Lessons from Buster

Buster is our two year old Beagle.  He keeps us constantly entertained by his hilarious antics (otherwise known as hard-headedness) and his incredible amount of laziness.  Someone once described a Beagle as a hyperactive couch potato.  They were exactly right.  Buster loves food.  He loves food of all kinds.  But he has a special, strange affection for cereal.  He recognizes the sound of the cereal box, or cereal in a bowl, and comes running from wherever he is. 

Last night, I was eating some granola (cereal, as far as Buster is concerned), and Buster was perched expectantly in front of me waiting for me to "drop" some his way.  I "dropped" a couple of pieces and he gobbled them up happily.  Then I dropped a piece, but missed, and it bounced under the couch.  Buster quickly took up his "reaching for an object under the couch position". This involves laying on his side with his nose and paws under the couch.  His legs are too short to reach beyond his nose, so he just lays there, wiggling his paws hopelessly, with no chance of reaching anything.  Occasionally, he would get up and move around to the side of the couch and take up the same position.  This went on for THIRTY minutes.  He could not be persuaded to leave his vigil.  I gave him another piece of granola, which he gobbled up, and he went right back to reaching for the lost piece.

Meanwhile, his food bowl sat across the room, untouched.  Now at this point, it was getting late.  We were ready to shut down and go to bed.  Buster was getting close to being put in his kennel for the night.  He was in danger of getting put up with no supper.  I called and called him to his bowl, but he would not let up on the lost piece of granola.  It was ridiculous and funny all at the same time.  Finally, I gave in.  I got down on my hands and knees and scooped out the tiny piece of granola, literally four or five pieces of oatmeal stuck together!  He swallowed his prize happily, and then went off to eat his dinner, just in time for bed.

As I got ready for bed last night, I was laughing at my silly Beagle when God reminded me that I am just like him sometimes.  God has prepared something much better than a bowl of dog food for me!  He has incredible plans and gifts for me, just over the horizon.  But sometimes I get so focused on something miniscule that I can't even see what He is offering me.  I often miss great reward because I am fixated on a tiny, insignificant issue.  God is calling me to something so good, and I risk missing it and "going to bed hungy".  I ignore God's calling, choosing instead to reach helplessly for something that isn't satisfying at all.  Thank the Lord He has mercy on me time and again, and allows me to get my focus back on him before it's too late!