I think I Understand Jake Now!!!

Posted by our Mommy T

"I'm reading a book about the Hair-Raising Joys of Raising Boys by Dave Meurer. I'm not quite finished with the book but it keeps me chuckling and puts a great spin on the encounters I've only yet to have with our boy, JB2. I often read it at night while JB2 is winding down, getting ready to sleep and is reading his own books. I've giggled so much that JB2 calls this book my funny book. He enjoys seeing me laugh. If I get nothing else from this book, I get a great bonding experience with my son.

But not getting anything from it is already a mute point. There are many moments of realization as well and insights that I know will help me raise a wonderful boy (and girl) and be a good mommy to our puppies.

In a chapter about boys and dogs, the author illustrates something that touched my heart and may have helped me to better understand our boy pooch, Jake. For those of you who know Jake, you will understand this passage well. I hope you like it as much as I did. It touched my spiritual heart as well.

'We came to the conclusion that neither Pepper, nor any other dog, understands the concept of obligation, or debt, or quid pro quo. Pepper is not attempting to pay us back. She knows she is "ours" in the most positive sense of that word, and she simply responds to that love and care with whatever the dog version of 'love' happens to be.

In this sense, a dog can help your boys understand something about God's love toward us.

We, too, are "strays." Like Pepper, we are all heading for a grim future unless someone rescues us. And like a stray, we have no way to earn this adoption into a new home. Of course, the analogy completely falls apart because none of us dies for the sins of his pet, like Jesus died for the sins of the world (and arose from the grave once His mission was completed!).

But we can still teach our kids an important lesson from the key point that we do not earn our relationship with our Master, nor do we pay Him back. We simply enjoy the incredible privilege of adoption and respond very naturally with love and loyalty.

And unlike any rule with Pepper, God will actually let us sit on the good furniture - not because we have earned the right, but just because He is far kinder than any of us can possibly comprehend.

That lesson is worth all the vet bills.'

I have a special place in my heart for both of our pooches. They have already taught my kids how to be kind and nurturing. They love the puppies as if they were their brother and sister.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little moment of me sharing something that moved me. If you have kids and pets, I hope you know just how much they are helping each other."