Great Big World

The puppies are now 6 months old, and are going to get 'fixed' today. Of course, by 'fixed' I mean 'broken' (as far as functionality of the parts they are 'fixing' is concerned)....and of course by 'broken' we usually mean correcting the problem of an animal peeing and pooping in our homes...so to correct it would be to 'fix' it, no? But 'fixing' means something else...the world of pets is counfounding is it not?

Anyway, the merry little 6 month-old weiner dogs discovered a while back that the great outdoors is far, far superior to being cooped up in a house. The contrast, when we took them outside for the first time, was quite remarkable. Previous to the expansion of their territory,
they would just race after each other all around the downstairs: around every corner, under the couches: Zip! Zap! Zoom! Just crazy. We laughed a lot to see them get their legs under them and tear around the house.

Then the day came for their discovery of the Great Big World Out There, and they discovered, in a new way that they could not have yet imagined, what looked to be the animal kingdom version of none other than good, old-fashioned, unbridled JOY. Oh, the leaping! The bounding! The Great Big World! Blue sky! Green grass! Fresh summer air!

And it took my breath away because it made me think of that first moment, for those who know Jesus as Lord, when they breathe the free air of Heaven for the very first time...even as Janie who has gone ahead of us has discovered. I gasp to think of her so free. Oh, the JOY of the Great Big World!