"locked in"

{Read the preface to this story on my Facebook page HERE! . . . look for the post titled "Locked In" Part 1.  And while you are there "like" it so you get updates!}

. . . I'd never been so happy to see sunlight!  My 160# furry friend was just as happy as I was as he bounded out of that trunk like an old-fashioned jack-in-the box springing out when the lid popped open. 

That big, sweaty mass of fur sprang out of that trunk and nearly knocked our rescuer over.  He was jumping all over him.  Wagging his tail, smiling that dog smile, jumping, licking, almost turning himself inside out.  He was happy to see our rescuer.  Happy to be out of the trunk.  He acted like nothing had ever happened!  What?  How?  Why?

As I slowly climbed out of the trunk, my eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight, I looked around for some water.  As my eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, my attention was riveted on the reunion of dog and master.  We had just spent an hour locked in the trunk.  It had been HOT.  We were thirsty.  We were abandoned.  And all that dog could do was love on his rescuer.  I can imagine if he could speak, he would have been saying, "I'm so glad to see you!  I'm so happy!  Thank you for coming to get me!  I'm so happy!  Can I have some water, huh, huh?  I'm so happy!  Can I have a treat?  I'm so happy!  Can we go home?  I'm so happy!"

"See who loves you more, your wife or your dog.  Lock them in the trunk for an hour and see which one is happy to see you when you let them out!" 

... Mark Gungor

{disclaimer} ... I've not ever been locked in a trunk by my husband {or anyone else} with our 160# Shiloh Shepherd!  This story is an illustration of the joke told by Mark Gungor at an event we attended last weekend.

I painted the picture of being locked in that trunk because for me it illustrated the many times in life I have been {locked in a trunk}.  Sometimes it has has been of my own making, and sometimes because of circumstances beyond my control.  For me, the joke, though funny on the surface, made me look inside and do some soul searching to determine how I respond to being {locked in the trunk}.  How do I respond when life {squeezes} me? 

I'll share some personal experiences this week and my {sometimes not so great} reactions to being {locked in}.  

Reality Check:

How have you spilled {or how will you spill} out God's sweetness today?

And . . . how do you respond when life {locks} you in?