Scotties and spring renewal

Sunshine is seeping through the slats in the bedroom window shades. Bernie, our oldest Scottie, says it’s time to get up. He shakes his head, and the other two Scotties join the program, telling me I’ve got to get up with them. It’s spring! Crocus, primroses, and now daffodils burst forth to herald renewal. Despite the beautiful day, without Scottie’s urging I’d stay in bed. But who can resist the pleading of three Scottie dogs encouraging me to get up and go see the sun?

Each day is a gift. I recently read that a day is 84,600 seconds gifted to us each morning. How well do we invest each second of every day? Did we start the day with prayers for others? Have we remembered to thank God for a good night’s sleep and a sunny day? Can we remember to be kind to all we meet and interact with? Could we think to do something extra for someone we don’t even know? Or do we spend our days complaining about our health and our aches and pains?

Spring is given to us as an aid to remember that renewal is available to all living things and spring is a great time to start renewing our relationship with our Creator.

My neighbor, Jane, recently shared one of her poems with me that triggered this idea of renewal.

The soul, it’s trapped in a body obligated to world tasks.

Just as an actor plays a character, his own true self is masked.

Is there another plane that most will never reach?

Too swallowed by this trivial state to even know that one should seek?

Things of the world do swallow us up. Negative news, complaining neighbors, thoughtless drivers; all these things pull us away from being the kind and loving people we want to be.

Yesterday morning, for example, wasn’t one of my best days. I started out with my prayers but promptly let my lack of sleep become my focus for a few hours. Things didn’t get better until I realized I’d been only thinking about my problems and wasn’t thinking about others. Once I said a quick prayer asking forgiveness for my selfishness, refocusing my energy, the rest of the day improved.

There is a better plane that all of us can reach. We just need to renew our faith in a higher power who loves us and urges us to love one another. Renewing and filling our hearts with that love brings peace to us and those around us.

My Scotties are always happy and want to play with me to help me have a better day. Christ tells us that we are in control of our lives. We choose the focus and thus the results. How funny it is that when we become self-centered, things don’t go well for us; but when we are others-centered the days shine, making us happier. So simple, yet so hard. We need constant reminders to be our best. Thankfully, we have prayer and a God who loves us!

Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

— Romans 12:2