(This is a “guest” blog from my wonderful wife, Claudia!)

As I celebrate vacation by the ocean each day, interesting groups of people come by; different faces, languages, hairdos, —it is great people watching stuff. But this morning I received a wonderful message from just four of them. And, of course, their wonderful dogs:
The first couple I saw coming from quite a ways off. Their dog was a German short hair pointer (what I would call a Spencer Dog, as this breed was our neighbor for many years at the cabin!) This dog was so beautiful! Not so much his fur, or his face, (let’s face it –who can turn away a happy dog!) but mostly for his gate, his energy and his amazing devotion and enjoyment of his ‘family’. Pure joy! This dog was fetching a simple tennis ball, but you would think it was the most important trophy or treasure imaginable. His master would pitch this ball many yards and this dog would take off at full tilt into the ocean surf or up into the sandy beach—no matter!-wherever he threw it, this dog would take off and bring it back. Every once in a while the woman would throw it, and although she never threw it as far, still, the dog’s reaction was total love and obedience. And? This dog NEVER gave up. I watched for a good long while and the same scene played out all the way down the beach. What a great thing to watch!
The next couple came down the beach and their dog was a black lab. He was a little chubbier and perhaps older, but still lots of ‘spark’ for fetching. He was equally dedicated to his family, but instead of a tennis ball, or other dog toy, his master picked up any old rock or shell and threw it into the water. The dog immediately ran to try and pick it up, but, time after time—he could not—the stone or shell had disappeared into the soft sand, or the surf came and took it away. One time his master took a large rock and threw it into the water—fully aware that this dog could never pick it up—and, of course the poor pooch went to the place where it had dropped and looked back—confused and dismayed because the task was too great and the expectations were still high. He could not complete the command of this thoughtless master.
I think I will serve the first master, thank-you very much! I wake each day and He lays out the course for Today. My tasks are never senseless, no matter how hard or easy. The course He gives me fills me with purpose and grace. And each day I return with joy, purpose, blessing, and thankfulness. There are days, however, that I follow the daily grind of this Earth. I find myself running after many ‘rocks’ that drop into the surf and, even though I go after them, I find they have disappeared. I am left bewildered, frustrated and purposeless. Not with the First Master! Don’t get me wrong, the days are sometimes long. After all, I am not a pet. God gives me a fully human experience. I am so thankful for this. Because of the humanity of Christ, I KNOW that my Redeemer lived a fully human life, and continues to live as my perfect, joyful purpose filled Savior! Living out my life and using all He has developed in me makes so much more sense than trusting this daily chunk of time to anything but the First Master.