Tom’s Advice – Stay Focused

I got a new camera this year, and I enjoy taking photos of my brother’s dog Tom. Tom, brother to my late dog Dave, has his own unique set of neuroses (He won’t come up the back steps into the house unless you walk down and escort him up!), but has many of the typical Golden Retriever qualities. He wants to be in close proximity with whoever is present. Though he’s ten and a half years old, he’ll still pretty active. Like most goldens, he has a big range of emotions, and from time to time, I want to share them with you. This picture was taken with the ball in flight toward Tom.

You can tell that the most important thing in his life at that moment is that ball heading toward him. His brain, at this moment, is calculating speed, trajectory, angle of descent, anticipated joy of making contact with the ball. At this moment, his brain is preparing a set of neurological instructions that will be sent to muscles in his mouth, neck, and the rest of the body…creating an elegant symphony of movements, perfectly coordinated to intercept the incoming projectile!

God must have some engineering department to have put so much work into allowing a dog to catch a ball! There is wonder and mystery all around us! Pay attention and live will be a lot richer for you! The psalmist reminds us, Psalm 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. I totally agree, and I’m glad that God had time with all the wonders He has made to allow a dog the indescribable joy of catching a ball!