A Different Kind of Food Chain

The demands of All Things Southern require me to keep a pretty consistent schedule. Dixie Belle knows this to-do list inside and out. If I leave by the front door early in the morning, she knows I’m going for a walk. Should I exit through the back porch, she knows that it’s kayak time and the old girl starts fretting immediately. Dixie takes her security detail seriously and kayak time is her signal to sit on the dock and bark so as to ensure my safety. She barks when I leave and she’s still barking when I return. My apologies to our neighbors, I’ve tried to break her of it but she is hopelessly neurotic about me being on the water.

The two of us are creatures of habit, for sure. Even the bird population has begun setting their clocks by our routine. It’s my custom to toss a couple bones in the backyard for Dixie when I first arrive on the back porch for my morning devotion. It is Dixie’s custom to have them devoured before I can get past Dear Lord. Three circles and one belly flop later, she settles into her favorite spot in the shade just ahead of the birds. They’ve learned that Dixie’s enthusiastic eating style always leaves crumbs for the next hungry group on the food chain.

Watching their routine reminds me of the value of giving ourselves to the study of God’s word, not only for our own growth, but for those around us. While it can be difficult to articulate what we’re learning from the Scriptures, there is multiplied benefit in the practice. I believe it’s only when we tax ourselves to think through a passage until we’re able to express the treasure we see in it, that such truth becomes broken down bread that we can share. Of course, the goal would be for the next group to grow up and learn to pass it on. The big question seems to be, “Where are you and I on that food chain?”

Hugs, Shellie