“I have learned to be content with whatever I have. In all circumstances, I have learned the secret of having plenty, or being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4.11-14)

It’s been an interesting seven weeks since sharing about Sam our new, now 16-week-old Aussiedoodle.

Shortly after that FB post, it became clear. Though overall wonderfully, sweet-spirited; at moments, Sam manifested a growly, snappy, not so sweet temper.

Maybe it’s the Australian Shepherd in him: wanting to herd/nip us to make us do what he wants or resist what we want him to do.

Plus, Sam has a Doodle-Tigger capacity for fast, boing-boing high jumps. This trait extends his nip range from ankles and legs to hands.

Whatever, it became troubling. Was this a mean streak that would stick, exacerbate? More than once we observed that only Sam’s cuteness saved his hide.

Dr. Schofill, our cool new vet, used a Deputy Fife technical phrase: “we need to nip this in the bud.” So we boarded the punk, I mean, Sam for a week at what we call ‘Puppy Boot Camp’, but they call Grad School at Dog U in Cahaba Heights.

At our hour tutorial, the day Sam came home, we thought they had substituted another dog. This dog did ‘sit,’ ‘down,’ ‘wait’ with aplomb, was much better with ‘off’ and ‘leave it’. Never had a dog better on his leash than Sam. Miss Andrea showed us how to calm the boy with his now nearly gone snappy moments.

But now: the GIANT challenge is the crate. By night, thankfully for everyone’s sanity and sleep, the crate is ok. By day is another matter. Chilling in the crate for a bit so some house chores or a short errand/outing can happen? No way. At least: not yet.

Our previous Jack was mellow about his crate. Remember the Beach Boys song “In My Room”? Well, Sam’s song is a long version of “Jailhouse Rock” woofed with whines that crescendo to sustained, staccato ear splitting yelps and barks.

We’re trying various strategies a la books, Google, and local Dog U and Three D hands on helpers…

^Coached by serene Miss Kelli from 3 D, who once worked with lions, tigers, and such at the zoo, we have tried to create short positive moments in the crate.

^This includes sitting outside until he calms, do short walk aways. So far, such short positive moments have not elongated. A pumpkin filled Kong can only last so long.

^A dose of doggy tranquilizer “Composure” calms Sam a bit but not enough. The liver flavor is the only thing has kept Dianne and me from popping a couple to calm us.

^Many suggest the old standby: just let him yelp it out; show him who's Alpha.

For now, we’re working on it, getting help. New to us: ever heard about separation anxiety in dogs?

We will be so grateful when Sam is crateful.

No surprise, there’s not that big a zigzag jump from puppy brain to preacher brain musings...

+ Call it cage or crate, cell, or just predicament: have you noticed how our life situation – job, family, health, home, outlook, project du jour – at times frees us up, and other times boxes us in? One person’s (dog’s) safe place might be another’s howling chamber.

+ Not sure if it was high school Miss Green’s class or college Mrs. Mims’ class when I first encountered poet Richard Lovelace’s famous words from 1642. Lovelace was a political prisoner because he ran afoul of the Puritans in control of Parliament. In "To Althea, from Prison”, he wrote:

“Stone walls do not a prison make,

Nor iron bars a cage…

If I have freedom in my love,

And in my soul am free,

Angels alone, that soar above,

Enjoy such liberty.”

+ More moving to me than Lovelace’s poetry is the prose spoken to me at the drear, dismal Donelson Maximum Security Prison a few years ago. Several of us church types did a Friday Bible Study with a couple dozen black-white-young-old inmates.

Call him "John". An older Black man, then, about my age now, was doing a long sentence way beyond what fit his crime. I asked John how he coped day/year in and out. He smiled: “Rev, they can put bars on the windows and locks on the doors here, but they can’t keep Jesus out of your heart.”

+ In a seminary preaching course, we were assigned to craft a sermon that depicts the now experience of salvation/eternal life. One classmate penned three drawings to go with his words.

• A bird flying out of the bondage of a cage.

• A bird flying into the safety of a cage.

• A bird sitting in the cage open door free to enter or exit.

From preacher brain musings to preaching heart ones...

Paul wrote his letter to the people in Philippi (by extension people in Birmingham or wherever you are) from a Roman jail cell. That’s where he is as he writes how he has learned to be content in whatever circumstances because of the strength he receives from the God we know in Jesus. Check out Paul’s long list of rugged circumstances in 2 Corinthians 11. 24-28, that includes shipwrecks, hunger, beatings, chased out of town.

Biblical-life contentment is something I need to explore more. For now, here’s this. Contentment does not mean being passive or a patsy. It does not mean settling for abuse or injustice. It does mean living, not killing, the time we have as fully we can. God's grace, as Paul attests, helps us find the joys we have and can give without denying the rugged complications.

Such contentment with the life and circumstances a person has cannot be imposed on or preached into people. For me, a guy rolling in from my comfortable life to do a couple hours at Donelson, to have “told” John to buck up, because they couldn’t keep Jesus out...well that would have been insensitive arrogance. But when John shared his ‘peace’ with me, it near put me on my knees. His witness continues to help me.

So, whether one is a ‘preacher’ or not, there is the ministry of presence, showing up, listening, and sharing if it fits such as we have seen and heard from prisoners like Paul and John.

Finally, though Dianne and I are feeling sort of crated-boxed in with Sam’s crate resistance lately, it is for sure a First World Problem that pales against what so many face. So now, for Sam early in the game, like us late in the game, contentment is a work...a gift in progress.