big Dog LITTLE Dog

We currently have the, well, let's just say pleasure of enjoying some time with our daughter's 6 month old Labradoodle, Boomer (named very appropriately as everywhere he goes you hear BOOM!).  He's not the most coordinated of dogs. However I will say that his personality is precious, he just needs to grow into himself a little...or a lot. 

You see, Boomer has a size problem.  He's a big dog and has no idea that he is.  He tries to fit under tv trays and onto your lap and he squeezes himself into very tight spaces all the time.  Spacial issues however, are the least of his worries.  We also have a dog, a Jack Russell named Barklee. Like Boomer, Barklee also has size problems. He is a little dog who thinks he is a big dog. 

The problem for both of them arises because they have a relationship that is based purely on Barklee, the little dog's standards.  If he wants to play, they play, if he doesn't  they don't.  Barklee is also a corralling kind of dog and he does not let Boomer out of his sight before he runs after him and leads him where he would like him to be.  Oddly enough this works.  Boomer is indeed at the mercy of Barklee and it is quite amusing and puzzling to watch this monster of a dog bow down to a little pip squeak of a dog.  This situation begs me to ponder.

I am someone who has always had an issue with fear.  Fear has always felt like the BIG dog in my life but through the years I have discovered that it's not, nor has it ever been.  I sat there watching Boomer cower to this little dog all the while thinking, "Boomer, you are bigger than him, don't let him do that to you!", and then I thought of my own life and realized how long I was deceived into thinking I was the little dog too.

I watch Boomer constantly look over his shoulder for Barklee to be on the prowl. I watch him leave a toy that he loves behind so Barklee could have it and I watch him completely change directions and head somewhere else because Barklee was lurking. Wow, I was Boomer!  I constantly evaluated every situation and bowed my knee to fear.  I let it steal things I love from me and I changed directions in my life and headed the opposite way, all because fear said so.  All because I believed that fear was the bigger dog.

Dear friends, let me tell you, I have battled most of my life with fear and it used to control me like a scared Labradoodle but it no longer has that power.  You see, I have learned that fear is nothing more than a yippee little dog. Sure it can bite and may sting, but the truth is, I am the bigger dog and when I have the power of Christ in me (which is always), He is the really BIG dog! Fear can yip and follow me around all it wants but I can trump it every time.  It may not leave me alone but I can certainly put it in it's place.

So, for my fellow scaredy cats, here's the truth on fear. It is big enough to impact your emotions and make you feel afraid BUT it is not big enough to keep you from moving forward, nor is it as big as it wants you to believe. Believe it or not, even with fear barking in your face you can still just DO THINGS AFRAID! Don't let this little dog nip at your heels anymore, bite back! Face it and tell it that you have finally realized just how big you are. You may not be able to get it to leave you alone but you can certainly kick it out of the drivers seat of your life. 

So will you join me in setting yourself free? Do things afraid...it will change your life! And remember, in most cases Fear is simply False Evidence Appearing Real! Don't be scared to call it's bluff!