Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever. – Psalm 107:1
My friend and I met for coffee to catch up on life in general, and we ended up covering some fairly deep spiritual matters. What we talked about mostly was rejecting the false narrative that values priorities that do not satisfy at the expense of what’s really important, and we wondered about how we could get over this tendency we have to complicate everything.
Then I said something like, “How cool would it be if I could pull off one whole day with the same attitude Scout (our Labradoodle) has? You know, grateful for absolutely everything and just happy to be around the people she loves.”
“So you should write a book about your dog!” he said.
It’s not a bad idea. Chapter headings could cover topics such as:
- I want to be as good a man as my dog thinks I am.
- Simply grateful to be loved.
- Oh Boy, oh boy, oh boy!
- This moment is the absolute best! (and the next, and the next…)
- What we’re doing right now is my absolute most favorite thing ever!
- That sofa cushion looked suspicious so I killed it for you. You’re welcome.
- I love you so much I think I’m going to wag my butt off!
- I don’t care how nice a car we have, I just want to ride in it with you!
Right now, Scout is aging and seriously creaky – she needs a lot of help (see meme below). But her attitude is still one hundred percent grateful – grateful to be with us and contented to be part of this family.
The entire plan behind our creation as human beings was so that we could enjoy a love-based relationship with God and also with one another. It’s all about community. Yet so much of what we prioritize in our lives is not only antithetical to relationships but, also, effectively destroys community.
Enter Labradoodle, stage left. Scout flops on the ground, gazing adoringly in the direction of her family. “You are all I need. I am so grateful for the people in my life. God is so good. Woof!”
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