greater impact on our daily walks. Smells are are becoming even bigger distractions that before, and every sound is an opportunity to stop and examine. His curiosity for the world is growing, and that includes passing cars. When a vehicle passes by, he has the urge to chase the vehicle. As gently as I can, I hold him back with his leash. He rushes towards the oncoming hulk of steal, and feels the short term pain of the leash restraining him from what he wants. Dubz doesn’t understand why I do not let him run freely towards his desires.
A few thoughts passed by as I observed Dubz’s behavior. I wondered how much is this like parenthood? To have a child, or teenager who wants nothing more than those sugary treats, independence, boyfriend, or girlfriend, but have a parent lovingly restrain them from these desires. The boy or girl may not understand, but the parent knows better. In Hollywood we have been shown a picture of kids that are wise beyond their years and are only being held back by their not so smart, or overprotective parents. This is an inaccurate view of parenting that caters to market youth. Rarely does a teen’s, or child’s desire set completely free benefit them, and can have severe consequences on their, health, lifestyle, or character for their entire existence. Yes, parents can be over bearing, over protective, and certainly aren’t perfect, but most of the time they are looking out for the best interests of their sons and daughters.
God is looking out for our best interests as well. God is more concerned with who we become for eternity than rather than short term happiness. Sometimes we go bankrupt, lose family members through various circumstances, lose our health, but in the end God is concerned with who we become in trials. Our Heavenly Father loves us with great intensity, and the temporal pleasures of this earth may or may not be in our future before we pass. Just as God tests us through what we deem as negative events, he can also test us in what we call blessings. Money, fame, power, job promotions, etc. can show us who we are. God knows what we can and cannot handle. Sometimes that tugging we feel on our leash is God protecting us from those things that we cannot understand that may be harmful to us.
I think I’m the one protecting my puppy, Dubz, from being steamrolled, but in reality, God is also protecting me from the oncoming vehicles of life.
