I Heart Pinot

Why do I like puppies?  I can only speak for why I love my puppy.  If you have been following the site from the beginning you know that our first “I Like” week was about how much I like wine.  Well this week, two of my “likes” combine as I introduce you to my puppy, Pinot.  Yes, I named my dog after wine.  And yes some people have been offended by my choice.  But she is simply Pinot.  She is the combination of many things that I enjoy and I love her.

Why?  She is totally devoted to our family and seeks to please us.  She wants us home with her, where she can keep an eye on us.  She runs right over if one of our kids is crying and tries to lick away their tears.  When she knows that you are speaking to her, she cocks her head ever so slightly and hangs on your every word.  In essence, she is totally devoted to our family.  In fact, as I write this she is curled up right next to me…afraid to be apart from me.

The nice part about dogs is there are no expectations on their owners.  We are judged by how our children and marriages turn out.  Society judges us quite harshly.  But no one cares if my dog won’t go down the stairs by herself.  It doesn’t make me a bad person.  She is not expected to graduate in 18 years, go to Harvard and be a doctor.  She is just expected to love us and give us joy.

What does this mean spiritually?  I think we are called to be God’s puppies.  We should seek to love and please Him.  We should feel better when we are around Him. We should curl up at His feet and allow Him to pet us.  We should stay tethered to our leash of faith as we venture into the big wide world.  We should embrace our silly sides and just seek to bring people joy…simply because Jesus has given that joy to us.

I don’t want to think about the end of Pinot’s life.  But most dogs go with their owners to that last vet appointment with the utmost trust.  They do not fear the future because they trust the ones they love.  Shouldn’t we?  Shouldn’t we live lives surrounded by those we love?  When the end comes, shouldn’t we hop in the car and let those we love walk us to the other side? Because waiting for us on the other side is the biggest backyard, where the Son is shining and we can play for eternity…with the best owner we could ever have.  We can call THAT puppy love.