Let Life Interrupt

I got a puppy this Sunday.

He's 1/2 Husky, 1/4 German Shepherd, 1/4 Labrador. (At least from what the owners of the parents told us.) His name is Xander.

I mentioned before that my first dog, Shadow, passed away in October. He was eighteen years old and I had had him since I was two years old. (That's a LONG time to have a dog.) So, I really didn't remember what it was like to not have him.


But I knew that I wouldn't want to wait long after he was gone to get another dog. Not to replace him, of course. I couldn't ever do that. But simply because I didn't want to be without a dog for very long. And also, because it had been so long since I had a puppy of my own; I've never actually been able to choose one for myself, name him, raise him. Heck, I barely even remember the first few years I had with Shadow!

Long story short, my best friend sent me a picture of some puppies a friend of hers had and asked me if I was interested. I told her yes, but by then she thought they had all found homes. I was disappointed, because these puppies seemed perfect, based on what I was hoping to eventually get. But I told God that I would wait for Him to bring the right opportunity to me, because I didn't want to rush into anything.

A few days later my friend sent me another picture of one of the puppies and said they had one left-- a male, like I wanted. I thought-- that's my opportunity! And I grabbed it.

And so the last few days of my life have consisted of being chewed on, telling Xander not to chew on me, cleaning up messes-- and falling absolutely in love with this  (not-so-little) little guy.

So you know what? I was kind of distracted this week. I didn't accomplish a lot of my daily goals. I slacked off on drinking as much water as I wanted, working out, and keeping my room totally clean. I hardly looked at my current WIP at all. Plus, I kept forgetting to sit down and plan out this week's blog post.

And that brings me to what I want to say today: Sometimes, you just have to let life interrupt.

I was really starting to feel discouraged at times this week, because while I loved playing with Xander and getting to know him and watching him settle into his new life, I felt like I was failing in all other areas of my life. Each day my goals were going unchecked, and you should know that there's nothing I hate more than unchecked goals!

But here's something that, even as I work to put more effort into accomplishing my goals, I have to remember: LIFE INTERRUPTS. And if I'm doing my best to stick with my goals and work hard the rest of the time, if something gets in the way every now and then, it's OKAY! Whether it be simply spending simple time with your family, or getting a new puppy that requires your undivided attention, it's okay and not a waste of time to take a break from all your hard work.

You know what I'd be missing out on if I took the time out right now to do all the things on my checklist? I'd be missing out on my puppy's growing-up stage, on bonding with him and building a relationship that will last for years to come. I'd be missing out on the training, the playing, all those things that I won't ever be able to get back when he grows up. (He'd also be driving my mom crazy and I don't think she'd appreciate it.) Also, I just said goodbye to my last dog a very short time ago, so I definitely want to spend all the time I can with Xander starting now.

So, yeah, right now I'm distracted and occupied with caring for this needy little beast. My story sits untouched and my current read is sadly neglected. My fitness goals are sliding a little farther back. My blog post is rather last-minute. But in years to come, I won't regret all that. I have time to rebuild on those things and catch up on what I've missed, but I won't ever get back this time with Xander.
This, right here, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Just remember, whenever something comes up that maybe keeps you from your goals, relax and allow yourself to enjoy it. If you've been working hard, and this is something that is worth putting other things aside for, you have nothing to feel guilty about. You're not a failure for slowing down to enjoy your life. Check your priorities. What will you wish you had taken the time for years from now?

Of course, there are some things that I still want to make time for every day. For example, I've also been struggling to devote as much time to my Bible reading and prayer time, which isn't okay for me personally and I want to work on doing that regardless. You shouldn't neglect your health, and your mom probably won't like it if you "forget" to do the dishes. And I know there are some of you who have deadlines and responsibilities that have to get done. That's a bit of a different story, but I still encourage you to find ways to slow down and take time for less pressing things when you can.

Look around today and see the opportunites worth seizing, the moments worth slowing down and breathing in. Push that to-do list aside, just for a little while. I bet you won't regret it.