in need of some character…

I’m having one of those “on edge” days/nights.  I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I’m a little off-kilter.  There are a lot of things up in the air right now.  Our house is in the middle of a remodel, leaving 7 of us to share one bathroom/shower.  The dog is peeing submissively (I can’t believe that no one left a comment to tell me that Amie probably said submissive, not sympathetic).

I found myself growing frustrated with everything today–the dog, the house, the rain…

I need to get some perspective, to step back, take a couple of deep breaths.  One of the things that always seems to bring me back to center is to practice GRATITUDE.  Each day I spend part of my time with God thanking him for the things he is doing in my life.  When I focus on gratitude, it becomes easier to deal with the stresses of everyday life.

A few years ago I heard Erwin McManus talk about the Character Matrix.  It was a life-changing moment for me.  Not life-changing in the sense that I figured it all out and was instantly different; transformational in that I got a new perspective on how God wants to work in my life, to develop character in me.  It’s a process, a renewal of my mind and heart.  God is actively working to form the character of Christ in all of his followers, and I believe that he is working in me.  I need to listen, to respond, to submit, to trust him.  I want to be teachable, to grow in character, to be more like Christ Jesus.

Oh, and back to the submissive urination issue…WebMD has a section on pets.  Here’s the last bit of advice/instruction in dealing with a submissive peeing dog:

DO NOT VERBALLY SCOLD YOUR DOG OR PUNISH YOUR DOG IN ANY WAY. Scolding and punishment are likely to make the problem worse. The more you yell at your dog, the more he’ll feel motivated to submissively urinate in an attempt to make you less angry.

So I guess I’ve got to go apologize to the puppy, and find a new tactic for communicating my displeasure with her peeing in the house…good grief!