DOGS

Going with the themes on animals or critters this month, the next topic up for discussion is dogs. Man's best friend, livin' like a dog, in the dog house, dawg, DOGS (as ol' screeter used to say), etc...the sayings and connotations live on with our four footed furry friends. There are two ways to look at it as with a lot of things. In a negative way, it's not good to be living like a dog, hounding other people, and dog houses are usually reserved for the misbehaving husband joke. On the other side of the story, it would be very nice to be a canine in America's society (well society of the upper middle class nonrural dog lovers). Consider this, you stretch awake with the morning light or sounds of others up and about. Someone pats your head, lets you go outside to take care of business before coming in to a nice belly rub and breakfast placed before you. Each time a two footed creature passes all you gotta do it wag your tail, put on the cutest dog smile face ever and you get a back rub, your hair messed with, and people scratching in the perfect spot, so perfect you admittedly catch yourself leaning in and your leg starts to quiver in delight. Aww...the life of a dog...not so bad after all.
What is it about the fur covered friends that attract our hands. Is it the physical touch we long for as a people group that is fulfilled in just a tiny part by the sensory experience we get through out hands? Being one who works to train the hands to feel things beneath the surface, who is in the occupation of the laying on of hands for information, for the inside scoop, the sense of touch is a powerful thing. Numerous well-educated researched people write of the mystery of touch, of what other power there is that is unexplainable but appears to be linked to physical contact. (If I were an astute person now I'd cite some of those sources, but trust me on this one, and I'm on break right now.) I do know for a fact and you can research this one yourself if you need the written textbook proof, that the nervous system and the skin come from the same embryonic layer. Our prescious nerves that fire at lightning speed to relay information and the protective, yet very sensative outercovering of our bodies come from the same material. This make-up is different from what the muscles come from, it is not the same thing our organs originate with. No, this is different, this is sensative, this is intricate, this is not a coincidence. God, the Creator, Maker of all things good, and we as people are a pretty cool creation I must say, did this for a reason. He made it so obvious that no one can deny, though they may not be able to understand, the need for touch. The inconceivable phenomena and miracles that happen through one set of skin brushing against another. She touched His cloak, her bleeding stopped, and He noticed that power went out from Him to heal someone. He took her hand and she stood up, dead just seconds earlier(Mark 5:21-43). He held the little children and said, become like these (Mark 10:13-16). He touched, He held, He felt, He knew the importance, He knew what He was doing, He was God.
Granted not everyone is pieced together the exact same way, not all enjoy the hand of a stranger anywhere but in their right hand. Some even dislike the trained hands of professionals to go beyond the bubble space. I feel for those; I would get them a dog. I would get them that constant companion that they can count on to be excited to see them at every turn of the corner. Everyone needs at some time or another that pet that will take the owner on a walk, the one who will smother contact points and get inside the bubble, the one who though disciplined has a will of steel and will come back wagging the tail in delight of your attention, the one with soft fur and wet tongue to elicit giggles of delight on a saultry day. Yep, I should get a therapy dog, someday, if not therapeutic for others, definitely therapeutic for me:)
Wag on dear friends, wag on.