Adjust

What can one learn from pet sitting a friend’s dog for two weeks?  An appreciation for one’s own dog, who is quiet and does not pee in the house, perhaps.  But, I suspect the answer is supposed to be a bit deeper than that.

One night, early on in the visit, while “Ricky” was sitting by the door looking forlorn and my dog was making vain attempts at engaging him in play, I said: “You might as well enjoy it while you’re here, Ricky. You’ve got your bed, company, food and water, frequent walks…make the most of it and before you know it, you’ll be headed back home.”

Ho, ho!  Easy for me to say, but how many times have I been like that puppy dog, sitting by a “door,” pining for something on the other side?

Too often I miss the blessings immediately surrounding me because I am too busy thinking about what I am missing. I discount all I have to be thankful for because of that one thing I’m missing.

Through his letter to the Philippians (2:14) Paul tells us whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.  Sometimes this can be happy memories, but when ruminating on those memories turns against you, it’s time to think of something more present.

John reminds us: From the fullness of his grace, we have all received one blessing after another (John 1:16). That includes right now.  If we are busy counting our blessings, there will be less time for us to count our losses.

Again, easier said than done.

Adjust with Thanksgiving

I have often struggled with “moving on,” feeling as though allowing my thoughts to stray from what I am missing is somehow unappreciative to where I have been.  Or as though enjoying today means I enjoyed yesterday less.  But this is not true.  Counting our current blessings does not mean we are disrespecting the past or disregarding the future.  It means we are acknowledging the new situation God has presented. We are acknowledging the blessings – one after another – He bestows. We can be thankful in the present even while we miss a memory from the past.

God made us complex enough to feel it all. (We can be thankful for that too, even if thankful isn’t one of the emotions we think we’re feeling.)

Adjust with Action

Training ourselves toward positive thinking and thankfulness is a good first step, but it’s not the only step. We also need to act. God prepared works for us to do (Ephesians 2:10), and that includes right here, right now. We need to think the right thoughts, but we need to follow through by doing the right deeds. Whatever our hand finds to do right now, we should be doing it.

I learned quickly there is nothing like a good long romp to help an anxious dog sleep through the night. And there is nothing like taking action, becoming involved, or reaching out

to assist others to help us adjust to new situations.  We may be someplace new and scary – physically, emotionally, spiritually – but it is not new and scary to God.  God put us here, right at this moment, for a reason.  It may be a time of quiet introspection, or it may be physical action, but it is up to us to follow through on what He ordained for us to do.  

From Ecclesiastes (yep, still loving this book of Ecclesiastes) we read: You cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.  Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well (11:5-6).  In other words, take action! You may not know what will succeed, but God does.

Sometimes what we think looks like fallow ground is filled with hidden growth. Our job is to do the best we can with what we have wherever we may be.

What can one learn from watching a friend’s dog for two weeks?  Well, to start, it takes a bit of adjustment – for both of us.  But more importantly, like Ricky, we need to make the most of the situations God presents to us.  It is only for a little while, and before we know it, He will be back to take us home.

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Janet Beagle, Ph.D. serves as director of graduate programs for Purdue University’s College of Engineering and is a writer, a Bible study teacher, and a student of God’s Word. In her spare time, she likes to eat other people’s cooking and hike with her two- and four-footed friends. Read more of Janet’s Christian reflections at www.mustardpatch.org