it's not all about me, thoughts on a daily jog

brinkley is my constant companion. we usually run together several days a week.
last year while training for my half, the vet instructed me to limit brink's runs to only about 3 miles per day.
he told me, he's a pleaser. he's going to run with you as far as you want him to. he'll not complain. but it's not good for a big dog, especially one prone to hip dysplasia to run such long distances.

our runs are on a busy street. i try to be aware of glass or things on the sidewalk that could hurt him. it's not unusual for me to glance down every once in a while to make sure he looks ok , that he's not limping and that i don't see any bleeding from his feet.

sunday afternoon it was a gorgeous fall day. we were only running a couple of miles & as usual he stayed right beside me. he never slows me down or speeds me up. he's just with me. a constant pleaser.

it wasn't until i got home and realized within a few minutes, he was leaving bloody prints all through the kitchen. sure enough, he had albeit a small laceration, it was a deep one. he laid perfectly still while i cleaned his wound and applied pressure to stop the bleeding.

i felt so bad.
i saw some glass on the sidewalk but hoped we'd missed it. ( i do usually try to move it off the path).  if that's where he hurt his foot, it was about a mile from our home. & i'm not even sure if he hurt it on the way coming or going. all i knew was that he never stopped, never "complained". just kept running. right beside me. at my pace. the pleaser.

later that evening i was thinking about how much i love this sweet breed & this sweet doggy in particular. i remembered what the vet said....he'll just keep going, he won't complain. he's a pleaser.
i started thinking...are there people in my life who feel the same?
children? spouse? a friend?
do i cause someone to feel like they have to please me?
they have to keep going....at my pace, no less?
pleasing me and meeting whatever expectations i've set?

i think our generation is such a driven generation.
accomplishments & drive always on the forefront of our day.
our children have practice for soccer and tennis and football and ballet and SAT and college applications
they just keep going
but do we cause them to keep up with our pace? our daily run?


my life
my expectations
my wishes & dreams
my blog for that matter....
it's not all about me.
& i sure don't want to cause my girls to think they have to "be" something, to be pleasers, at all costs.

my prayer today is that i have a sensitivity for those who i'm blessed to have in my life.
a sensitivity to listen to them, to listen to their expectations, wishes & dreams
& champion them on
not just take them along on, what can often times be mediocre, my jog through life.

it's not all about me

~~~~~~

I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. 

This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. 

This is the very best way to love. 

Put your life on the line for your friends.

You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father. 

john 15. 11-13