Down Time

Several years ago I purchased my first hunting dog. She was a bird dog. An English Setter, sired by Havelock Blacksmith a national champion pointer out of North Dakota. I named her Maggie, but called her a lots of other things in the three years we had her (things I better not put into writing here). She could have been the poster canine for a magazine entitled “Gun- Dogs Gone Wild”.

I quickly realized that pointers as a breed, and particularly English Setters, are unique dogs. Their insatiable desire to find birds combined with their unending desire to please their owners create a powerful hunting concoction that often results in great days of hunting, yet at the same time, can be disastrous to the animal. Believe it or not, in some cases, these dogs are so driven they will literally run themselves to death in hot weather.

Consequently, many a gun dog owner set limits on their dogs and build in ample “down time” during the hunt because these animals strangely seem unable to set a healthy, sustainable pace. Can you imagine being so “on”, so hyped up, and so driven that you lead to your own demise?

I can. I have a feeling that English Setters aren’t the only breed that struggles with exhausted bodies that are left gasping for breath at the end of the day. I can say with certainty that the need to achieve in my own life and has left me panting and licking my wounds on multiple occasions.

I encourage those of you who are out in the field of life running and panting far more than you should to build in some much needed “down time” in your life. Most likely your body, conditioned for activity, may initially resist and even detest the stillness of solitude. You might feel the way Maggie felt when I locked her in the kennel for her own good. That’s okay. Lots of good remedies taste bad going down the pipe, but given time and patience, do their work well.

Take my advice. Practice solitude. Just do it. Find time to get away. Bring with you no projects, no to-do lists, no i-pods, Cd's or Sudoku puzzles. Most of all, bring no agenda for what you are supposed to "get" out of this time. Simply go with God. Alone. Still. Together. As your life slowly ceases from activity, you soul will begging to uncover itself to you.

My next few posts will focus on why solitude is God's primary means of grace, ever at our disposal, to restore health and sanity back into our lives.

Have you experienced the power and potency of being alone with God? If so, I would love to hear what you have personally learned in solitude.