Racing with the Dogs
Driving on a country road that meanders along a flat valley, small mountain ridges on both sides of the road, I was very aware of the clearcuts on one of the small peaks. Pondering the clearcut I was—so steep and evidence of seemingly impossible work—when out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a black-and-white cattle dog racing along the inside of a fence at what was clearly its top speed, going in my direction with tongue hanging out and ears flopping back as if to increase the aerodynamic flow. I was slipping along the highway at an ordinary speed, on the cautious side if anything, so probably 46 or 48 mph, and this guy was streaking along at what looked for a second to be a comparable speed. Of course, his speed dropped off—and for good reason, because he had to put on the brakes to avoid colliding with another fenceline that was the end of his property and perpendicular to the highway. I was just stepping on the accelator, not very impressive, but he jolted up to an amazing speed under his own power and energy, sustaining that speed for quite a ways. It was exhilarating to see him run, glancing over as much as the highway traffic would allow, and it was touching to realize that this was something that brought him joy. I admire the cattle dog’s spirit of full-on gusto and playful interaction which he offered so generously with a passerby. It was an honor, really, to have been the vehicle/driver selected by him for a good racing interlude.
From the standpoint of the creation, this dog’s athletic prowess and unbridled enthusiasm is clearly a reflection of God’s love and power. I take it that God enjoys a good sporting competition, one which brings out good sportsmanship and gusto, indeed the verve and relish of life itself (we remember the angel that wrestled through the night with the tenacious Jacob, before Jacob was Israel). And truly, the dog ran with a God-given gusto. For the record, I think he was running at an impressive 37 mph—greyhounds are reputed to run between 35 and 45 mph, and based on my observation, as imperfect as it was, this guy was a close second to those guys. He was one of the best runners I’ve ever seen. He’s a rural dog, with more sport in him than he knows what to do with, and I became his companion for a moment in time. For a great moment in time.