Kobe is not Mac

We shared our home and hearts with a loveable yet mischievous beagle named Mac for about ten years. The stories about Mac…all true mind you…make him unforgettable. Mac was a carb lover. He would raid our pantry and whole loaves of bread would disappear, hot dog buns, English muffins…he loved it all. I once found a loaf of bread behind a box upstairs in a closet that he was saving  for later.

English Muffins gone!

When he was a puppy, Mac destroyed my favorite red shoes and a good pair of boots. Needless to say, we didn’t hit it off in the beginning. As far as I was concerned, he was not my dog and I told him that every so often but he never listened. He rarely listened. If Mac picked up a scent, well you could call all day long and he wasn’t responding.

Mac was definitely food and scent driven. Trash cans were often raided…seems he loved coffee grinds. Hmmm, maybe he was my dog after all. He didn’t play fetch. I teased the only way to get Mac to catch a ball would be to wrap bacon around it; he would go get it but good luck getting him to bring it back.

For ten years, we lived with Mac’s antics.

Then he passed away.

Funny how these furry four-legged critters impact your heart and your life.

The kids wanted another dog right away be my husband and I weren’t quite ready.

Almost a year later, I knew my spouse was ready for another dog when he made the statement that Jesus was going to bring him a Labrador on His birthday. I started looking. We thought the perfect mix would be a lab/hound mix; smartness of the lab and stature of the hound.

That’s when I found Kobe.

He’s part lab, part shepherd, part hound.

He was the only boy in the litter, he was very sweet and our hearts melted.

It’s been interesting having a puppy in the house; it’s like living with a toddler.

Now even though I’ve mistakenly called Kobe, Mac, they are not the same.

• Kobe is driven by play; not food.
• Kobe comes when called…Mac thought twice about it and then decided to continue doing what he was doing
• Kobe loves the water…Mac hated the water
• Kobe is not as scent driven; Mac loved the smell of the block on trash day
• Kobe loves fetch; Mac thought it was futile
• Kobe is a digger; Mac not so much
• Kobe is not a singer; Mac was a great singer

I had to adjust to the new dog in our home. Yes they are/were both dogs but different types. They behave differently because of breed.

Same but Different
Parents know that even though they have multiple children, each child is different and has to be treated according to the unique attributes of the child. With one of my children, all I had to do was look a certain way, the other needed a firmer hand.

Those searching out new houses of worship would do good to remember this.

If Kobe is not Mac, then St. Stephens is not Mt. Moriah and The Word Church is not Celebration Church.

Just because they both convene on Sunday mornings for a time of fellowship doesn’t mean they behave or act the same. You’ll frustrate yourself walking into a new house, expecting things to be done exactly like the last house. The pastors are different people with different visions being used by God to accomplish one common goal.

Same is true of jobs, spouses, and schools.

If one season has ended and you’re walking into something new…just remember my dogs and that Kobe is not Mac and an adjustment is necessary.