Ok. I know. I think the saying really goes something like, “Let sleeping dogs lie,” but y’all know I never was one for too much convention in my life. Anyone who had leftover pie for breakfast, is likely to have cookie cake for lunch, and has a sign hanging in her kitchen that says, “Always ask for sprinkles!” is not too concerned about how something “should” be.

But my daily food choices and sprinkles are not what this post is about. It’s about barking dogs. In this case, it’s my dog, Winston. He’s been teaching me some lessons lately. I’m calling it #winstonwisdom.

But you have to watch this video to understand.

Make sure your sound is on.

It’s the little things that get me to thinking…

Some days I am the squirrel. Single-minded focus. Eyes on the prize. Determined not to let anyone or anything distract me from my purpose… from what God has for me… or what God is trying to do in me or through me.

Some days I am the barking dog. I’m in somebody else’s business. I’m the distraction. I’m the nagging voice. The excuse… the justification… the deterrent… and heaven help me, some days I’m the irritant.

Now I’ll straight up tell you, my dog is way cuter than this squirrel, but… I still want to be the squirrel. I want to be able to tune out the noise. I want to just let barking dogs bark without allowing their noise to create doubt, insecurity, or fear. Without causing me to be distracted, to pause or stumble… or worse yet, to run away.

The world is full of barking dogs. They come in all shapes and sizes. It’s the innocent comment that leads to gossip. It’s the “well-intentioned” friend. It’s the critical look a complete stranger can give. It’s the Facebook post from your high school sweetheart. It’s a unexpected bump in the road. It’s the TV show or the song on the radio that just has “a little bad language”. It’s the “I’ll take a quick look at Pinterest and then get to my Bible study.” It’s the ding of the email inbox or the text message. It’s the …

Oh that we might keep our eyes on the prize! Oh that we might run the race with focus and perseverance! That we might keep our eyes on Jesus!

“By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”

Let’s let the barking dogs bark! Who’s running with me?

 

 

 

P.S. And yes, I’ve got sprinkles. Always.