Are you an Eddie Haskell or Pollyanna?
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| Charlie and Sadie-Cavalier King Charles Spaniels |
Tommy and I are dog sitting for the next few days. Our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel grand-dogs, Sadie and Charlie are great dogs, but very different. Sadie, the tri-color is the older of the two dogs. Being the “first born baby” of Lynn and Matt, she was spoiled rotten. She is a beauty and draws attention wherever she goes because of her regal appearance. But…she can be snooty because she thinks that everyone should do exactly what she wants them to. She will not eat her food when first given it, but several minutes later will bark, demanding it to be given to her on her own terms.
Sadie is also the “Eddie Haskell” of the “kids.” If you are a part of my generation you know exactly what that means, but for those of you who are not familiar with that term, I will elaborate. Eddie Haskell was the best friend of Wally Cleaver in the Leave It to Beaver TV series of the 50s and 60s. Eddie always said and did the right thing in front of the adults, but was forever getting the other kids into trouble by his deceptive actions. Sadie displays that trait because when she is in your presence, she acts like she is doing the right thing, but if she is gone for a few minutes, you can assume she is getting into trouble, such as, marking her territory in the house, getting into the trash or trying to find socks to chew on in the closet and then trying to implicate her little brother Charlie in the crime.
Charlie on the other hand is the pleaser dog, more like the positive little girl in the movie, Pollyanna. He wants to do the right thing and wants you to like him. He shows his affection by licking and snuggling up in your lap. His love of life and people is shown by his constantly wagging tail, his pleasant personality and his frequent glances to make sure you are delighted with his performance. By some standards, Charlie might appear flawed. His markings make him less than perfect. Most Cavaliers have solid colored snouts, but Charlie has a big blotch of chestnut on his cheek. Because of this endearing trait, I like to say that the spot is where God kissed him before his birth and said, “Now go and make someone happy.”
Two dogs of the same variety, bred at the same kennel and raised in the same environment, yet so different. The way I see it, the main difference between these two dogs is that Sadie wants her owners to please her and fulfill her desires. On the other hand, Charlie's main desire is to please his master. Does this ring a bell to you? We too have a choice. In our response to God, we can decide to please Him or we can demand that He please us, but only one gives great pleasure to Him and is considered worship in His sight.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
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