Thursday, May 21, 2020

Mischievous Max's Mayhem

Well,
It looks like my walking buddy
is going to have to take a break for awhile...



I probably won't be playing chase with him
for awhile when he grabs things and runs
with them, knowing we will run after him.

He probably won't feel like jumping up 
on the outdoor furniture...

...Or running to see who has come to visit!

He may have trouble walking on the rocks 
at one of our favorite spots
down at the Buffalo National River.

Nope!
Our buddy Max has broken a foot
and is probably still in surgery right now.


Thirty-some years ago I broke my right ankle.
It was a really bad break...
I dislocated and broke three bones badly enough
that my foot was twisted 180 degrees backward.
Thanks to a really good orthopaedic surgeon,
(and the healing touch of God)
I was able to walk again!
It did take time, crutches, therapy, etc.


I'm not sure what Max did that caused this.
He loves chasing balls and retrieving them,
but we weren't doing that when it happened.
Probably his own mayhem caused it  :(

Just as we jumped in to rescue Max from damage
he had probably done to himself,
it reminded me of how often God rescues us
from messes we get ourselves into.

I love Psalm 18.
This Psalm is written by King David,
who as you probably know,
got himself in a lot of messes.
Here are a few of my favorite verses from that chapter:

"In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down...
...He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me..."


Maybe Max will be able to jump in the four-wheeler
before long and enjoy a ride!


Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Max, Laughter, and the Corona Virus




Max makes us laugh!
Heaven knows we need laughter
with this CoronaVirus thing!

Proverbs 17:22 says,
"A merry heart does good like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones."


"What are you doing in there?"
Max seems to say as he looks in the kitchen window
by putting his front feet on the picnic table!

"Uh-oh"
"I think I ruined the soccer ball."

"I sure like going for rides!"

"These lawn chairs aren't very comfortable without the cushions!"

"This just looks like a cigar...
It's really rawhide,
and it doesn't have much taste!"

Well, I hope this made you smile.
Stay well!
Wash your hands!
And join me in trying to look for something good every day.

"I would have lost heart,
unless I had believed
that I would see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!"

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Who Me? Max and Puppy Training



Teething Challenges!

Boredom, Orneriness or teething pain?



WHO ME?


Yes...
This is the mess that I found this morning
when I thought I was too busy to give Max
his normal morning exercise and attention!

I'm still very much in the learning stage of how to train a puppy.
I think I kind of overlooked the
"Consistency - Thou Art a Jewel"
principle this morning...
...And now I'm paying for it!

It is very evident that Max is teething.
He even will chew on the chunky gravel rocks
if not supervised when outdoors in the fenced backyard.
Sometimes I find I am so impatient and think to myself,
"I really don't have the time or energy for this!"

My daughter who has spent much time training her  Golden doodle
to be a "therapy dog" gives me encouragement and advice.
She also drops by with healthy doggie treats and toys.
Some of those healthy treats are so STINKY,
but they help get the dog's attention,
especially if I wait till he is a bit hungry!
She tells me that training works best when the puppy is hungry.

The Scripture says in Proverbs 22:6 to
"Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it."
I guess this also applies to puppies!