April 24
Yesterday morning I found Cali hiding outside between her dog kennel and the kitchen wall. It was a very unusual place for Cali, and I had never seen her there before. Opening the slider, I realized she was extremely agitated. She jumped up, ran around the patio panting and squeaking, and then she dashed inside. I’m thinking, “Ok, what just happened? Did you encounter a pack of coyotes; did you chase away a ferocious bear; or did you defend our back yard from a herd of wild boar?” After trying to figure out her heroic act, it dawned on me-she was terrified of the rainbirds. Since we rescued Cali in February and I had not watered the lawn, the sprinkling system was something new to her. She could not understand why all this water was gushing up from the ground. Here was my powerful, alfa dog whimpering over my sprinklers. I was ashamed for her. I offered her comforts and assured her that the world was not coming to an end. I got up this morning and found Cali in another state of panic. Sure enough, the rainbirds had turned on. She grabbed a favorite toy and ran inside. She ran up the hall and down the hall; in the kitchen and out of the kitchen; she ran in the living room and back out into the hallway. I could not calm her down. After reassuring her that all was ok, I decided to take her for a run. When she saw my running shoes and my hydration pack, she jumped up on the sliding glass door in complete exticy. I could not believe it. One moment she was in a state of panic and the next moment she was jumping with joy. Philippians 4:6 states, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (NAS). There is a difference between fear and anxiety. Fear is a feeling one gets over a tangible and logical danger, whereas anxiety is a dread over something that is not real. Cali was experiencing anxiety. When her perspective shifted, the anxiety went away. She went from complete panic to unbelievable joy. Jesus tells us not to be anxious. When we realize that God controls our life, our perspective will change, and we can experience peace. Next time you feel those dreaded pangs of anxiety, try to remember-they just might be rainbirds.
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