"Consistency - Thou Art a Jewel!"

I think that

The two most important things 

I learned in Bible College were:

1. "Keep balanced!"

and

2. "Consistency - Thou Art a Jewel!"

And I also think I can safely say that

 both apply to puppy training!

We have begun to have a routine with Max...
And CONSISTENCY definitely pays dividends!
(TV watching is not one of those regular routines,
but he appears to like watching old Westerns
with my husband!)

Max has learned to sit on command...

And sometimes he lays down on command!

Max is learning to do better on a leash,

and that is thanks to those who recommended a slip chain.

My daughter is helping TRAIN ME how to do this!

He's not "heeling" very good outside,

but does great when we practice inside the house,

up and down our narrow hallway!

The Labrador Retriever part of him is showing up

in his joy of retrieving tennis balls.

It's great exercise for him (and me!)

He is learning to let go of them

but he is not always CONSISTENT yet!

Treats seem to help!

"Potty training" via crate training

is going well,

with only a few accidents.

I'm not sure

 who is trained on this,

HIM or ME!

Potty training seems to be one of those things where

"Consistency - Thou Art a Jewel"

definitely pays off!

Proverbs 3:6 says

"Train up a child in the way that he should go;

and when he is old,

he will not depart from it."

I think that definitely can apply to puppies...

Max seems to be doing very well for four months of age.

(The above quote re. CONSISTENCY  is from the late Mr. L. E. Maxwell of Prairie Bible Institute!
Come to think of it, I think "Maxwell" is a good name for our puppy,
calling him  "Max" for the shorter version of his name!)

Not About Me - Keeping balanced!

Some of the best advice I received in Bible College could be summed up in two short words from  L.E.Maxwell, the founder of the Prairie Bible Institute. 

What were those two words? 
KEEP BALANCED!

This morning before my feet hit the floor and I was soaking up the last bit of comfort of being under warm covers in a soft bed, my thoughts turned to the "Not About Me" challenge from Laura.  Caregivers immediately came to my mind - caregivers of all kinds, those who are not only carrying their own load, but are carrying the burden of meeting others needs, many of them having to do it 24/7. 



Taking care of Grandma Reba

I thought of grown children who care for their aging parents, many of them still having their own children at home that need them.  I've been there -  holding a nursing job while trying to juggle the every day crises that arise with teenagers,  aging relatives needing help with shopping, laundry, housekeeping, transportation, doctor appointments, and general care, as well as trying to be a help-mate to a busy husband involved in a political career and the challenges of owning his own business.

As I lay there, I thought about parents who have special needs children.  As a Home Health nurse, I saw many of these parents s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d thin with all the caregiving requirements.  I saw spouses putting their own needs on the back burner as they were stretched thin emotionally and exhausted physically - "looking out not only for their own needs, but for the needs of others" (Philippians 2:4).

So, when I write this "Not About Me" note, ...what about them?  For some of them it's been "Not About Me" for years, and they are about to fall apart.  They need some time apart to care for their own bodies or they will not be able to provide care for others. 

Did Jesus have anything to say to caregivers?  I think so.  In Matthew 11:28 He urges people to come to Him to find rest.  In Mark 9:2-13 Jesus does this as He takes Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain away from all the demands of ministering, and reveals His true identity to them.

Taking time to spend with God and His Word, making sure I eat right, get plenty of rest, and plenty of exercise - that's taking care of myself so that I can take care of others.  That is actually part of what "NOT ABOUT ME" is all about! 

But like Mr. Maxwell challenged us, sometimes the hardest thing in life is to 

"KEEP BALANCED!"

Linking with Spiritual Sundays and Not About Me November.