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Drop It


My sweet little Annie is keeping me busy and on my toes. At thirteen weeks old now, she is pure puppy. Is it weird that I think we have a lot in common? We both love the morning, we wake up obnoxiously cheerful and so excited to see anyone that will talk to us. We love to eat and scarf down our food at record speed, causing unattractive belching and or hiccups. Going out for a walk is the highlight of our day because we hope to meet some new people( Ok this it where we are different, I do not feel the need to sniff people to say hi). And we both chase our tail and have no idea what to do with it when finally catch it. Then we crash around 8:00 pm, wake up at 5:00 am only to do it all over again. So aside from our age and a few other important factors, we do have a few things in common. 

I was thinking about this as I was chasing her around our bedroom while she had one of my socks in her mouth. Though she thinks this a fun game it drives me crazy how she gets under our bed, just out of my reach then I go to the other side and she shifts away from me again. I finally got her with the worn sock peeking out of the corners of her mouth. Though I can't for the life of me figure out why she would want one of my smelly, sweaty running socks. She had the tightest vice grip on that sock. I got down in her face,  locked eyes with her and firmly said " drop it" this was a command I had learned when we trained Molly, our first Labrador with the same temperament as Annie. Molly also had a disturbing appetite for smelly socks. What is it with these creatures? I tried to reason with Annie along with my "drop it" command. "This might seem tasty to you but there are some delicious carrots for you downstairs. What do you say you drop this sock and see if those carrots don't taste better?" Do you think that persuaded her? No! She locked her jaw and held onto that sock even harder. That's when it hit me.... I do that. 
Socks, water bottles, you name it...

I've held on to some "socks" for too long. I think I've let them go and then I get a little whiff of them and pick them up again. Although, my "socks" aren't smelly. They are usually people or circumstances that God has put in my life and for now has asked me to "drop them". Maybe because I was holding on to them too tightly. Maybe I was looking to them for hope and fulfillment or to meet my needs. Or maybe He just has something else for me during this season in my life. Unlike Annie, I can't run and hide under the bed with my socks. God is so patient with me! I wonder if He looks at me and thinks " Oh Connie, these socks might seem tasty to you but I have something so much better for you. What do you say you drop those socks and see for yourself?" 

I've been missing my socks. They ones I left in Arizona and Chicago. They fit just right and feel so good. I miss the smell and taste of those socks! It's lonely here without them and as the season starts up in both the ministries ( more socks) I had become a part of, I long to be there. But for now I know in my heart I need to drop it. It's not easy and now I understand why Annie wants to hold on so tightly. We want control. Ha! I say I don't want control but then I won't drop it either. Or I drop it and then pick it up again. I know I'm not in control and I can't change anything but I can change my attitude. And I can choose to drop it.


For someone who has gone through so much change this past year you would think I would have new lessons learned. Yes, I suppose I  have a few, but I find it interesting that God continues to teach me the same thing over and over. I should be encouraged since it reassures me that He doesn't give up on me. But seriously, when will I get this?  Connie drop it already! 

In my heart I dropped the idea of holding on to all of these socks. I went for a long run with God and dropped it. My conversation with Him was even repetitive on my end, " Ok God I trust you have something better for me, thank you for the countless socks you have given me. Even if I never receive  one more sock here, I will still choose to follow you!"  I stood at the end of my driveway out of the sight from neighbors so they don't think I'm weird (or figure out that I'm weird) and cried - again! Then I put on my big girl panties, came into the house and grabbed Annie. We went for a walk and about halfway around the block I ran into a neighbor that I had just met about a week ago. It's clearly not an accident that we would bump into each other again. We ended up walking together and talking about running and the subject of God came up. She told me about a group of ladies in the neighborhood that meet once a week for a bible study. She told me how much I would like them and that she would love to introduce me. Is God good or what? I don't know what He is up to but I'm thankful that He continues to work in my life and whenever I completely drop whatever sock I have a vice grip on, He always surprises me with something great! 

- Pressing On 

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