In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.

— Edward Hoagland

Every morning for the last nine years I’ve done the same thing – I go into the kitchen and let the dog out of her crate.  She spends the night in her crate so that the cats don’t bother her and she doesn’t bother them.

This morning, I actually noticed something I do.  I say, “Good morning.  How ya doing?”  And BAM, it hit me.  She’s always doing great!

Just think, how great it would be if every day we woke up saying, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!”

Reality Check

I’m not naive; I know that some days feel better than others.  Some days, you start the day with a sinus headache (at least I do).

Some days, it’s pouring outside and you just want to burrow into the blankets and ignore the day.

Some days, you just don’t want to face the day.

But dogs? – They never don’t want to face the day!  There’s fun out there.  There’s rabbits and cats and smells and treats and breakfast and toys and friends and tugging and dinner…  It’s all good!

Now, there’s a sentence.  When things get messed up at work, when last second changes are made to the plans, the sentence that is spoken is, “It’s all good (sigh).”  But it’s not really meant.  It’s just a way not to say, “Are you *$@! kidding me?  You want me to do what? …by when?”

But dogs, they really mean it.  It really is all good!

Cats Have Their Purpose Too!

You may have seen this circulating on the internet, but it’s worth repeating.  Despite its title, it’s a poem that explains why dogs are great.

Why God Created Cats

It is reported that the following edition of the Book of Genesis was discovered in the Dead Seal Scrolls.

And Adam said, “Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me every day. Now I do not see you anymore. I am lonesome here and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me.”

And God said, “No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will know I love you, even when you cannot see me.

Regardless of how selfish and childish and unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself.”

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased.

And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and he wagged his tail. And Adam said, “But Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and all the good names are taken and I cannot think of a name for this new animal.”

And God said, “No problem! Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG.”

And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that Adam’s guardian angel came to the Lord and said, “Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but no one has taught him humility.”

And the Lord said, “No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not worthy of adoration.”

And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat’s eyes, he was reminded that he was not the supreme being. And Adam learned humility.

And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved.

And Cat did not care one way or the other.

What I noticed this morning is that dogs don’t just make people feel like they’re the greatest, most wonderful creations that exist, dogs make God believe his entire creation is wonderful… even the cats.

Today is the day the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it… with my dog!