Elizabeth and I celebrated New Years Eve somewhat differently a few
years ago. We had the flu! Our swizzle sticks were immersed in chicken
soup. When the “ball” finally dropped at
midnight, I awoke because of the noise.
I nudged Elizabeth and kissed her “Happy New Year”. She grunted, “Oh, yeah…whatever…zzzz.”
It wasn’t all gruesome though; earlier that night Elizabeth had
decided to bathe the dogs. (We were
“grand-dog” sitting at our daughter’s house).
When Elizabeth decides to bathe dogs, they have no choice. One by one the three of them were herded into
the hall bathroom. Being the sickest, I
shouted encouragement from the living room while I watched the ball game.
When Elizabeth got to Cole, the Rottweiler/Bloodhound-mix puppy (85lbs
and Buffalo-sized paws), things got out of hand.
Cole decided to exercise his I
want outa here option. He tried
to bite the water, the soap, the scrubby-thing and shower curtain. He understood that “nipping” Elizabeth was
out of the question, so he just struggled to end the torture as best as he could.
The sounds were amazing. I had expected
to hear, “No, Cole. Stop, Cole; Cole,
cut that out.” What I heard was high
pitched laughter…no words, just Elizabeth’s unmistakable, inimitable laugh. She was having a grand time with Cole, who was
giving Elizabeth a really good bath.
Later Elizabeth explained to me that Cole had grabbed the soap bottle with
his teeth and flung it across the bathroom.
As Elizabeth reached to retrieve it, the pooch got himself half-out of
the tub; his back legs were swimming, leaving a wake like the Titanic. With water and suds flying everywhere, my
bride was attempting to “re-tub” the front half of the dog, while the back end
was objecting. It was an epic struggle!
A few moments after the clatter began Cole emerged from the bathroom
with Elizabeth in hot pursuit. She had Cole
by his stubby tail with one hand, and a buzzing hair dryer in the other. Cole
was getting down the hallway as fast as his legs would carry him, considering
he was dragging Elizabeth behind. I
don’t know whether it was the hair dryer or Elizabeth’s laughter that scared
him the most. I think Elizabeth rather
enjoyed the ride!
It is an incredible thing, this joy that won’t be stopped; especially
when it is connected to a Rottweiler/Bloodhound mix puppy that won’t be stopped
either.
I like joy; I like the genuine kind that starts deep down within and
bubbles-up to the surface.
It is irrepressible, unstoppable and it is what Jesus died to bring to
our souls – joy unspeakable and full of glory! (1 Peter 1.8)
Today…for YOU
Take a few moments to check your “joy inventory”. Is anything interfering with that “joy unspeakable
and full of glory”? Have you allowed circumstances
to override the joy God’s Spirit is attempting to birth in you?
No comments:
Post a Comment