My sweet dog Baxter has been slowly losing his eyesight over the course of the last year. When I realized what was happening, I was heartbroken. It was hard for me to accept that he was going blind. I was very worried about his quality of life. Baxter’s vet gently explained that this loss would actually be harder on me than it is on him. She was right.  My furry companion has proven to be quite resilient. I have learned a lot from watching my little guy go through this transition. Here are just a few of the life lessons he has taught me:

Use all the senses to navigate life.

The vet was quick to remind me that dogs do not rely on their sight as their primary means of navigation. Baxter knows how to use his other senses to compensate for his eyesight. His little nose is constantly sniffing, taking in all kinds of information about his environment. If he likes what he smells, then he will often investigate further by tasting it. His hearing is still really good and those ears are on high alert as he moves through his domain. If he is a little unsure about his next step, Baxter will extend his paw out in front of him to feel where he is at and then decide whether or not to move forward.

Sometimes we rely too much on just our eyesight. Things aren’t always the way they appear. We need to engage all our senses as we do life.

How sensitive is your nose? Are you careful to give attention to the information you take in? If something smells fishy, it probably is! Do you have the sweet smell of the fruit of the spirit about you or is your fruit stinky?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” ~Galatians 5:22

Are your ears on high alert, tuned in and ready to receive from the Holy Spirit? Are you discerning when it comes to how a situation feels? 

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”~ John 16:13

Has something happened in your past that left a bad taste in your mouth? How will you use that information to move forward?

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”~Psalm 34:8

Stop, wait, and listen for guidance.

When Baxter is really unsure or seems confused by his surroundings, he will stop right where he is, wait for me, and listen for guidance. When he hears my voice, he will follow my commands to safely maneuver through whatever obstacles might be in his way. He is particularly responsive to my voice because I am his master. He has heard my voice consistently ever since he was a tiny puppy. He follows my commands because we have developed a trusting relationship. He knows from experience that I won’t ever put him in harm’s way. Even when there are other voices around him, he will listen intently until he hears my voice and then responds primarily to me. Because he learned to be obedient when he was just a puppy, it is easy for him to obey me now.

How do you respond when you are lost? Do you listen to just any voice, or do you focus on hearing from the Master? Are you obedient to His commands? Obedience always brings blessing- just ask Baxter!

Are there other trusted voices in your life who can give you sound counsel? Those who know you well and only have your best interest at heart can offer wisdom and guidance when you need it. God works through His people in powerful ways if we will listen and obey.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”~Proverbs 3:5-6

Rely on healthy routines.

Baxter is a creature of habit. He gets up at the same time every morning and goes to bed at the same time every night. He eats about the same amount of food every day. He asks for special treats at about the same time every day. He knows where everything important to him is kept- food dish, water bowl, treat canister, food, kennel, leash, and his toy bin. He knows when it is time to take his medication both morning and night and will remind me if I forget. He takes the same path along the fence line of the backyard every day (we call it “securing the perimeter”). Now that his vision is almost gone, he is still quite adept at navigating both inside and outside per his learned behavior. As long as he doesn’t become completely disoriented, Baxter can move around his home quite easily and effortlessly. He has developed healthy routines that he can now rely on to help him in his daily life.

Healthy routines can sustain us in difficult times. What does your routine look like? (Keep in mind that not having a routine is also a routine.) Do you consistently make healthy choices? Do you live a life of discipline (ugh, my least favorite word) or chaos? When life gets challenging what are the sound habits that you have to fall back on? A life-giving routine can be a great help when we are struggling.

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”~Hebrews 12:11

Embrace course correction.

Baxter is not afraid to turn and go in another direction if he gets off track. He keeps his focus on his destination. Depending on how turned around he has become, he might have to make several adjustments before he finds a safe way through. He doesn’t spend any time evaluating whether he is a failure or a success. He doesn’t even spend any time dwelling on the fact that he can’t see where he is going. He just keeps moving towards his goal.

How do you handle course correction? Are you open to making adjustments or are you resistant to considering another direction? Do you let pride get in the way, even when you know that you need to make a change? Are past failures slowing down your progress?

Correction isn’t a bad word. We all need it from time to time. Keeping an open heart and mind positions us to receive the instruction we need to accomplish our purpose.

“Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.”~Proverbs 15:32

Life is good.

Even though his life has changed, Baxter is still happy. His little tail wags all day long. He still runs and plays and loves to go outside. He gets excited about car rides and likes going places with us. He appreciates a nice back rub and is content to be with his people. He spends zero time moping around and mourning the loss of his sight. Baxter just lives in the moment and enjoys his life, despite his impairment.

Regardless of our circumstances, we can still enjoy our lives. Yes, there are hard times. Stuff happens that absolutely knocks the wind right out of us. The unimaginable is suddenly our reality. I get it. I’m in that place right now. It hurts and we just can’t understand why it’s happening to us. We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. Will we choose fear or faith? Despair or hope? Selfishness or gratitude? I want to be like Baxter and choose to embrace life!

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”~John 10:10