Surprise?

Mukluk, Rex, Shaky, Daisy, and Scooty messed me up as a kid. These were the dogs that organized my neighborhood into districts of terror. Their barking, chasing, and biting turned me against the whole canine family (which is a subspecies of the gray wolf mind you). Why would anyone keep a dog in his house?

“I’m just not a dog person. Done.”

Not done.

I meet the girl of my dreams and of course have to negotiate with a mixed Dachsund/Chihuahua named Blacky. I decided that I was not going to let my fear of dogs, ruin a potentially life giving relationship. So I faked it. With a stiff smile I would reluctantly pet, apprehensively hold, and awkwardly throw a ball. Val appreciated it, but something else happened. Over the years I began to like the dog. Surprise! I even decided to get a dog of my own, then two. Now, I can’t imagine our home without Lacey and Bambi. If you knew me 5 years earlier…this would be surprising.

Sometimes actions precede attitude.

I was thinking more about the conversation from Sunday.

Jeremiah 29:7 “…seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

We might have to push ourselves at first, but the promise is that as we trust and obey God we are becoming the people who serve the city.
Surprise! We don’t have to fake it anymore.

See you at our next gathering on Sunday.

Adam