Anger Management

It's been over a week since I have turned over a new leaf with the kids and I am feeling really hopeful. Last night, however, Max came in from a romp outside chalked full of running, barking, and eating dirt in the yard after which he promply dribbled mud and slobber all over my blanket. Without hesitation I whacked him in the head. This troubled Dale, who: a. adores this dog more than any other worldly possession and b. keeps me in check with my mindless acts of cruelty to pets. I didn't even think about it, I just smacked him. Here's the difference though, I felt remorse about it.

We've had this puppy for a while now and have been through every stage with him because we got him so little. He has driven me to the very brink of going out of my mind with rage due to his puppyesque antics. Because he is huge now, I don't worry too much about hurting him. I used to give him a whack everytime we stepped out of line without a thought. It's effective, but not always necessary.

Here's the conclusion, my friend summed it up best when she said of her own pet, "Every ounce of dying to the flesh that I do on a daily basis is turned on that dog at the end of the day." This is a perfect description of the last few years of Scooter's life, and more recently the entirety of Max's adolescence. At the core of repentence I am sure that unkindness toward animals is the last trophy of my flesh, and if I cannot master this one menial thing, there resides in me a foothold for the enemy and an open door for anger to continue to reside.

This is my confession and I'm truly trying to change, the poor muts. Something about having children changes your perspective of animals, unless you and an over-the-top animal lover. I have one friend that has almost gone to the extreme in confessing that sometimes she likes her dogs better than her kids, tongue-in-cheek I'm sure. I was appalled, but I am not an over-the-top animal lover.

It's a grueling process to be stripped of your pride and the secret sins that you clutch, but it's so freeing. This is the freedom Christ promises us in His salvation; this is truly abundant life. No regrets.