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| Roxy being too cool for school |
We recently adopted a 3-yr-old/ 80 lb American bulldog. Roxy
has become the joy of our lives. Max, our 14-year-old Lab is a little annoyed
at the new addition. We hope he knows we still love our old guy too. It’s just
that Roxy is so full of spunk. Her whole body wiggles with joy when we come in
the door. You can’t help but feel happy when she is expressing her love. Compared
to old Max, Roxy is a bundle of energy.
But when Sophie, our grand-doggie shows up, Roxy seems like an
old lady. Sophie is bulldog energy on steroids! She’s half Roxy’s size and
double her energy. We lovingly call her Taz, because she spins like the
Tasmanian devil from the old cartoons. When she arrives, I hear her nails
rotating on the wood floor, like spinning wheels, just before I get knocked
over by all 30 lbs of her cuteness.
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| Sophie lavishing her love on her mama! |
I now understand why people have characterized full-throttle
aggressive behavior as being like a bulldog. We often use “bulldog” as a verb.
Roxy “bulldogs” her way into the room, no matter who or what may be in the way.
And when Sophie is with Roxy, their energy is multiplied. All Sophie wants to
do is play. She gnaws on Roxy’s legs, jowls, ears…whatever she can get a hold
of. They wrestle and tussle knocking into anything and anyone that gets in the way.
When I watched Sophie playing relentlessly with Roxy yesterday, I laughed and
thought, “That’s just her nature. She’s being a bulldog.”
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| Sophie playing tug-of-war with Roxy's leash |
Sophie and Roxy are fully being who God created them to be. They are happily living out their purpose: to
be crazy, cuddly, funny, wild bulldogs. I can’t even get upset with them for
wanting to wrestle and play all the time. That’s just who they are! Not to say
we don’t train them to behave appropriately, but short of bad behavior, Sophie
and Roxy are just being the bulldogs they were created to be.
That is what I want for my children. To know their identity
in Christ and to do what God created them to do.
God created each of us with a purpose. In our worst moments
we are behaving in our flesh nature. Undisciplined. Unrestrained. Sinful. But
Jesus came to show us a better way. Not just show us a better way, but to give us His nature that we could rise
up and fulfill the purpose He created us for.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Eph 2:10 NLT
As my children were growing up we told them over and over
again that they were “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 138:14). God made
them for a purpose and if they would stay in relationship with Him, God would
lead them into the plans He had for them. And as strongly as I believe that, I’m
more aware than ever that it’s not always so simple to figure it all out.
At 18 years old they have to choose a college major or career path that will
dictate the direction of their future. What?!?! How many 18-year-olds know what they
want to do with the rest of their lives? I surely didn’t. And as a parent
trying to help them discern what they were supposed to pick, the pressure of
getting it wrong felt a little overwhelming. But here’s the cool thing I’m
still learning about God. He knows how hard it is for us to understand. And He’s
exceedingly patient.
He’s able to lead and direct us even when we don’t realize
it’s Him. And what we might call mistakes or missteps, God may have allowed or
even led us into for the purpose of teaching us important lessons.
The biggest issue is not getting it all right.
It’s staying connected to Jesus.
Positioning ourselves to listen for His voice and His
direction. Praying. Reading His Word. And as we develop this intimate
friendship with God, we’ll hear His voice. And as we hear His voice, He’ll lead
us to the purpose He created us for.
When we are walking out that calling, we will find our
sweetspot.
I have felt called to write for as long as I can remember.
But I have not always been obedient. I’ve often wanted more details before I’ll
spend any time doing it. I want to know where this will lead. What are the
plans? Is there any end game? But so far God has smiled (I’m just imagining
that) at all my questions and petulant demands. He is God and I am not. I have no idea what
God’s plans are. For all I know, it’s just for Him. My audience of one. But
whatever His plan, I’ve finally resigned myself to this…
I will never be fully me unless I am writing.
That doesn’t mean that I’m a great writer or even that God
has great plans for my writing. It’s just what I know I was made to do. So I’m done
fighting it. And trying to figure it out. I’m just trying to be obedient.
This week I heard someone say that we get upset with God
when life doesn’t work out the way we want or He doesn’t seem to be fulfilling
His promises to us. In my case it would sound something like this, “Lord I know you told me I would be a writer,
but you aren’t bringing me a book deal!” To this the speaker said she could
imagine God saying, “I wanted to, but you never got off your butt and started
writing.”
Figuring out our purpose is just half the battle, the other
is taking action.
A few years ago my sweet daughter wanted to encourage this
desire in me to write. So for Christmas she gave me the gift of setting up a
blog. I still have the note she wrote me. I keep it in my Bible.
“You’ve read other people’s blogs, now go write your own! Write as it happens! Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. Picasso This is your chance to be published. Don’t forget to post it all on Facebook! Love you! Get writing!”
So this is me bulldoging into my purpose! It still took me a couple
years after that sweet gift. Wasted time. But I’m pushing my way through now.
Trying to figure out how to be the most authentic me.
How about you? Is there
something that’s been tugging at you for years that you feel you’ve been made
to do but you’ve been too afraid to do it?
Now’s the time to start. Let’s get at
it!
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