You can’t live within the throws of suburbia without an all-american dog! You don’t have to have three of them like we do we but everyone needs at least one. We brought Shiner home just after Christmas this year as an eight-week-old puppy. He is definitely my dog. I house trained him. I stayed up at night with him when he first came home. I feed him. And, I train him. But I LOVE doing it. He is our second Labrador Retriever. Our older one is about twelve-years-old now. He and I didn’t bond in the same way because he had to spend a good chunk of time away from us early on in his life.
Why in the world am I telling you about my dog? I know that is what you thinking… Aside from the fact that I can because this is my site, he does fit into the larger theme of things here at Suburbia Uncovered. Shiner has been one of the greatest conversation points between me and my neighbors over the past 6 months. He has also forced me to GET OUTSIDE. There is something about a well behaved dog that brings comfort and conversation between strangers. It is no exaggeration that my relationship with the man who lives directly across the street from us has exploded over the past six months for no other reason aside from us finding common ground through my dog.
Shiner is fun… he is stress relief for me… and I have really enjoyed having him. But, he is also another small tool (although he is not really that small) that I can leverage in my efforts to engage life with my neighbors. Maybe you have a dog and you walk it religiously every evening around your neighborhood. I want to encourage you to view that as a God-given opportunity. Use that time to pray for the homes that you are passing. Use it to embrace new opportunities to converse with the neighbors that God has brought around you. And hey… if you don’t have a dog this is a great excuse to go out and get one – for the glory God, by all means.