One of the things I love to do is walk and pray, early in the morning. My asthma keeps me from walking too much during the winter, but I have always taken long morning strolls during the summer, when I don't have to rush getting kids off to school and myself into the office. When we got a new puppy 3 years ago, I was very excited to now have an "excuse" to keep up my morning walks right through the fall.

Now, when spring arrives in March, I'm out walking as soon as it's warm enough. "Me, Eden (my dog) and Jesus" - it doesn't get much better than that.

Over the last 3 years, I've tried to train my dog to stop or come back as soon as I call, so that I can let her run off the leash in controlled areas. She's a very smart dog and most of the time I have no trouble. Usually, when spring first arrives, I have to "remind" her to obey and put up with a few days of retraining before she's ready to run again.

A few weeks ago, I was walking her around a track and decided to teach her to stay inside the circle, so that she can run free and not bother neighbouring homes or run onto the road (and so that I can concentrate on praying and not on worrying about my dog).

Most of the time, Eden's great. One particular morning, however, she spotted something and took off toward a treed area that I knew would lead her into private property. I called, but she ignored me. I whistled, and she stopped, but after looking back she ran in the opposite direction. I called again, but she would not come.

I knew she was getting into a dangerous situation (for both of us!)

As is my custom in her training, I turned my back on her and started to walk away. I whistled, and then walked in the opposite direction to where she was running. I knew that she would see I was leaving, and run to catch up. It didn't take long for her to notice and come after me. When she finally caught up to me, I snapped on her leash and told her that she had been bad. The rest of our walk, she had to remain leashed. We walked around the track as usual, but she was not able to run free.

As I continued praying, I realized the Lord was showing me how I had been acting towards Him. He had been very clearly dealing with me on some of my attitudes, but the day before I had allowed some bad feelings to fester and reacted unkindly in a situation.

I was trying to justify my responses, but I knew what God had been telling me and that I had disobeyed. Eden has shown me that I was just like she was, getting distracted and running away from following my Lord, taking off in my own direction.

I was on dangerous ground and I knew it. Like Eden, God had to call me back to His side, and I needed to live with the consequences of my actions.

After that morning, I made a few phone calls and apologized for my harsh words and unkind attitude the day before. I confessed my sin to God and to those I had wronged. Knowing I had been forgiven, I resolved to stay focused on the Lord, and not on myself; I must stay close to Him in order to keep my attitudes in check.

With my eyes fixed on Him, and not on my circumstances or my selfish desires, I can allow His Spirit to work in my heart and help me to obey Him in my reactions. The next morning, I walked Eden at the same location - and she was perfectly well behaved.

She stayed inside the track, turning around and looking at me when she ran a short distance away. At the point where we turned towards home, she came and sat down right in front of me as if waiting to be put on her leash. As I patted her head and said "Good girl, Eden", I knew the Lord was speaking those words to me.

How great His love is towards us, even when we need to be disciplined. When we blow it, He doesn't love us any less, but as His precious children He wants the best for us, so that His glory can be spread to others through us.

"My son, do not make light of the Lords' discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrews 12:5&6