Puppy Pity Party

Well, here goes. My first contribution to the "blogosphere." I am writing at the conclusion of my first full day back in Nashville after an almost two-week stay at home in Bakersfield, CA.

Today, I picked up my dog Talula from A Bark Above, a wonderful doggie daycare where she stayed and received excellent care while I was away. (Sadly, she couldn't go with me due to a misunderstanding with the airline.) At any rate, I was quite excited about picking up my dear dog today. And, while she was excited initially to see me, upon arriving home, she found a comfortable spot, laid herself down, and stayed there for the duration of the day. No, this didn't just appear to be your average napping. Rather, she appeared to be brooding - moping even! I wished I could get inside her tiny brain (sorry Talula). I wished I could hear the thoughts going through her mind. Now I am no doggie psychologist, but surely she was thinking something along the lines of: "How dare she just pick me up from that place and expect things to be hunky dory? I've been wronged. I've been deserted - left alone. And I am NOT over it!!!"


As I went through the day observing this doggie pity party, I came to a stark realization. Talula's demeanor quite aptly resembled my own. You see, of late, I've been experiencing a time of darkness that's been quite difficult to shake. If I am actually completely honest, at times I haven't even wanted to shake it! Like Talula, I've felt somewhat entitled to a good bit of wallowing in my own self-pity. Of course, for Talula, a $0.99 McDonald's hamburger (hold the ketchup) was the cure for the common heartache. For us in the human world, things are not quite so simple. I am having to force myself to search for the ray of light breaking through the darkness.

Over the past few days, the lyrics to a song called "40," as performed by a little known band called U2 have been meandering through my thoughts. It goes like this:

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He lifted me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song
How long to sing this song
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song

He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and fear

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song
How long to sing this song
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song

The lyrics are adapted from Psalm 40:1-3, and are a reminder to me that even when I'm in a pit of mire and clay, I should wait patiently on the Lord, and continue chasing light...Even when I don't wanna!