Granddogs & Fear

This past weekend we kept our granddog. It was probably good practice for about 5-10 years down the road when we are probable grandparents. Now we already have a one dog and a cat. I thought they would get along fine. Well, Anna's dog, Railey, arrived and immediately marked our den carpet with quite a large deposit. Then he dropped more all the way down the hall! Our dog, Vixen, then had to mark the hallway floor to regain her territory. The cat stood on the steps completely disgusted with both of them. Later, Railey tried to play with our cat and she proceeded to swat him in the nose. So Railey ran and hid under the bed in the guest room. I found him and had to drag him out. He is 10 times bigger than the cat yet was overcome with fear. This morning's sermon was on Overcoming Fear. The simple phrase, "Fear Not!" is one of the most common phrases found in the Bible. When the Lord is with us, we need not fear. Faith overcomes fear. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I said much of this to Railey with no effect. The swat of a cat is painful - I know so personally. So, all weekend he stayed clear of the cat. If he saw her in the room, he chose to abide elsewhere. I guess fear can be good. It can protect us from an angry cat or an unfamiliar dog. Fear can lead us to wear a seatbelt and avoid unnecessary risks. Fear can teach us not to place our hand in the fire and to not tempt fate.

Next time my granddog comes to visit, I think I will have a long talk with his Aunt Kittie about hospitality and kindness. Oh, life is so good!