Frost on Dock, Vancouver

Gilbert woke me up this morning. Even though I went to bed around 11 pm, he'd crashed right after eating, having had a truly great dog day running all over fields and parks. His normal wake up time is 730 am. I like to sleep in an hour more on the weekend. I think he may even know that. He jumps into bed at 730 and curls up beside me leaning against me. I think that's his 'subtle' way of saying, if you want to get up and get me food and take me for a walk, I just wanted you to know I'm here for you. I rolled over and went back to sleep.

An hour later he pressed up beside me again like there wasn't that much room on the bed for him. It's really love. So I began to get up. Suddenly like a proverbial puppy shot from a cannon he's in my face licking away while his paws are baby punching me and trying to circle my neck. This is what I call my wet alarm clock.

 I decided to dress and take him for a walk. I worry about his bladder which is probably bigger and better controlled than a camels with all the piddling he does on every tree in the forest. My dressing makes him even more ecstatic so there's lots of circles.

 I'd read an Emmett Fox passage in the bathroom. He said the first attribute of God is life. God is alive and where there is life there too is God. The greatest expression of life is joy which he says is a combination of Love and Life. The Bible says we are to be joyful and in joy we meet with God who is life and joy and love. I always like the image in the Bible of David dancing when I think of joy. But joy was also on the face of the father in the parable son tale. Gilbert is joy incarnate.

The dock is covered in frost. My first thought is the water is frozen. Gilbert though leaps to the dock and careens down it's length only to run sliding back to me. Then he's sniffing every crevice for something new. He's forever like the story of the boy in the basement full of manure with the man. The boy is happily digging and looking everywhere while the man stews. Eventually the man asks the boy doesn't he realize we're in a basement of manure. Of course I do, answers the boy, but with this much manure there just has to be a pony somewhere. That's Gilbert.

I look up and it's a truly beautiful day with blue sky and sunshine. This is such a change from the gloomy rainy days we're used to in Vancouver. The air is crisp. There's fresh snow on the mountains making the white caps look simply pristine. Gilbert is prancing down the street looking in the bushes. I'm limbering up. It's a glorious new day. Gilbert does his business. It's healthy and good. On the way back I increase the pace to a brisk walk. I'm working up to joy. I wouldn't want to blow out a circuit board with a surge.

Gilbert's detoured by the place where his little yorkie girlfriend lives. I think he leaves especially fragrant notes for her to find where her mistress takes her out in the morning. Romance is surely in the air. I get back here to the computer and Gilbert's girlfriend Aim is has written him us a note saying she is getting married to Mark this summer. Gilbert's been invited to a traditional Thai wedding. Gilbert's ear perk up when I mention her name.  He's really happy for Aim and likes Mark too.

Now Gilbert's had a Little Caesar and drunk more water, he's gone back to bed. Joy is a bit exhausting. I'm thinking a little nap right now would be joyful too. After that we'll make our way to church for praise, worship and thanksgiving. Gilbert will be in joy all over again to see his friend Alice. Maybe Father Mark's dog Bear will be there too. Personally I'll be talking to God about a whole lot of other things.  I'll add joy to the list today. Life is to be loved and love and life are joy indeed.