Reason #87
My dog, Scout, is a child magnet. I realize most animals attract children, but I think her tiny stature is what really draws them in. Scout is so excited to see children from a distance, however, when they get up close, her tail tucks between her little legs and she gives me the most pitiful look, pleading for me to pick her up and rescue her from these tiny people. She's not used to being around people under the age of 10 so she just freaks out when those little hands start reaching for her and those high-pitched voices giggle with excitement.
She is scared of the unknown, the unfamilar.
My roommate's little nephews and niece came over to the house this weekend. These three little ones are so precious! Like most children, they too love Scout. They wanted to hold her and play with her, but she wasn't going to have it. No matter how gentle and sweet they were with Scout, she didn't want them to hold her, play with her or even touch her. These little bitties were scaring her silly and the only place she wanted to be was in my lap.
Scout came to me as a terrified, trembling little creature. She had been plucked away from a familiar place and thrusted into an environment that was completely new and different. For the first few weeks, she was terrified anytime she met a new person. She would shake and shiver, so I would pick her up and hold her to reassure her that she was fine. People weren't the only thing she was scared of either, so there was lots of holding, lots of carrying and lots of reassuring. And because of this, Scout and I began to bond and she began to place her trust in me. She knows that when she is scared, I'll reach down, scoop her up and hold her close. She also knows that she can crawl into my lap anytime she wants, and she can rest in peace knowing that she is in a secure place. And it might sound as if she is a little spoiled... well, she is! But I love it. I love that she wants to be held, cuddled and loved on. My arms are what she knows, they are very familar to her.
And so many times I feel like Scout when I'm facing the unknown or walking through something that is unfamilar. I am terrified, trembling and scared of what might come. Maybe this unknown, unfamilar thing is coming with great intentions, but it's different from what I'm used to and so I begin to get this pitiful look in my eyes and I want to be rescued, scooped up to safety. And that's exactly what He does! Many are the days those arms, the ones that were stretched out to save me, have held me close and carried me. Many are the moments that He saw the fear in my eyes, bent down, picked me up and reassured me that I was going to be okay. And the trust began to grow. And I realized that I can come into His presence, crawl into His arms, and I feel secure, unreachable, invicible. I know it's a safe place. A place where I can rest out of harm's way. A place where He speaks words of peace and comfort to me and my fear begins to subside, the tremors begin to go away. And it might sound to you like I'm a little spoiled... well, I am! But His love is deep, His arms familiar, and He faithfully carries me through it all!
#87 - Because He holds me until the fear subsides... and even then, He doesn't let go!
"When I am afraid I will trust in you." - Psalm 56:3
She is scared of the unknown, the unfamilar.
My roommate's little nephews and niece came over to the house this weekend. These three little ones are so precious! Like most children, they too love Scout. They wanted to hold her and play with her, but she wasn't going to have it. No matter how gentle and sweet they were with Scout, she didn't want them to hold her, play with her or even touch her. These little bitties were scaring her silly and the only place she wanted to be was in my lap.
Scout came to me as a terrified, trembling little creature. She had been plucked away from a familiar place and thrusted into an environment that was completely new and different. For the first few weeks, she was terrified anytime she met a new person. She would shake and shiver, so I would pick her up and hold her to reassure her that she was fine. People weren't the only thing she was scared of either, so there was lots of holding, lots of carrying and lots of reassuring. And because of this, Scout and I began to bond and she began to place her trust in me. She knows that when she is scared, I'll reach down, scoop her up and hold her close. She also knows that she can crawl into my lap anytime she wants, and she can rest in peace knowing that she is in a secure place. And it might sound as if she is a little spoiled... well, she is! But I love it. I love that she wants to be held, cuddled and loved on. My arms are what she knows, they are very familar to her.
And so many times I feel like Scout when I'm facing the unknown or walking through something that is unfamilar. I am terrified, trembling and scared of what might come. Maybe this unknown, unfamilar thing is coming with great intentions, but it's different from what I'm used to and so I begin to get this pitiful look in my eyes and I want to be rescued, scooped up to safety. And that's exactly what He does! Many are the days those arms, the ones that were stretched out to save me, have held me close and carried me. Many are the moments that He saw the fear in my eyes, bent down, picked me up and reassured me that I was going to be okay. And the trust began to grow. And I realized that I can come into His presence, crawl into His arms, and I feel secure, unreachable, invicible. I know it's a safe place. A place where I can rest out of harm's way. A place where He speaks words of peace and comfort to me and my fear begins to subside, the tremors begin to go away. And it might sound to you like I'm a little spoiled... well, I am! But His love is deep, His arms familiar, and He faithfully carries me through it all!
#87 - Because He holds me until the fear subsides... and even then, He doesn't let go!
"When I am afraid I will trust in you." - Psalm 56:3