Willful Disobedience

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (James 4:17, NLT)

If you've followed Key Tov Blog for very long, you know we have a wonderful dog named Bo. He is a wonderful, obedient, loving dog. He is a rich blessing to our family.

There are activities Bo loves and there are activities Bo hates. 

He loves to go bird hunting. 

He hates to get a bath.

Bo has been bird hunting a lot lately. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the last two weekends and he's hunting again this upcoming weekend. Bo will hunt from daylight to dark! 

Due to all that hunting, he needed a bath today. Bo's bath is a huge joke at my house. He runs. We laugh. He hides. We laugh. He pouts. We laugh. It is hilarious how much he hates his bath.

My middle child gathered Bo's bathing paraphernalia. Bo knows the drill. As soon as he saw his bath items come out of the cabinet, he ran to Mike in hopes Mike could rescue him out of getting bathed. Nope. And he pouted the whole time he was being bathed. My girls took him for a walk after his bath so he could dry off before coming back inside.

As always, the "joke" was on Bo. He was upset while we were all laughing at him over his behavior.

Mike and I were sitting outside on our lanai about to eat breakfast when Bo came back into the house. He ran to the door as if to tattle on the girls. Again, we laughed. Bo isn't allowed to sit near the table while we eat so we told him to go back inside. He turned around, stuck his tail between his legs, and slowly walked back inside, and laid down…right inside the door. Again, we laughed. Then he went a step further, and stuck his front paw just outside the door.

We laughed again and I said, "That's like doing what I said, but not doing it all the way, and with a bad attitude." We left him there and didn't say a word to correct him.

All through breakfast, Bo continued to adjust his body weight in an attempt to relieve the pain and pressure on his own body! All the while, leaving his leg outside the door. Not doing anything to help himself. All he had to do was move his leg and put his whole body inside!

Obedience.

Every time he adjusted and groaned we laughed at him. I thought, it would be way easier (and less painful) for him to just do what I said. The floor is way more comfortable than laying on those sliding glass door tracks!

He was mad and pouting while the rest of us went happily about our day.

Then. All the sudden. My heart cried out, "Oh Lord my Lord, for all the times I didn't do what I knew to do, but instead made adjustments here and there in an effort to relieve self inflicted pain and pressure. How many times I've ran to You and tried to get out of doing something I knew I had to do, just like Bo ran to Mike to get out of having a bath! Thank You for Your Son who taught us, "Not my will, but Your will be done". Thank You for loving me enough to teach me follow through. Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me! Oh great is Your faithfulness! Oh great is Your unfailing love-love-LOVE! Thank You for showing me life lessons through the attitude and behavior of my dog! I will keep my heart and attitude connected with You and Your Word! I will attend to Your words, I will incline my ear to Your sayings! I will be willing, teachable, and obedient! Father, I pray for each reader right now. In the name of Jesus, I thank You for conviction that prompts us to get off the "tracks" we're on, stop making adjustments trying to relieve pain and pressure, and to just obey Your life giving Word! Forgive us for pouting! Forgive us for all the times we've known what to do and didn't do it. Thank You for forgiving us as we forgive others. Thank You for teaching us to operate in love, mercy, and grace to others as You have so graciously loved us and extended Your heart of mercy and grace to us!

James 4:17

Luke 22:42

Psalm 51:10

Lamentations 3-22, 23

Psalm 136

Psalm 37:23

Proverbs 4:20

Ephesians 4:32

Indescribable Focus

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5, NLT) 

My dog, Bo, has an indescribable ability to focus. At times, I think my focus needs to be more like Bo's focus.

For example, when we take him to the beach (or anywhere for that matter) as we are leaving our apartment, he continually makes eye contact with me. He disregards whatever is going on around him and constantly "checks in" with me by watching my every move. He stays at my heels until I give him the command to get in the car.

As we walk downstairs to leave, my girls are excited and saying, "Come on Bo! Come! Come!" But Bo, very obedient, ignores them, focuses on me, walks at my side, and waits for my command/direction. That has to be difficult for him because he is so excited when he gets to go with us. But he maintains self control and proper focus.

We currently live on one of the main roads in Honolulu at one of the busiest intersections in the city. You know what that means…traffic…major traffic. Again, Bo ignores his surroundings, keeps his eyes on me and waits for my direction.

As we walk to our car, people walking on the sidewalk greet us. At the beach, beach goers are engaging in water sports and playing ball games. Bo really likes ball games but he still maintains focus and self control. He checks in with me via constant eye contact, staying at my heels, and waiting for my direction.

If I were a jealous person, I'd be tempted to be jealous of Bo's focus!

Bo has taught me a very valuable life lesson. 

• Be obedient
• Maintain self control
• Keep proper focus

No matter who or what surrounds me at all the busy intersections of life, I commit to ignore external forces, focus on God, and wait for His command/direction. (Matthew 6:33)

Father, thank You for blessing me with my dog, Bo. He teaches me lessons I never would have thought of had You not brought him into my life. He is a blessing! Father, in the name of Jesus, as I submit my spirit to Your Holy Spirit, please quicken me and remind me to maintain focus. When I'm at a busy intersection in life, when life's traffic seems to be buzzing around me, when people play games, whatever the case may be that temps me to steal my focus from You, I know You will fulfill Your promise and draw closer to me as I draw closer to You. (James 4:8) I pray this same prayer for every reader. Thank You for strengthening us to maintain correct focus, You! We love You so much LORD! Our heart's desire is to bless and honor You!

Bo, the recipient for the Best Pooch Ever Award!

I Just Don't Understand.

As most of you know, we have a dog named Bo. Because of Bo, I now understand the saying, "A dog is a man's best friend." I also understand the saying, "I wish I could be the person my dog thinks I am." 

Bo loves to be with me. When I'm working at my desk, Bo is at my feet. Most of the time, he lays on my feet. When I am reading on my lounge chair, he lays beside me. When I leave the house, Bo loves to go with me. 

Bo always wants to go with me but unfortunately, it isn't always safe for him to go with me. For example, today I was going to downtown Honolulu for several appointments and had to be gone until after noon. Bo believes he should always be able to go with me. I can't explain to him why he can't sit in the hot car for four hours while I am at appointments. All he knows is, he wants to go with me. He doesn't understand that I am keeping him safe at times, by refusing to allow him to go with me. He will never understand because my thoughts are higher than his thoughts. 

His face was so sad today when I was leaving and made him go back inside the house. He drooped his eyes, lowered his head, put his tail between his legs, and slowly walked away. His bone in his mouth (looking like a binkie) completed his pitiful look. 

He could not understand that my refusal to allow him to go was actually a decision to keep him safe.

This reminded me of a conversation I recently had with a very close friend. It is the same conversation I've had with numerous other people throughout the years. My friend was going through a very hard time and she asked me, "Is what I'm going through an attack from the enemy…or am I out of the will of God?" I'm sure we've all asked that question.

So many times, we want to go somewhere or do something but it never comes to fruition. And so many times, we just don't understand. 

It's times like this that we determine to trust the Creator of the universe and accept that His ways are far beyond anything we can imagine. The next time we want to do something that just doesn't pan out, we cannot droop our eyes, lower our head, and put our tail between our legs. No. We must trust God and His ways, knowing He is working all things together for our good! (Romans 8:28) 

Father, I pray for every reader right now. In the name of Jesus, I pray You illuminate their hearts to Isaiah 55:8-9 so that the next time they are faced with a situation they just don't understand, that they will determine to trust You and rest in knowing You always work all things together for their good. Thank You Father! I also ask that You bless them and keep them, make Your face to shine upon them and be gracious to them! Lord, please lift up Your countenance upon them and give them peace! (Numbers 6:22-27) I thank You for giving me the confidence to know, when I ask anything according to Your will, You hear me. And when You hear me, You answer me! (1 John 5:14-15)