Paws for Joy!
I love watching the simple joy my little boy gets to experience each morning as he surveys the yard, waiting for his little squirrel buddy to appear. Once Chipper comes out, Deke springs to life. He sprints across the yard, circles the oak tree, and happily “herds” Chipper right back up where he came from!
And tomorrow morning, they’ll probably do it all over again.
It is pure, simple joy. And what a blessing it is to witness.
Dogs are simply happy.
They don’t wake up worrying about yesterday. They aren’t thinking about what might happen next Thursday. Deke isn’t concerned about the bills, the economy, the house maintenance, or what someone said about him three weeks ago.
He wakes up looking for Chipper.
Sometimes I miss the days when joy came that freely to me too.
As I think back, I’ve experienced so many of those moments throughout my life. Of course, one was getting my little Deke. He was such a precious puppy, just a furry bundle of joy. Watching him discover himself in the mirror for the first time is still one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.
Then there are the bigger moments.
Holding my nephew for the first time. Holding my grandchild for the first time. Pure bliss. There was nothing else in the world that mattered in those moments.
Or the day I graduated from college. I can honestly say I was more proud of myself that day than almost anything I’ve ever accomplished. There is something incredible about realizing you’ve done something far greater than you once thought you could.
But some of my favorite joys weren’t accomplishments at all.
They were just life.
Jumping barefoot into puddles after a good rain. Mowing the yard in some elaborate, beautiful pattern instead of the boring back-and-forth pattern my mom would have preferred. Ha!
I was creative. I loved being outdoors. Everything could become an adventure.
I remember hiking down the river to the waterfall at DeSoto State Park with my aunt. We brought our picnic on floats and made our way through the water until we reached our beautiful destination. I remember hiking at Hurricane Creek Park with my mom and sister. Just enjoying each other, the flowers and nature.
Those memories are priceless.
And maybe that’s part of what I’ve been missing.
Somewhere along the way, joy became something I thought I needed an occasion for.
A vacation.
A celebration.
A closing.
A holiday.
A big accomplishment.
But Deke doesn’t need an occasion.
He needs a squirrel.
Life has a tendency to get in the way of the joy we experienced so easily growing up. Being an adult is challenging. There is always something that needs to be done, fixed, paid, cleaned, scheduled, answered, or worried about. Throw in a few new aches and pains as we get older, and some mornings jumping barefoot into a puddle doesn’t sound nearly as appealing as it once did!
We allow the weight of the world to steal some of the very joy God has placed right in front of us.
Maybe joy didn’t disappear.
Maybe we just stopped noticing it.
Honestly, I get some of my greatest joy these days simply sitting on my back porch with Deke. We spend many mornings together, just chilling out while I talk to God.
Nothing spectacular is happening.
And maybe that’s the point.
The sun comes up. The birds sing. Deke watches for Chipper. I drink my coffee and talk to my Father.
For a little while, the world gets quiet.
And I remember how blessed I really am.
There is something about the love of a good dog that reminds me of the simple gifts God gives us. Deke doesn’t care what I accomplished yesterday. He doesn’t care what I look like. He doesn’t keep a record of my mistakes. He’s just thrilled that I’m there.
And somehow, through this little creature God placed in my life, I’m reminded to slow down and receive the love, peace, and joy that are already surrounding me.
Maybe that’s what we need more of.
Not necessarily another vacation.
Not another accomplishment.
Not another thing to buy.
Maybe we need to start noticing the squirrels.
Sit on the porch.
Walk barefoot in the grass.
Call someone we love.
Watch the sunset.
Laugh at something ridiculous.
Play with the dog.
Talk to God.
And stop rushing past the blessings we’re asking Him to give us.
The Bible tells us, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5.
And some mornings, apparently, joy comes with four paws, a wagging tail, and a squirrel named Chipper.
Deke sure makes me PAWS for JOY!