As the weather warms and Spring creeps in, there are many new sights outside. Crocus flowers are sprouting, the leaves from assorted bulbs are coming up, and the grass seems to get greener every time I look out. The birds are more vocal and the bunnies who live nearby are more active. My dog has noticed the rabbits too and is now completely obsessed with chasing them. In the morning, she can’t wait to get outside to their favorite spot. Sometimes the bunnies hold very still with their ears lying flat down, pretending to be a rock. Most of the time, if they do this, my dog will not see them. But once they move, that is it – the chase is on. Now, I do keep her on a leash, but I also do let her run after them for a bit. The Beagle in her kicks in and she barks and howls as best as her 14 year old voice will allow. This reminded me of a story I heard at church. There was an old man who lived in the desert and had an old dog. A rabbit ran by and caught the eye of the old hound who took off after it, barking and howling the whole time. Other dogs nearby heard the barking and howling and joined in the chase. But one by one, the other dogs became too hot and tired to continue and they headed home. This left only the old dog who was intent on catching that rabbit. What is the difference between them? The hound dog saw the rabbit – he knew it was there and he was not going to give it up. The other dogs simply joined in because of the noise and excitement. The deacon who told the story likened it to our faith life and pursuit of God. We may join in the chase because of the words and excitement from other people. But if we never actually encounter God, we tend to fall away. Once we experience Him and know He is there, we will not give up pursuing Him. How do we encounter God? In many different ways. We begin with an open mind and heart. We pray, read the Bible, meditate on His presence in world.

I Found God today in a story that I could relate to, and I will likely think of it every morning when we go out to chase the bunnies.