This is blog number 40 for me, 40 chapters of my life. Of them all the most popular – OF COURSE – was the one about my dog, Rudy, and his pure, unconditional, God-like love, the perfect model of faithfulness!
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF RUDY??!!
What about his “human” side, his “Me” side? What about a little while ago, while our backs were turned, how he devoured a just baked pumpkin-banana bread, quicker than you could say its name!?
What about the time he wore that nifty disguise just to sneak in on Molly’s after-school snack? And how about the time he got up on the table and ate half of MY ALL-CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE, this creature who, we were warned, would surely die if he ever gets chocolate.? What did Poor Rudy do? He laughed at death!
Have you ever invited a beagle to the family summer barbecue? Now THAT’S WHAT I”M TALKING ABOUT!!! Reminding me and everyone present of their oh so human weaknesses, bad habits and entanglements…You’ve just gotta love him…throw him another hotdog. You’ve been there!!!!!
And, hey! what about all of those “accidental” aftermaths of all these indiscretions…left in all the most unlikely places…SURPRISE! SURPRISE!!!
But worst of all – i can swear that after some of these evil deeds, i have seen a smirk on his face, especially now that he’s ancient, as if to say, “HEY! Sonny boy, I challenge you. Can you LOVE like I love?” He is trading places, reversing the roles, giving me a turn at God-hood. Oh, i was so good at it the day i saved his little abused butt, but from that day hence, beagle howl after beagle howl, fresh sock after fresh sock shocked by slippery puddle, bags of sour gummies vacuumed down and vengeance taken for whoever left them out, i have had the divinity in me drop and drop and drop. Oh, i do what i have to do – as if i had a choice?!?! – i’ve been out in 100 rain or snowstorms to untangle the beast, but God, i was not happy!!! Rarely since Day One did i get my Rudy’s A+ at Mercy. Mine were many a near F at God-Love!
It’s like that book i mentioned in a previous post, “Thank You For Being Such a Pain,” Mark Rosen’s wonderful guide to learning how to let the annoying ones in our everyday lives make us into better persons. So my beloved “Snoopy!” Rudy is QUITE THE LOVER, but what about his other side? He sure does challenge the God-in-me to come forth.
MercySoup.com 