Thanks to my mother, my dog enjoys almost 24/7 human company -- in fact, not only human company, but actual physical contact. (Yes, he is incredibly spoiled.) But Mom and I do manage to get out once in awhile for several-hour dogless excursions. This may be a happy time for us, but not for Cody; if you've ever had to look into the sad, reproachful eyes of a dog on your way out the door, you know what I mean.
But for about the past year, whenever we come back home after a day trip, we inevitably find a piece of his kibble at the door. Sometimes Cody himself is waiting at the door, and when we enter he grabs the kibble in his mouth and tosses it around in glee. But usually the kibble is just sitting there. (I have to explain, at this point, that my dog has a Rainman-like eating schedule, and generally isn't playing with his food between his self-designated meals.)
I was describing this behavior to a friend the other day, saying that I found it quite touching, although I didn't quite understand it. She thought for a moment, then suggested, "Maybe that's his way of praying to you to come home."
Oy. I am not worthy.
Maybe this is what our prayers seem like to God, when we're in bargaining mode: "See? I'll give you this nice piece of lamb-and-rice kibble if you'll just pleeeeease help me..." And the thing is...ever since I was a young'un I've been told that these sorts of quid-quo-pro prayers are very bad; that we don't have anything worth giving to God anyway. But then I think about my reaction to my dog. I'm not offended by his kibble; I don't see it and think, "How dare he try to bribe me with his worthless, smelly dog food!" I think it's sweet. It makes me love him more. It makes me wish that we could communicate in a way that would reassure him that we're not abandoning him; that we're coming back.
Maybe this is what our prayers seem like to God.
Cody, post-bath -- no kibbles forthcoming!
12 comments:
He is TEH CUTE.
This is too cute! What kind of dog is he?
OK - I usually find what you say to be so insightful. But I'm thinking you are reading a little bit much into your dog's behavior on this one.
I'm all about animals being a wonderful creation of God - but the dog praying for you to come home thing is just too far a stretch for me. I can't wrap my head around the praying dog thing.
I do, however, believe that animals have their own ways of praising God. It's the praying thing that's got me all hung up. I'm thinking that prayer is a gift that God gives to humans only. It's part of having dominion over the animals, isn't it?
I mean, I've got a dog. too - a wonderful dog who is truly a part of our family. A dog which we spent nearly all day bathing and grooming (he's a labor intensive guy!) So I like animals, but the whole anthropomorphism (sp?) thing is too big a stretch for me.
-C
From "Rejoice in the Lamb", by Benjamin Britten:
"For I will consider my cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the living God.
Duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance
Of the glory of God in the East
He worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body
Seven times round with elegant quickness.
For he knows that God is his saviour.
For God has bless'd him
In the variety of his movements.
For there is nothing sweeter
Than his peace when at rest."
It was after singing this text for the first time that I even thought much about God's relationship with earthly animals. And then it made sense to me that God made the animals to praise him also.
So - praising God? Sure! Praying to God ... I don't know ...
-C
Thought and Humor: Um...huh?
Charlotte and Mary Beth: Yes, he is. (Actually he's not too cute today -- we had company, and he was very bad -- but he's usually cute. He's a Maltese -- not the teacup kind; he's 9 pounds.
Anonymous: Sweetie, it's a blog entry; it isn't an MTh thesis or a Churchwide Assembly resolution. Let it go.
I love you, LC. I mean, really. (Give Cody my love, too!)
You (AND your theology/soteriology/liturgics) rock!!! :-D
(Have I told you how good those cookies you made are? Especially with a---fairly inexpensively priced---Single Malt Scotch, that my pure-livin-Lutheran-turned-corrupt-Anglican friend brought over??? :-D)
Cody is beautiful.Is this the dog you clean up after all the time? My dog, a (beagle) gets separation anxiety)everytime we leave and chews up his blanket in his crate. Toby then proceeds to scold us when we return. A sign at my vets office says, I wish I was as good a person that my dog thinks I am.
J.C.: Yer makin' me blush! [blushing]
I've never thought about pairing raspberry bars with Scotch...probably because I'm not supposed to indulge while on my blood pressure pills (a glass of wine or beer pretty much sends me under the table...an amusing sight, to be sure, especially since I tend to be wound a little tightly, but...I like to remember from day to day where I was and what I was doing;-)). I was once at a "do," pre-high-blood-pressure meds, where they mixed half-frozen raspberries with Cointreau and poured the slush over Breyer's Vanilla Bean ice cream...that was pretty good.
Anyhow, glad you liked 'em. I made a batch with apricot jam, and they were pretty good too. The beauty part of the recipe is, you can put just about anything in 'em...you can also put strawberry jam and peanut butter chips in between the layers, and that's pretty tasty too.
Other Anonymous: Beautiful? Tee-hee! Oh, I don't know about that...but he is definitely a character. Right now he is trying desperately to persuade my mother to sit in his favorite chair; he's leaning against her legs, looking up at her, squeaking beseechingly: "I wuv you, Mum!...pweese sit in my chair!..." Like I said, smart as he has to be...
One thing Cody is not is a chewer...partly because he only has about a third of his teeth. Maltese have terrible dental problems anyway, and my vet says he's a "lazy chewer," which is actually good for us if not for him.
That's very cute!
Peace,
Chris
I think Codeman might be related to our dog, Chin. They look so much alike (especially when we let her fur grow out.)
Really enjoyed your blog.
Cathy (Episcopalian, so not too different from the Lutherans!)
"Anonymous: Sweetie, it's a blog entry; it isn't an MTh thesis or a Churchwide Assembly resolution. Let it go."
I understand that it's a blog entry. It just strikes me as odd that in the midst of good theology and insightful witnesson this blog, there is this. Cute dog and everything, but the post lends a flavor of non-credibility to a blog, which is full of stuff that is hugely credible.
That's all.
But I have let it go now.
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