Meet Abigail. This is the newest addition to our family and we actually got her the weekend before we had to put Roxy down. Abby and I share a similar story- a spotty past with lots of let downs along the way, never quite understood, and in swoops the superhero to save us from ourselves. Roxy saved Abigail, she chose her from all the dogs at the SPCA as the perfect one to come into the family and fill the void. So far, Abigail has eaten two heart rate montiors, three shoelaces, a sports bra, a flip flop, a pair of sunglasses, a lap watch, some socks, a multitude of stuffed animals, and more raw hides than I can count. There have been moments when I have wondered if Roxy chose this dog to get me back for something. Today, though, I am confident that Abby was chosen because, like most things in life, she is teaching me a lesson and preparing me for challenges that lie ahead.

The thing I love about Abby is that she has absolutley no limits in her little doggy brain. She does not realize she is smaller than Sophie, she does not realize we are stronger than her, she does not realize she just simply cannot run 20 miles (yet). She has no idea that the squirrels are faster or that the cat has sharper claws or that a growl is any kind of warning whatsoever. Now, I suppose it's possible that she is just plain and simply dumb. Okay, that is actually quite possible. BUT, I prefer to think that she is fearless, without bounds, unwilling to submit or conform to her surroundings. I prefer to think of her as "Abigail, the Conquerer!"

I watched Abigail this morning as she "conquered" Sophie's bowl of food. Sophie did not find this interesting in the least and instead stood by growling and barking her protests as Abby gobbled up everything in sight. But, I did. I realized that every day we have a choice; we get the opportunity to choose how to go about our day or our run or our job or maybe even just our slot in life. We can be like Sophie and stand by and protest and watch our life be gobbled up by someone else, or we can choose to be like Abigail. We can set about the goal unaffected by the nay-sayers and protesters, completely oblivious to the fact that there is any limit to what we can do in a lifetime. I hear comments everyday about how bad the economy is and how people can't find jobs and how tough it is out there and I say "Rubbish!" Sure, things aren't quite like they were and money is a little tighter. Maybe we have to think twice before we pull out the debit card or we have to skip a meal out here and there, but put your earplugs in, friends. We live in a great country with more opportunity in a day than some people see in a lifetime. We have hope and possibility. We have choices. As for me, I choose to be like Abigail. And while they are busy complaining, I'll eat their food, too!

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24