Big Dog

Makwa is my 5 year old Newfoundland. I have had her since she was a pup of 25 pounds. Today she weighs about 110 pounds and when standing on her hind legs will drape her paws over my shoulders and look down at me. She resembles a bear from a distance and has been mistaken for one on occasion. I am always grateful that my bear is a gentle giant. 

Every morning when I wake up, I go to the garage door to "release the beasts" to the outdoors after a long night. Dogs generally are creatures of habit and will continue to perform a routine even if the consequences are less than desirable. For Makwa, this happens to be every morning when I go to let her outside.

Makwa is what I consider a well behaved large dog. She doesn't jump on people, she doesn't pull on her leash when out for a walk, she gets out of people's way when they are walking. And she never will snatch a treat from your hand no matter how sure she is that Charlie is going to get it first. But Makwa has one bad habit. She loves to lift the lid of the garbage can to see if there is some tidbit or morsel she can grab for take out on her way to the yard. Without fail she will do this every morning. And every morning I will, as always, scold her for doing it. She will tuck her tail between her legs, grab the closest hunk of tossed leftover and head outside. Just once I would love to see her go straight to the door and go outside. But I am thinking even for Makwa the instant pleasure of a possible morsel of human food outweighs the scolding and knowing she is doing wrong.

How often do I do just what Makwa does? Continue to do the same thing over and over, knowing it is not the best thing to do and yet hoping I will somehow get the little morsel of pleasure and gratification. How often do I "sneak into the trash"? Today let my actions reflect what is good and right in the eyes of my Creator. Let me choose to go to the door and not sidetrack to the trash.