Great Dog Stories (24 page)

Lucy’s interest in fire and fireworks wasn’t something she picked up from the Dog Whisperer or in obedience school. No, her lifelong enchantment with fire was implanted by her Creator. The same God who knit you and me together in our mothers’ wombs (Psalm 139:13) gave Lucy her unique fascination with flame.

Why?

It’d be nice if I could telepathically ask Lucy, “Why are you so passionate about fire?” Perhaps she’d given it some thought over the years and could articulate an insightful response—or maybe she’d simply shrug and telepathically answer, “I don’t know. I just am.”

Lucy and fire. God only knows. For us, there’s no way to know why. It just is. Like the beautiful flowers that grow, bloom, and die on remote mountaintops or in virgin rainforests without ever once being seen by an appreciating human eye.

Why did God plant them there?

Of what purpose are these breathtaking flowers that never get seen or smelled? Of what purpose is a fire-snapping dog?

David and I discussed the matter. We couldn’t come up with any explanations that held water. Lucy was no canine Smokey the Bear. She wasn’t a descendent of any firehouse Dalmatians. So why did God make her that way?

While they didn’t understand the why of it, Lucy’s family still gave her every opportunity to exercise it. They didn’t lock her up in the basement on the Fourth or exile her to the backyard during birthday parties. They weighed the pros and cons of her fire fascination and concluded that it brought joy to Lucy and wasn’t harmful to her or others. David’s family recognized Lucy’s instinctive passion and rather than quench it, found safe outlets for her to enjoy what she loved. David said, “We always ensured Lucy was around whenever there was a fire to be had.”

How many of us parents have watched a passion develop in our children in the same way? From early childhood, even in infancy, some kids are born with something they love more than anything else. Ever since my nine-year-old son discovered balls, he hasn’t been able to get enough of kicking, throwing, bouncing, bowling, or spinning them. I’m not saying he’s going to be a professional bowler or Ping-Pong player, but we try to give him ample opportunity to express his passion, whether it’s in soccer, basketball, football, or baseball. I have another friend whose son was fascinated by classic monster movies ever since he was a tiny kid. He never lost that fascination and is now one of the youngest professionals in the field of monster movie make-up and masks. Albert Einstein recalled that when he was eight, he received a compass from his father. Albert was enchanted by the magnetic needle magically pointing north and something clicked in him. Unraveling the mystery behind the invisible force that made the needle move would become a lifelong obsession. (His study of electromagnetism figured into the theory of relativity—one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of the twentieth century.)

Some people—and dogs—are born with specific passions. These weren’t force-fed by parents or taught in school. Why did the Creator put them there? We’d have about the same luck telepathically asking God as we would that border collie—so thankfully God tells us why in the Bible.

First, we acknowledge that everyone is uniquely made by God. Psalm 139:13: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

Second, just as David gave Lucy every opportunity to exercise her passion, so God wants the same for us. He designed us uniquely for a purpose. Read what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:17-18 (
MSG
): “If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.”

Feet, hands, ears, eyes. On their own, apart from the body, they have unclear or little purpose, but when placed by the Creator exactly where they’re supposed to be and functioning in the way He designed, each part is indispensable.

Fire-snapping dogs, blooms that are never seen, little boys who love balls, movie monsters, and compasses. We mere dog owners and parents often don’t see why we should encourage these passions. We don’t understand why God made our dog or kids the way He did. It’s not how we would design the perfect dog or child. But rather than quench what God in His wisdom has created, we can simply be good stewards of His creations and encourage healthy development of those passions, just as David and his family did with their pyro-fascinated pup.

Bottom line: the Creator knows why He gave certain people and pups the unique passions He gave them and sometimes He keeps the reasons to Himself. And after we tire of all the speculation and second-guessing of God, it simply comes down to Isaiah 45:15 (
NLT
), “Truly, O God of Israel, our Savior, you work in mysterious ways.”

There are two lasting bequests we can give our
children: One is roots, the other is wings.

H
ODDING
C
ARTER

I
n Lili’s family, dogs and kids went together like salt and pepper. They were always spicing up each other’s lives. But time was passing, and one by one Lili’s children were heading off to college. Only her youngest was left at home when their latest canine, an adorable but feisty border collie named Lizzie, ran out to the street and was hit by a car.

Lili and her husband were devastated. All their children were urging them to get another pooch, but Lili dragged her heels, not quite sure God was leading this way. Finally she learned there were puppies for sale at the end of her street. She decided to take a look. There was just one left, a boy. Without giving it much thought, she took the plunge. She named her new dog Wally.

Lili’s little bundle of puppy love turned out to be spring-loaded for bear. He was an Australian shepherd, a breed that ranks number eight in dominance on a scale of one to ten. These dogs are herders. They crave activity. What Lili and her husband had was a Lizzie personality in a male puppy’s body. What they didn’t have was three active sons at home to run Wally’s energy out of him. They had one active daughter—but she would soon be following her brothers off to school.

Conscientious parents that they are, Lili and her hubby tried to do their best by Wally. They took him to puppy classes. When that wasn’t enough, they got him private training. They invested more in Wally than they had in all their other dogs put together. And things still weren’t quite working.

Christmas was coming. Right afterward, the family was flying to Australia for their eldest son’s wedding. Lili worried about who could keep the puppy in their absence. She also realized that in just a few months, their daughter would graduate from high school and fly the coop. Their nest would be empty except for one less-than-controllable dog. Lili began to think about finding a different home for Wally. She chatted with a woman from a pet store. Next thing she knew, Wally popped up on a site for rescue dogs. They started getting calls about him from strangers. Finally, Lili told a family of four from San Diego that they could come and meet him.

The family drove for several hours to reach Lili’s home. There were two children, a girl and a boy. The first thing Wally did was to knock the little girl over. He didn’t mean any harm—it was just his rambunctious way. The ten-year-old wasn’t hurt, but she started crying. Lili thought, “That’s it! No way will they take this dog!”

They took him.

Wally drove off to his new life, which included a fenced yard and new doggie pals. One month later, his new family emailed Lili. They loved Wally! He was great! A few more weeks passed and the family touched base again. They said Wally was winning agility competitions. Next thing Lili knew, Wally was a champion. He even had his own website!

At this point, Lili’s husband only half-jokingly barked, “You gave away a champion?” To which Lili woofed, “He would never have become a champion in this house!”

Years later, Lili explained to me that Wally taught her a vital lesson—one she’ll never forget. Talent needs the right soil in which to bloom. It’s crucial for the parents of dogs and children to provide that soil. Once Wally got the fertilizer he needed, he blossomed into a winner!

My friend Sheilah saw that same principle play out in her grandson’s life. Raymond had real musical talent, but it hadn’t been developed. The family didn’t have the means to nurture Raymond’s innate abilities.

In Los Angeles where they live, special magnet high schools are geared to specific areas of interest. When Raymond was completing eighth grade, Sheilah longed for him to get into a particular high school that focused on music education. But the time to apply had passed. Besides, the competition was stiff, and Raymond had no formal training. He couldn’t even read music. He just had one small drum that he played on his own.

Sheilah loves Jesus. She knows He can do miracles if He chooses. She is also part of the leadership of my Bible study class. She shared her burden and we began to pray for a miracle for Raymond. Lo and behold, Raymond’s dad decided to take off work one day and bring his son to the music magnet, even though the new school year was about to start.

Getting in at such a late date seemed impossible. But Raymond and his dad started talking to the school personnel. They were told to return the next day so Raymond could audition. Despite the lateness of the hour and Raymond’s lack of formal training, he was accepted.

In this new, fertile musical soil, Raymond’s talent exploded into bloom, just like Wally’s had. Now he reads music. He plays in bands both in and out of school. For his last birthday he wanted a cymbal for his drum set, so Sheilah took her grandson to the music store. She found herself facing no less than a whole wall of cymbals. She never dreamed there were so many different kinds. Raymond spent an hour testing them one at a time, then finally chose a cymbal he thought might give him just the sound he wanted. He took it home, tried it out, and pronounced it perfect.

The right nurture made all the difference to Wally’s agility and Raymond’s music. It’s also crucial to help us bloom spiritually. Our perfect Heavenly Parent understands this and gave specific instructions to the Israelites about how to plant successive generations in this rich spiritual soil. In Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Moses says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” God also gave the Israelites festivals to keep and pass on to their children to remind them of what He had done for them, and thereby grow their faith.

Dogs and children are a gift from God. When they blossom and grow, He is pleased. If you are a parent of either, in what soil will you plant the lives entrusted to you?