Repentance

Linus has a habit that I'd like to help him correct. It bugs me. It interrupts my sleep regularly. The four of us (Beloved, me, Linus & Lucy) sleep in a queen-sized bed. For a long time, they slept in a kennel next to the bed, but they sleep longer if they're with us, and besides--what's sweeter than a just-waking-up puppy, first thing in the morning?

Except.

For the last week or so, Linus has not been willing to go to bed when we do. We've had a schedule change during the week, and he's not used to it yet. So we're running the pups around in the evening to tire 'em out, and we've commanded him to "lay down" (which he's just learning) and to "stay," (which he knows how to do). To no avail. He jumps off the bed and goes to sleep on the floor.

Which means that, sometime in the wee hours, he realizes that he's away from his pack, and starts popping up around the edges of the bed like a prairie dog.

Can I come up? I'm lonely!

Which means that one of us has to get up and help him onto our very tall bed, where he contentedly sleeps the rest of the night. I don't go back to sleep as quickly as he does.

I was sort of grumping around the house this morning when it hit me: he's ME. And luckily for me, God manages more grace in this situation than I do. I always get warmly welcomed back when I assert my independence like a 7-month-old puppy.

Not the first time Linus has taught me something! I'm going to shoot for "gracious" tonight. :-)