Border Collies have these remarkable eyes that seem to look into the depths of one's soul. It is those eyes that help them to control the movement of cattle, sheep, and anything else they decide to herd. They can stare down the meanest most cantankerous cow and send that cow in the direction it should go.

At the same time, a Border Collie can be very very stubborn. They will get something in their head and you just can't get it out of their head. They are focused and turning that focus is difficult. Strong minded and one track minds are very much a part of their character.

Today, my Border Collie found a piece of firewood on the lawn and brought it to me. I told him to put it up with the other firewood, which he did. I turned my back and thought... "What a smart dog." Well, as soon as my back was turned, he picked it up and brought it back. This time, I told him to put it back and to "leave it." It took several "leave its" before he obeyed.

We then went on to do something else and left the vacinity. But, about 10 minutes later... Buddy goes and gets that firewood. He just couldn't forget about it and leave it.

I got to thinking about how much people tend to be the same as Border Collies in their thinking. Thoughts and feelings come our way and get into our heads and we have difficulty putting them out of our heads. And if we succeed, we often come back later and retrieve them and think on them some more. We just can't seem to "leave it." I know, because I often think I have dealt with something and put it to rest and then there it is again, running around in my head.

Mental health people will tell you to live in the present. Living in the past or the future is not productive and sucks energy from the present. I think it is something that we never completely achieve, but that we have to continually work on.

In the Bible, the church at Philippi must have been dealing with this same Border Collie thinking. Paul wrote to them:

"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before........" (Philippians 3:13).

Paul had good advice. He understood how we need to live to be the most happy. Anyhow... I will continue to work on this area of my life, even though from time-to-time, you might find me thinking like my Border Collie.

Annie :o)