Whenever life gets rough, I try to focus on the lesson God has for me in that moment.  Sometimes, things are so uncomfortable, you have to change life, but what happens when you’re stuck for a time and God has you stuck?  Personally, I try to focus on the advantages.

My latest struggle is that I’m temporarily in a one bedroom upstairs apartment with my 18-year-old daughter.  And I recently inherited my sons’ dog.  I should mention that this dog is annoying and has some terrible traits.  For example, she was trained to bite at anyone if you try to wake someone.  My second-oldest liked to sleep in and taught her that.  Cute, right?  Not so much.

Now that son is in the Marines and he’s about to deploy for a long time–so the dog comes to me.  Luckily, my apartment’s owner loves dogs and was very amenable about the dog coming here.  So sweet — and see a complete advantage!

However, the apartment is upstairs and that means I have to take the dog out morning, noon and night.  Which is a pain, but I am handicapped with MS so it FORCES me to get out and walk. Even when my body doesn’t want to.  That’s an advantage!

It also forces me to be social.  (I could easily be a writing hermit if it weren’t for my daily Starbucks’ visit.) So now, I go to the park and I meet up with other dog owners and I have human connection and conversation!  (Conversation aside from telling my daughter to clean our room and stop buying iTunes.)

When God has you in a holding pattern, do you try to look at the why and be grateful for the advantages?  If Mary could have a baby in a stable and Paul could write the epistles from jail, I figure I can handle a yappy dog in an apartment.  Until my son gets home.

Then, this dog is SOOO his.  I told him this dog will probably live until two days before he’s free.  (She’s already 12!)