Let Your Heart Melt

It's Tilly. She's trying to be cute.

Yet, she is still very trying to me. While I (obviously) love animals, I'm not all that soft hearted. I really love rules and structure. That's not a bad thing, but it is hard to keep that in balance with the need to show mercy and grace.

Grace is the only thing that really changes our behavior. If we know that love is conditional on how good or bad we are, then we lose interest in making changes. We know we'll fail, why even try?

After feeling awful for wanting to ring Tilly's neck on more than a daily basis, I finally prayed for the strength to not kill her. Fortunately, that prayer was answered. In my own power, I could not change my thoughts, frustrations, and irritability with Tilly's lack of obedience.

Every day I take time to focus on her, play ball, and give her some lovins. More and more now, when I see her running toward something off limits and I call to her, she stops.

She's changing. And so am I.