Language Barrier

We were hoping it wouldn't happen...

Solomon, at 2 and 1/2, is smart (at least this Pup Mommy thinks so!) His language is vast! He knows the basics: sit, lie down, night-night-bye-byes, hugs, kisses, Pupperoni, snack, walk, stay, stop, etc. He knows phrases: "Do you have to go potty?" "Who's a good boy?" "Let's go see!"  "Do you want to go for a ride?" "It's okay!" (comfort code for whatever is causing him distress) He knows different times of day: when I'm leaving for a run versus when I leave for work, he knows that after the vacuum runs and I wipe things off on a Saturday it's time for a walk, he knows that he can come upstairs during the day but at night he stays down, he knows that when I come in on Friday mornings with a bunch of bags he'll get a treat. 

And if I say, "Get me that alligator!", 75% of the time he'll bring me the right toy. 

We noticed, however, about a year ago that Solomon began to develop an aversion to sudden noises. I'll accept fault for this, as I was playing chase with him in the house and all our stomping around caused a big pot to fall and the sudden CRASH freaked him out. Since then, any grabbing of pots, pans, dishes, etc. sends him scurrying for the most part. Poor Pups...

He also has developed a dislike for cell phone alerts, especially from new people's phones. A horn, a ring, a honk=no bueno. He runs to the back door for refuge. 

He is even skittish around meeting new people, much to my dismay as I am still determined to certify him as a therapy dog. When we are out walking and a neighbor wants to come over to say hello I try to make him come over...he has a tendency to huddle behind me or walk away...again, no bueno.

All this I can deal with. Mark and I are humored by some of it, shake our heads at some of the rest of it, but still relish in the fact that we have a wonderful, blessing-giving dog. Until...

I guess it was bound to happen...? I went to work and heard the rumblings. Concentrated on the road but glanced up when the flash of light happened. A spring thunderstorm. Probably haven't seen one for many months. But Solomon had been through his share in his 2 1/2 years will no ill effects, unlike Marni who used to try and claw her way through walls, pant, pace, and whine for hours. (Yes, we tried the Thundershirt=doesn't work).

I got to work today and saw that Mark, still home, had texted me. "Someone is now not a fan of thunderstorms". Oh no. I asked what Solomon was doing. "Shaking and won't leave contact...tucked under my leg wherever I go". 

I'm sure Mark did the best he could to comfort him...but what can you do? We don't speak "dog"...and I'm guessing even the "comfort code" of, "It's okay!" didn't do anything to calm him. He just didn't understand or refused to see past what he was experiencing in the moment...(sigh)...Language barrier! If we could "speak dog" we could just have told him to chill, it's all good, this will pass...I guess we now have "one of those dogs..."

I pondered this throughout the day...Don't we do the same thing with God sometimes? We know His words: peace, mercy, love, comfort, joy...We know His phrases: "I will never leave you nor forsake you", "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon You"..."Be anxious for nothing..."yet we sometimes give in to the seeming terror of the moment and even those "comfort codes" doing nothing. 

I've been awake since 2:20am...my mind ruminating on all the minutia I have to do for the Sleep Out: Women Unite! event taking place 4 weeks from Friday. $88,370 dollars that need to be raised, the name tags, the panel groups, prepping the kids, the food, the signage, media, staffing, tents, table settings, pictures, etc. All falling on yours truly for this event since we are having the same event in Newark on the same date AND 2 student sleep outs=staff is maxed out=Jen does 99% of it.  So be it...let's roll!

Yet...am I being Solomon? Don't I hear my Savior, my gracious God in the wee hours of darkness as I lay in bed and try to figure out how to do it all say, "It's okay!" Yes...I do...and in that I do take comfort...there is no language barrier with God.