Why I Can't Get Rid of the Worse Dog Ever

I am currently sitting in a house that reeks of dog poop, urine, and mange, wondering how much longer I can take living with the worst dog on the planet. She is now almost 10 months old and still having accidents in the dining room every time I turn  my back. They're actually not accidents anymore, they're on purposes, because she doesn't want to get her delicate little feet wet in the morning dew. Every time I think I've cleaned up the last of the poop I find some hidden in the corner. Or under a chair. Or in the middle of the room. On top of that, she pees in her crate every single time she's left alone for longer than an hour. AND, (this one's not her fault) she has one of the smelliest skin disorders ever.

When Michael and I thought about getting a puppy, our goal was to find a friend for Misty, and to get a dog that would attach itself to Michael, not me. We certainly got a friend for Misty. There are few dogs that Misty gets along with 100%, but Bailey has been one of those dogs since day one. (Well, 99% actually.) But I now have another shadow, and this one is worse than I could have ever imagined. Bailey is exactly the opposite of what we wanted in a dog. She's hyper, annoying, stupid, stubborn, loud, clingy, needy, and, as I mentioned before, smelly. She wasn't like this when we picked her out. She was so sweet and fun, and definitely not out of control like she is now.

But I can't get rid of Bailey. There are a lot of reasons I can't get rid of Bailey, but my main reason is that I feel like God has put it on my heart to keep her. Actually, it's more like God has tattooed it on my heart. When I look at Bailey, I am reminded of the sinful nature that we're all born with.

"As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly." Proverbs 26:11

I can tell you from experience, dogs return to their vomit every single time, and right after they did it. They don't give their stomachs a second to settle, don't run away in shame, don't drink water. No, they go straight for it. Every time.

Just like Bailey keeps going to the dining room to poop, I keep going to my sin. I let my short fuse control my conversations. I attack and defend like it's World War 3 before analyzing a situation. Then I feel embarrassed and stupid for jumping to conclusions, and in my embarrassment I lash out again.

I wonder if God has the same feeling I have when I discover another pile of poop in the dining room. And not only does He have to deal with my own sin - He has to deal with everyone! Every time He looks at the world He sees our little piles of sin. We face our consequences and then create another pile of sin. No wonder sin is described as disgusting in the sight of God.

I can't get rid of Bailey because God doesn't get rid of me when I do the same thing. Even though I sin over and over again, His love never fails. He never casts me out of His sight. He never gives up. I can't get rid of Bailey because I want to honor what God does for me. The truth is, Bailey will never be perfect; and neither will I! Unconditional love means loving despite poop on the carpet. It means accepting the fact that you'll probably have to replace the carpets before ever selling the house. It means investing in someone's junk because you believe in their potential. (Speaking of investing: if you're looking for any stock advice, I recommend Febreze! They should stay in business for a while!)

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8