As you can tell by the picture, Linus is a tiny guy. He's also just as sweet and demanding in his presence as this picture portrays. Let's just say that he also suffers from what I like to call, "little man syndrome." He's suffered with it since he was born. The day I picked out Linus, I was actually going in hopes to get a little girl maltese. But Linus sold himself to me with his commanding presence. He was hillarious...fighting with all of his siblings and acting like a spaz. Perhaps b/c I am a little bit myself :), I like spunky personalities, so I was sold. The minute I put him in my car he crawled up on my neck and has demanded the attention and that very spot ever sense. He loves being the center of attention with people, but he absolutely hates other animals who steal it from him. The fact that he is spoiled doesn't help. Therefore, getting him used to the rest of my zoo was a challenge. We have managed for the most part however. All that leads me to yesterday. Like I said before, Linus suffers from little man syndrome and hates other dogs. The daily barking at them is quite annoying. Well yesterday, he officially humiliated and equally frightened me to no end.
I live on the 3rd floor and so everyday I have to hike 3 dogs up and down those stairs. Pooka can't walk them b/c she is blind, and Lucy thinks she is too good too. Therefore I carry Pooka and Lucy and Linus takes one for the team and walks down. Almost every day we see my neighbor walking his male pitbull and Linus barks to no end. Establishing his dominance, ya know. Well yesterday morning we had finished our walk and once I get them up the stairs and right outside my door I let them off the leash and open the door for them. It has seem to work fine until yesterday. I didn't hear or see my neighbor out with his dog, but apparently he was and Linus could smell him b/c the minute I undid his leash, he high tailed it down those stairs, barking up a storm. I jetted after him and by the time I got there, I found him attacking my neighbors dog and my neighbor having to hold him down. Let me remind you that Linus weighs 5lbs and this other dog is a rather large, male pit bull...hello! I snatched Linus up, quickly apologized, and then scooted as fast as I could back up the stairs. I was mortified and Linus was in trouble. I peeked outside my window to find my neighbor wiping blood off of his dog! Can you believe it?! That's it, I told Linus that I just knew we were getting evicted now. I hurried and wrote an apology note and stuck it on my neighbors door (he was already at work.) Last night when I got home he came by and said he had gotten the note and it was no big deal and thanks for it. He then wanted to ask if Linus was current on his shots b/c his dog had a pretty big bite and he didn't want him to get rabies. Oh my! I assured him he was and then he preceeded to tell me how Linus was hanging off of his dog's coat and trying to shake him. I see him do this with his toy rabbits. I could only imagine. He said it was actually kind of funny b/c his dog could have destroyed Linus but he just sat there scared. At that point I finally shifted from mortified to laughter. So true! I'm glad I wasn't there and that Linus didn't get tore up nor do any more damage, but I wish I could have seen it. It got me thinking...
As previously stated in another post, I am going through a 40 day journey book with Deitrich Bonhoeffer and yesterday was focused on Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." After studying that verse I was truly slayed by God. To be meek means to, "see yourself for how you really are; To be gentle." How often I look through eyes of my own rights and try to justify myself and fight for myself when wrong is done to me. That is not my place. My place is where Jesus' was...to replace the ear that Peter cut off for the injustice done to Him and to trust God to take care of it. That's hard to do. However, if we fight like Linus, we draw blood and are liable to get tore into ourselves. We don't bring Glory to God. That's the way I have been most of my life and I grieve over it now as I am aware of it. Thank God for forgiveness and teaching us! You see, to be meek means that we must die to our own rights. Bonhoeffer states, "No rights they might claim protect this community of strangers in the world. We must renounce all rights of our own for the sake of Jesus Christ." For Psalm 10:17&18 states, "O LORD, you will hear the desire of the meek; you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear to do justice for the orphan and oppressed, so that those from earth may strike terror no more." Amen! Let's release our rights and not look ridiculous like Linus! However, we could learn a thing or two from that little one. Have some confidence in who you are and go and slay you some "Goliath's." You are more than able with God on your side! Just beware when you are to fight and you only need the weapons of faith, truth and prayer. Put down your vicious teeth! :)
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