Hello Everyone!
Here is the ninth devotional from the book on Sita. I think this is the most humorous story and love it! Marlys Staley and her wonderful team have come a long way from the porta potty. They have added several new buildings including a spacious training center with indoor plumbing (see below), and a new beautiful kennel which I have not yet seen because of COVID. There has been a lot of progress in 13 years!!!
Excerpt from Jane’s Book of Devotionals, “Paw Prints on My Soul: Lessons of A Service Dog”
DEVOTIONAL NINE
TRAINING ME
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10
I had more immediate concerns, however, than the ADA. I was being instantly humbled on how much I had to learn.
At that time, Circle Tail had a very rustic training center with no inside plumbing. The only bathroom on the premises was a porta potty. During a class break, I politely excused myself to trudge outside.
I gazed at the porta potty and realized immediately that I had a problem. The bathroom was small, and there was barely room for one, much less for a person and a dog. As I considered my options, they appeared limited. I couldn’t leave Sita outside because she might run away. I couldn’t take her in the bathroom with me because it was too small. Obviously, I couldn’t sit there with the door open, holding Sita’s leash because the bathroom was located near a driveway with people driving back and forth all day long.
I was too embarrassed to go back and explain to Marlys on my very first morning of training that I was unable to figure out such a simple task as answering nature’s call.
Sita impressed me with her patience. She stood quietly and waited expectantly for the next command. No doubt her doggy brain was wondering why I was standing there with her leash in my hand and saying nothing.
Then, the light bulb suddenly went on in my brain as I looked down at Sita’s leash. I could go into the porta potty and slide the leash under the door. I was able to leave her safely outside while the door was shut with me inside. I began to realize that this might be the first of many situations I would be facing trying to figure out what to do with Sita. There really wasn’t a rulebook for these everyday dilemmas.
I thanked God for his gift of common sense knowing that Sita and I were going to have a great future figuring out everything together!
Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life. Proverbs 22:4
Dear Lord,
Help me to use my common sense and patience to face whatever challenges are before me with my loyal companion by my side. Amen.