Dog Magnet

I secretly must admit that I am vicariously enjoying my daughter, Bryn's college experience almost as much as she is! My college years (Viet Nam era) found me riding my bike through police blockades, tear gassed streets and curfew shutdowns. Isla Vista, the town attached to UC Santa Barbara was a military zone after protestors burned down the Bank of America and threw off all restraints in their determination to have a voice in the War. Though not a protester myself, the energy of the era (and the moisture of the ocean) freed my hair to frizz and fuzz to outlandish proportions. Thus the nickname, "Bushwoman." Definitely not a man-magnet! More like Bride of Frankenstein! Bryn, however is quite the magnet and school is a safe, fun place to express her magnetic energy.

I can, however, make a strong claim to magnetism, just not in the human realm. Throw a party and no one will show up, but walk out into the street and every dog in a quarter mile radius will come a'runnin'. Given dogs' strong sense of smell, my aroma must be the calling card. Not exactly something you want to bottle and market though. I have spent some time analyzing this magnetism that attracts dogs, but not humans. Could be my quirkiness...habitual hummer, energetic verging on spastic, willingness to wiggle with delight at the sight of them, drooling when retainer is in...all potential canine turn-ons! Ed tells none of this does much for the male species...so I guess this explains my desert experience in college.

I was filling out a gifts and abilities survey the other day and couldn't find a category for canine allure, so I went to God and asked Him about why He wove this into the fabric of who I am. (I'm guessing you've had this conversation with Him before as well.) Why the strange combination of gifts, abilities and interests that pull me in 10 different directions at the same time? Well, no specific answer appeared in the clouds but I was reminded of a shepherd boy named David who probably hurled a thousand stones with his sling as he herded his mindless sheep across the grasslands of Israel. I doubt that he ever thought God could use sling, his songs, his dancing, his passions and his deadends to bring about amazing things in his world. But God did. So there's hope for me too! I will join with David in saying "I will praise you Lord, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!"(Psalm 139) Dog magnet, that's me...and proud of it!