Am I just imagining this, or are squirrels becoming a little more brazen? It seems to me that squirrels used to take off running if a car would come anywhere near. Not now. They seem to stand on the side of the road and dare you to come near.
My dog, Maxwell, seems to have a major goal in life: to catch a squirrel. I’ve watched those squirrels torment him many times. They laugh at him from the safety of the trees. They curse him in squirrel language, but he understands what they are saying.
My previous dog, Sarge, caught and “terminated” a squirrel one day. It was the happiest day of his life. I allowed him to keep that dead squirrel in front of his doghouse for a day in clear view of the other squirrels as a lesson to them. I could tell that Sarge appreciated this gesture on my part.
I watched Max for a few minutes this morning going from tree to tree. He tried sneaking up on them but it didn’t work. They laughed and scampered just out of reach. He stretched as high as he could on the tree and barked away. At that point I had to caution him because he is a Methodist pastor’s dog and he needs to be careful about his language, even if it is directed to squirrels.
I believe that Max, like his predecessor, will catch a squirrel one day. He’s going to do it because he keeps on trying. He is going to do it because he never gives up. Persistency has a way of paying off.
I believe that God rewards determination. The Apostle Paul wrote at the end of his life, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” (II Timothy 4:7) I want that to be true for my life. I don’t want to ever give up. May God help all of us to be persistent in our faith. In the meantime, I’m pulling for Max.