Day 28—Toast and Bones

“Toast and Bones”—it’s a strange combination, I’ll admit. But it’s not a new breakfast entrée. They’re actually the names of two dogs—ours and our neighbor’s.

I peered out from between the blinds today and just caught sight of a slight wag of a tail. “Yup,” I thought, Bones must see our dog coming up his driveway for a play-date. The wag of his tail grew more pronounced as he anticipated the ecstasy in which he was about to indulge. I KNOW that sounds like hyperbole, but you have to see it to believe it.

Little 16-week old Toast does the “puppy-run” up the lawn and leaps with NO FEAR onto the face of Bones. Bones feigns indifference with a gentle swipe of her head away from Toast’s leap, but quickly turns back to see what she’s going to do next. Then we humans take our seats as we begin to watch “wrestle-mania.” Dog style.

First one dives for the other’s neck and clamps down. Then the other shakes free and dives for the first one’s neck and clamps down. Sixteen-pound Toast tries to tackle 2’10”, 67 lb. Bones. She loses and goes rolling side over side down the hill. Amused, Bones takes his shot and tackles her. Whummph! Toast is body-slammed to the grass. Her tail wags wildly now! And she attacks Bones again. Pretty soon they end up in one indiscernible puppy-pile, rubbing each others' throat and neck with their heads. There’s nothing like dog-on-dog-smell I guess.

Then quick as lightning they both release their grips and start to tear around the yard in circles tighter than the key on a basketball court. One after the other. Opps—Time out! Found a new smell that needs sniffing. Then, just as quick—back to wrestle-mania. By the time they’re done we’re left with two very happy panting dogs, who are content to simply lay next to each other. Both are covered in fur, hair and lots of fresh dog spit. Oh boy.

I don’t know how else to describe to you what I’m watching except with the words: “unabated delight.” I’ve watched them play like this for several times now. And each time I watch, I can’t help but wonder… am I somehow peering deep down into the Design of God itself, seeing something of the sheer grace and delight with which God created His world, that’s woven into the very fabric of every part of His creation? And most of the time you and I just miss it because we’re enslaved to the Task Lists that we’ve fabricated from our own creations? It makes me wonder.