Guest Post: On Love and Dogs
When Jesse first told me that he wanted to write a “Marley & Me” style guest post about lessons he learned on faith from his dog, my initial reaction was “no way.” My second, third, fifth, and tenth response to this request was also “no.” I can’t stand his dog and couldn’t imagine that I would want to post anything about him. He’s gross. Not to mention the entire thing gave me the same wistful yet creepy feeling I get when people talk about Mitch Albom’s books, a feeling I work hard to stay away from.
But then I read his words, his undignified description of this mess of a dog, and saw the worry he experienced when the dog was injured last week in a freak one-stair accident. And I knew that I had to post this before he (the dog, that is) died. They love each other. It’s weird. But it’s real.
So here it is….
What I Learned about God from my Dog
By Jesse Wick (@jessewick)
Nicole loves animals. We have three of them: the cat she had when we met, a narcoleptic shih tzu named Pong, and a pesky maltese/shih tzu mix (malte-shitz?) named Mitzy. The maltese is incredibly dumb, though she does a great job protecting our home from squirrels, toddlers on tricycles, and the miniature pinscher down the block. The cat has a gentlemanly distaste for the dogs and tends to stay in the basement. (The dogs are afraid of the stairs.) But Pong… ah, Pong. The dog I always wanted. The only thing worse than his body odor is his breath. He is morbidly obese. He sleeps 23 hours out of every 24 (this is a rough estimate, not an exaggeration), snoring loudly. His idea of a “walk” is a quick trip halfway up the block to a nearby tree, upon which he dutifully pees, followed by a somewhat slower, panting waddle back home. He has the personality of a loaf of bread. He may be the most useless dog that ever lived.
And I love him.
And that’s the first thing he taught me about God. My love for him is not based on anything he does. It couldn’t be, because he doesn’t do anything except lie around and reek. I just love him. And he knows it. And he depends on it.
Now, lucky for us all, I’m not God. I’m sure God knows why he loves us. All I’m saying is that Pong doesn’t ask for reasons why I love him or worry that I don’t; he just trusts in it. Unlike the malte-shitz, who tries to earn my affection in all sorts of obnoxious and off-putting ways. (“Look! I love you! I’m jumping up and down frantically while snapping at your hand! Look! I’ve killed your daughter’s stuffed animal! Look! Here are the mangled remains of a dead bird I found! Aren’t I great?”) Pong doesn’t need to do all that. He just accepts my love without a blink or a second thought.
Being at home a fair amount during the day, I spend a lot of time around this dog. And I sometimes get that weird feeling that someone is watching me. I’m not paranoid; someone is watching me. Pong. When he is awake and doesn’t have his face in a food dish (which, again, is rare), he is mostly looking at me. Not wanting anything, just gazing at me. You’ve heard the old hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”? If I were Jesus, Pong would be the holiest living thing within fifty miles. It’s a constant reminder to me of where my own eyes need to be directed.
As a corollary to both of these points, Pong is content simply to be where I am. And by extension, he gets a bit agitated if he isn’t. If I go into a different room for any length of time (including, unfortunately, the bathroom), he will poke his head in there and just stand there gazing at me until I am done. He has a little bed next to ours and can’t go to bed without me. When bedtime is close, he’ll often stand at the bedroom door, huffing and puffing, until I come in with him. He doesn’t need me to stroke him, give him treats, tell him what to do, or anything else. He just needs me to be nearby. Then he can go back to his default state of contented lethargy. I should be so content simply to be near Jesus – without always wanting something from Him into the bargain.
Finally (because this is getting long), Pong counts on me. If he were a psalmist, he would have many names for me: Lord of the Vacuum Cleaner, The One Who Lifts me Onto the Couch (Because I’m Too Fat to Jump Up There), Filler of the Kibble Bowl, My Refuge in the Time of the Veterinarian. He’s not shy about admitting to me when he’s scared; at the vet, he puts his paws in my lap and pants furiously, gazing at me extra hard. He’s not afraid to tell me what he needs, standing in front of the couch or at the back door, doing a little shuffling dance while huffing and puffing pathetically.
You see, Pong doesn’t have an image to maintain.
He just has faith.
Love this!!! My favorite line: If I were Jesus, Pong would be the holiest living thing!
Love my dogs, too!!!
Your intro made me sad but I am glad I stuck around to read Jesse's post. It blessed me tremendously.
I'm sorry I made you sad. The secret truth is that I really do love that dog. He's a very good boy.
Great post!
Thanks! Some of us love our dogs. And Pong is a VERY good boy. Gross, but good.
I absolutely loved this post! I am not a pet person (not bothered by them just don't feel the need to have one myself) but this post made me smile. Thanks for the correlation Jesse. It was beautifully done!
I never thought I wanted a dog until I met Nicole. I had a rule: one cat per household, no dogs. But what can I say? Sometimes they just kind of tug on your heart a little.
Thanks!
Thanks! Everybody should have a dog. Or several!
love it.
awwww i heart pong! my dog has a big blind bulging eye too (we rescued him that way). everyone else things that he's kinda weird looking. i just love love love him. he's taught me a few lessons on loyalty and remaining faithful as well.
im glad all dogs go to heaven. i hope i dont see any cats in heaven tho.
Cats are the only other species besides humans to be stained by original sin. Seriously, watch them. They are deliberately evil. At least ours is.
I must say that this post was amazing. As an extremely busy person who often feels like she has a “Martha heart” in regards to her relationship with Jesus Christ, and one who owns two beautiful dogs, this post really touched me. So often I am amazed at how content my dogs are to know that I am just there and to rest at my side. Thank you for posting it.
Oh my gosh – this is HILARIOUS and beautiful all at the same time! We have two pugs and I COMPLETELY know what you mean. I have blogged about them more than once about how much I learn about God from them… and from the cats I used to have.
They are hilarious – they snort, they make funny noises, they whine. They zip around the house like crazy people… and they are absolutely captivating. It helps me remember God is captivated with us too… and I am with Him :)
Jesse you have to post more – I love this!!
here's the pugs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_YZf88hlY
This post made me laugh and then miss my dog. I moved 800 miles away from college and as my dog is nearing his 15th year of life, each time I leave from a visit I have to prepare for the worst. I give him a tearful goodbye and hope he'll be home next time I come visit. I will have to search for a spiritual analogy with my beloved dog.