If you want to become a writer but you are afraid you’ll not come up with enough ideas to write here is the solution – get a Jack Russell Terrier. Indubitably, without fail, my Jack Russell could have a whole blog just about him but I believe the “Dog with a Blog” idea has already been done. Yesterday, I came home from work and let my dog outside my front door. I came back in to kick off my dress shoes, check on my daughter’s whereabouts, and turn down the air conditioning. I sloshed back over to my front door to beckon my pup. I called for him. I whistled. I did my special loud rhythmic clap;however, no Scooter appeared. “He’s nowhere in sight. And I don’t hear him barking after anything within the block area. It did rain. . . I bet that little turkey went into the culvert again!” Accusingly, I suspected him to be in a culvert that runs the full length of our property. Especially after a rain, he loves to go in there and investigate the narrow tube like it was his own personal Lincoln Tunnel. That’s just what Jack Russel’s do. . . they love to go under and through things especially when they are not supposed to and especially if there is muck and mud to get their little paws in.
Now my clapping became so loud that my hands hurt from the abuse. “He better get in here! It is way too hot for me, hollering down some pipe on both ends of my yard in hopes that he finished playing, sniffing, whatever!!” Then I felt the holy spirit soften my heart and quiet my anger. A voice inside my head said, “Maybe he is at the inside garage door all this time I called for him?”
Sure enough, I snuck around outside to look into my garage from the driveway and there was my cute little dog. . . just staring up at the garage/house interior door waiting for it to open. 
He was staring directly at the doorknob awaiting for it to turn only because he knew I had to open it. Scooter probably thought for sure that I would be opening the door to let him in after all that racket I had made to get him in. I chuckled inside as I watched him cock his head from left to right with tail wagging ferociously as if he could communicate his thoughts . . .”I’m right here! I came when you called! Why aren’t you opening the door?!” It was kind of cute in a stupid silly way. He had acted upon my commands like a good little boy he just showed up at the wrong door.
Even from behind him I called his name again and it took him a minute to realize that I had not been at that door of the house all along. I had actually been at a different door expecting his arrival. How many times in my life have I felt so proud of myself – tail wagging, ears perked up, and head cocked? I chose the wrong door when God had one wide open for me.
Sometimes you can feel that you are really giving it your best yet still nothing happens. No opportunities presented. Nothing changes. No doors seem to open. You ARE a Jack Russell! Nahhh . . . just kidding . . .I wanted to see if you were still reading attentively. And if you are a Jack Russell I hope you are not offended by any statements in this column or any others I have written.
Well I believe we just go to the wrong door. WE simply go into a familiar direction or take a path we know quite well and miss out on being at the right door earlier. It is really impressive to hear God calling for you but you have to pay enough attention to not only hear him but know where he wants you to go and where he might be waiting for you to show up. I found for myself as of late not only did I go to the wrong door but being flat out resistant and cowardly to go to the right one. In my mind I was saying “I can’t do that! That transition will be too hard! No one will support me and my family with this choice! We will have to fight many battles if we go to that door! Can’t we just take what’s behind door #2 like in ‘Let’s Make a Deal?'” God doesn’t work that way does he? Nope. He works in all kinds of ways and he uses methods and means that might make us uncomfortable but the journey will build upon our character and our upon our faith.
No matter what God still peeks around the corner. I can see God now just looking down me shaking his head maybe even putting his head in his hands but proudly grinning when I’m being all cute and clueless AND AT the wrong place. As a woman I’m extremely familiar with the theory of no sense of direction I have no problem admitting to that (I also have no problem asking for directions unlike some genders. . . . ) As Christians we all should remember that we lose sense of direction too. Many feelings, many fears, many friends, many enemies, many things can make us avoid a complete obedience. We happily and quickly do as much as the normal Christian routine still lost in direction. Thank God for our Heavenly Lord having patience with us. I think he created Jack Russell’s just to remind of us of how having and keeping patience can be. I am glad that God has shown me there is so much more than just having a personal relationship with him. He has also taught me new lessons in being in his will. As for Scooter . . . I’ll just be thankful to see him come back to any door even if it’s the wrong one. At least that means he’s not stuck in the middle of a culvert.
