Hard Headed

I have always wondered why we do not learn more from our pets and the abundance of natural lessons that occur outside our personal sphere. For example, we have the most persistent wood pecker in our neighborhood. Now I would say brilliant woodpecker if he chose a tree of fine wood that would permit him to gain access after hours of incessant "pecking". But our bird has chosen to repetitiously bang it's beak on the metal tube to our chimney. Something that over the period of 13 years he has managed to make a slight dent in the vent but has not been able to make a breakthrough....or in! And what would dear bird find would he successfully find a way but the hot embers from the fire below! Does anyone else see an instant word picture?

I also had a dog that HATED being groomed. His name fit him and he loved being mussed, not dirty just pleasantly disheveled. So upon return from the groomer I just gave a healthy sum of money to, he would immediately roll in the dirt or on the oil stained driveway and begin to chew the bows out of his ears. I would try to get them out but pulling the tiny rubber bands made him yelp! And without fail his teeth would get caught in the long hair on his ears during the process so he would then thrash around for several minutes (unless I felt sympathetic) trying to free is teeth from the web that was his own hair. Now it is true I could have eliminated grooming, but every dog needs a bath sooner or later. And I attempted to get the groomer to leave out nail polish and bows, but there is a code of some kind that requires all poodle or poodle mix dogs to be decorated before leaving the shop. I don't know, you have to pick your battles, right?

So as I think of these two scenarios, I see hard headed, stubborn and perhaps slightly "touched" examples. On the plus side, they are persistent, will never give up, focused at all cost. On the down side they are perhaps lacking insight to the consequences of behavior that gives the same results despite the number of attempts made. Hard headed, stubborn, incorrigible, unteachable, unwilling souls that will not be changed. Sounds like some people I know, and even me! I have been associated with refusing help even when help is exactly what I needed. I have determined to change a behavior or situation and without much ado found myself right back in step with the comfortable yet unsuccessful pattern that is me:)

How do I change? Change is uncomfortable, yet usually yields the exact thing you are working toward. Change is difficult in that we have to work harder at learning new behavior so it may take time to get the results we want. It is very much like the athlete in training. At first you run a block, fall down and take 15" to recover. Soon you are up to three blocks and you are just really sweaty and smell bad. And if you keep going to eventually get your wind and viola, you are running a marathon............or a 5K. Whatever your goals, it is a good accomplishment. So basically we need to stop beating our beaks on closed doors, quit gnashing our teeth on the yucky stuff and change directions always moving forward, eyes set ahead.........no matter what the pace! The end result is you WILL win your race and it will in part be due to the same hard headed nature that kept you back at the chimney!

Jude 24-25

Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.