Well, that phrase came to mind this morning right after my walk with Bingley--the morningus-with-our-dogus-horribilis. I wonder if they've covered that phrase yet in our son's Latin class? Maybe not.
Now in Mr.Bingley's defense, yours truly was not in the world's greatest mood when we set out on what was otherwise a spectacular spring morning. What's my excuse? How could anyone be grumpy on such a sunny, sparkling morning with azaleas and dogwoods blooming to beat the band? After all, my children are healthy--no ICU's, no crutches, no terrible diseases, praise the Lord. My creaky old body still functions, and my legs are still able to carry me down that greenway. My eyes can still see the astounding beauty all around me. My ears can still hear the glorious chorus of birds singing, and my nose can still smell the joyful scents of spring floating on the air.
So what's the excuse for my crummy mood? Seriously? None. Nada. Zippo. Only the niggling little worries of life that can steal your joy--little peace-snatchers of stresses about people I love, of an impossibly lengthy to do list, and even of a few irritable teenagers. All in all, no excuse for fussing and fretting.
Never a good idea to allow life's minor frustrations rob you of the joy, hope, and peace you should be enjoying in Christ. He died for our sins and gave us the inestimable gift of abundant, eternal life...am I really going to give in to doubting and worrying over such minor irritations? Forgive me, Father.
But back to the morningus horribilis. I won't go into great detail, but suffice it to say, Mr.B misbehaved. When a friend I ran into asked if I wanted to let him off the leash for a few minutes so he could rip and run with her dog in a big field on the greenway, it seemed like a fabulous idea. Well, that is until he found the very muddy, very horribilis creek on the far side of the field.
Like most labs, Bingley loves him some water...any kind of water, whether lake, stream, or puddle. So Mr.B proceeded to race up and down that creek. Up and back, up and back, up and back. Did I mention the creek was muddy? As in disgustingly, smelly muddy?
Bingley was having so much fun that I let him race back and forth for several minutes in that creekus horribilis (though in my defense, I was not immediately aware of how truly horribilis it was). The other dog--obviously wiser and shrewder than our enthusiastic water dog--avoided that creek like the plague. Good call on her part.
When I finally figured Mr. B. had had enough fun, I called him...and discovered I had a thoroughly wet, muddy, smelly--okay, yes, horribilis--dog on my hands. Maybe this wouldn't have been so distressing had I not had a parent meeting in a few minutes, so Bingley and I really didn't have time for a bath when we got home.
Then, on that walk back home, we passed a friend with another big black lab, and Mr.B chose that moment--when he was already on very thin ice with his already very grumpy mom--to lunge, bark, and generally act like a maniac. My friend gasped, and I could sense her shock and disapproval, which mortified and embarrassed me and left me feeling particularly horribilis towards my dog. Oh, and did I mention my back hurt too? Sure don't want to leave out any of the gory details.
When we returned home--yours truly in the most horribilis mood of the century and Bingley smelly, muddy and blithely unaware of how furious I was with him--I now had to give him a bath...and be late and filthy for my meeting. Suffice it to say, this would not be a relaxing spa-like experience for Mr.B.
Thank You, Lord, that my wonderful husband was still home, and after hearing me moan and groan and grumble and gripe, Richard proceeded to help me bath our dogus horribilis. Well, actually, Richard bathed him, while I held the leash and glared at Bingley. I must say, he looked terribly sad and repentant and my atrocious mood began to soften.
Post-bath, Mr.B was looking a bit sheepish, but happy to be sitting in the sun and no longer shivering from the blast of the hose's cold water--
Enough of all this drivel. Let me just skip to the end of the story...to the part where I realized what a nit wit I can sometimes be. Well, how about change that to "what a nit wit I can often be."
It hit me as I drove to the meeting--
Bingley misbehaved...my response was anger and frustration. I misbehave...and God's response is grace and forgiveness.
Bingley disappointed me...and I was spitting nails. I disappoint God..and He took the nails in His hands and feet.
Yes, "All we like sheep have gone astray." (Isa.53:6) We all, like Bingley, get muddy and smelly in our pride, our selfishness, our greediness...and God cleanses us from all unrighteousness and takes our filthy rags and gives us instead His clean, white robes of righteousness. (Isa.64:6)
Oh Lord Jesus, how can we ever say it often enough? Thank You, thank You, thank You for pursuing us, for cleansing us, for saving us, for redeeming us, and for sanctifying us. Please forgive us for how often we we forget the wonder of Your grace and lose sight of the glory of Your salvation. And forgive us, forgive me, for appalling ingratitude for the infinite riches of Your goodness and love.
Thank You for Your grace that is deeper than the ocean and higher than the heavens. Thank You for fresh starts...clean dogs...fresh, clean attitudes...and sparkling spring days. Thank You for Jesus.
To God be the glory.
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