Vacation choices

Last week we had a nice trip away to Yosemite. The fall colors were breathtaking though the water had dried up coming over the falls. We saw lots of deer, just wandering free, even posing for pictures!
After a nice day there we headed to our motel. But there in lies a story. For several weeks ahead, Jon had tried to decide where to stay. He seemed to be procrastinating to me, but I kept my mouth shut.
When he finally got around to booking a room, all the rooms at the lodge in the valley were full. Choice number two was Curry Village and the tent cabins, but at $77.00 with no heat or bathroom, I vetoed that. Choice number three in the valley is the Ahwahnee Hotel. With rooms beginning at $436.00, you can bet we did not stay there.
So the search continued. He took so long debating ,I finally said,
“ You are acting like you are choosing between surgery or chemo therapy. Just make a choice and book.” (I said that I was not very patient).
We thought about the route with the least miles and decided on staying in Mariposa. He found the motel online and I came to complete the registration. When it printed out, it was for Oakhurst! I was surprised but thought maybe he changed his mind again. When I mentioned it he said,
“ No, we are staying in Mariposa.”
“ Not according to the printout!”
“ Huh???”
“ Check it out and see for yourself.”
He did and couldn’t explain it.
For my part, I just figured that God knew a better place to stay and was guiding us with his eye, well OK, with the computer!
As it turned out we had a great stay there and hit our favorite thrift store too!

Buddy's cough

The last week or so I have had one of those coughs that just hangs on. The worst time is when you lay down at night. So I have had to use cough drops at night and keep several on my night stand just for that purpose.
Well, Buddy must have thought he had a cough too. Two mornings ago I was laying awake, just cuddling with Jon. I knew it was time to get up but couldn’t seem to get my feet out of the covers. Buddy approached the bed and just looked at me. Then he reached out to grab the cough drop- while I was watching! How brazen can you get? He does know what they are and how tasty they are from last winter when Jon had a bad cough. We discovered he had stolen more than one then. But that was sneaky when no one was around. This was too much! I could not believe my eyes. Did he think I could not see him???
But I have to admit that sometimes I do blatant things too, as though God can’t see me.
Go just a little too fast because I left late.
Tell Jon I have already taken care of something when I had forgotten until he mentioned it.
Long for something I can’t have instead of being grateful for what I do have.
Pass on gossip as a prayer request.
Look the other way when I see a homeless person.
Well, I don’t want to give away all my secrets. You get the idea.
So I guess that Buddy is more like me than I thought.

Buddy's bad night

Well, Buddy had been doing better but last night was not good; his pacing began at 2:00 AM. And we had just gotten into bed at 12:30!
In desperation I hooked his leash to the night stand and to him so that he couldn't wander. Result? He just laid down and went to sleep- all night! He must have thought I was holding the leash( which I admit I have done in the past), close by, protecting him ,which relieved his seeming anxiety.
As I drifted off to sleep, God brought to mind the image of a yoke of oxen. The yoke is made for two animals. Each carries only part of the burden.
When Jesus talked about the yoke, it was also the symbol of surrender . He would carry the whole load and his child would have a light load once they yielded control . In Buddy's case, he traded his anxiety for peace of mind. He probably was thinking,' I am loved, provided for, I am not alone.'
Ahhh! Can you hear the sigh of the one yoked to Jesus? Surrendered to his protection . That sigh is me, well most of the time.

So what is wrong with Buddy?

Buddy is 14 but until recently he has seemed pretty spry. Granted he has lost some hearing though the word treat does not escape him. Also he has a corneal abrasion that has taken the sight in his right eye. But on the whole, he can still run down the stairs full force and see a cat 1/2 a block away.
This new thing of insomnia finally lead me to do some reading and I discovered that Buddy has Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. He paces and then stares off in space for no reason. When he finally stops pacing he will go around and around forever before he lays down. Then hops up again asap.His restless sleep is another sign. Also sometimes Jon calls him from upstairs and he goes to the door to find him, instead of looking upstairs. He seems sort of disoriented.
The suggestions are to walk him several times a day to keep up his interest in the world around him( we are good on that since he will not go to the bathroom at home, ever.) Also put his bed close to the family, so he does not feel isolated. We have found touching him more seems to relax him. Maybe the hearing lose makes him feel alone.
I thought about how my recent depression has made me feel disoriented, kind of 'off.' I have felt very lonely and sad. God directed me to start walking each day( like Buddy)- taking a Psalm with me to read or pray back to God. He also has revealed himself as Immanuel- God with me- listening, caring and touching me through others. How like him to show me that much of what Buddy needs, will heal me too.

So what is up????

Well, I was not well and then we were gone on a great vacation. But as you well know, you have to recover from vacation. What is with that???
Then our dog developed an annoying habit, a long running bout of insomnia. Who knew that dogs can get it? I sure have been familiar with it lately due to pain but Buddy's insomnia reinforced mine!
He has always slept well, even to the point of snoring and barking in his sleep. We have wondered if he was chasing a cat or car? Anyway, lately he has been up and down all night long.
The first problem was that on the wood floors, it was click, click, click. With the high ceiling in our bedroom, the echo was enough to wake me up if I had finally fallen asleep. Then he would come to my side of the bed and either nudge me or just stand there breathing in my face. either way,, my sleep was over the the immediate future. If he could talk, I think he would have said to me
" I am lonely. It's too quiet. I'm scared. Please wake up and be with me. I need you to protect me. Don't you care that I can't sleep?"
And to think I got him to be a guard dog!
Once I get up, he is delighted. He runs to the front door for a walk or the kitchen for breakfast.( at 2:00 AM!) .( more on this tomorrow)
I couldn't help but think of the disciples in the boat with Jesus. Those rough , tough fisherman were terrified in the 'perfect' storm. They were even more upset that Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat.
They finally roused him and said:
"Don't you care if we drown?"
And like I do for Buddy, He got up and quieted the storm and then His dear friends.