Puppies and Childlike Faith

I tend to read multiple books at a time. One of my favorites right now is Bones Would Rain from the Sky. Yes, it's about dogs. Don't laugh. If you have a dog and you're interested, here is Suzanne Clothier's website.

I love the stories she tells about being a child. (Most of chapter 1) You may meet little children like the child she shares. Her story about bringing a stray to Sunday School and her observations (from a child's point of view) when the ordeal was over I thought profound. She writes about dogs but she writes about learning to see and listen and about communication. It's a wonderful book!

This is from a chapter about honesty. ( pg 130) The author's niece who is 9 years old has her first dog, a nine year old lab. This little girl's love for her new pet is a love that causes her to want to see and understand. She tells her mother, "I know what he's saying, Mom, I really do. I'm knowing this dog!" Her aunt, of course, is thrilled! But here's the quote that I think is applicable for us:

"Hannah's joy and curiosity, her complete willingness to study Ben with careful, loving eyes and to trust what Ben told her- without rationalizing or intellectualizing- is what made "knowing this dog" possible. To hear what our dogs say, we need to listen with a child's heart, knowing past our minds, knowing with our hearts. But for many adults, this is a struggle; we have to learn how to climb down out of our minds and listen." (p. 130)

I just thought it was a good description of child-like faith, too: "listen with a child's heart," "climb down out of our minds and listen." It means keeping our child-like curiosity, our inquisitive mind as opposed to the rational, over-analytical mind of an adult. It means seeing what is: dogs speaking dog, not human. Children speaking child. There are things to see and learn about our invisible God through what His hands have made, if we take the time and have the eyes in our hearts (and minds) to see and ears to listen and hear.

*Photo: My "puppies"- now 2 1/2 years. I call this picture "Puppy Heaven." (We live in the city) We've found an outside place where they can be safe off-leash, even with a less-than-perfect recall. (A perfect recall being a come- sit- stay- in front of Mom- recall.) A less than perfect recall is not an Ellison-Park- Hi! Bye! running by recall. It's a "Here we are, Mom! [Pause.] Can we stay? [pause] Great! See ya!" not-recall. But you can't miss their huge smiles! They are off-leash, outside, together, with us, able to run and explore and swim (which Ellie loves!) What's not to love?

*puppies as in 2 1/2 year old dogs...