Self-Control

I have another dog, a Yorkshire Terrier named Barlow. I got him six months after I got my Shetland Sheep dog, Barney. A lady, who lived in a barn with no carpet or tiles on the floor, was selling these puppies for really cheap. It was kind of creepy to go inside the barn and see that it was her home. I am embarrassed to say that I was surprised to see that the puppies were well taken care of. The lady was very nice and she seemed happy to live there. Maybe at one time she used to live on the streets. I don't know. If so, the barn would be like paradise to her. It sure made be appreciate what I had so much more. I am glad I got one of her puppies. I got first choice too. I took a male. He was the cutest.

Barlow today at 2 1/2 years old:

When I first brought Barlow home, I left food out for him to eat at his will. This was a mistake! When I turned my back, he ate, and ate, and ate. In fact, he ate the whole large bowl of puppy food. When I picked him up, his stomach was three times the size and as hard as a rock. I panicked and called my sons. I thought he was going to die for sure. I didn't know what to do. My sons all laughed and said that Barlow reminded them of a tick! He ballooned out just like a tick does when it borrows its head in the flesh of an animal or human and fills its stomach with their blood. I looked at Barlow and wondered why he didn't stop. He couldn't possibly be comfortable with a stomach that full. I guess I don't have to say I never again left a bowl of food out for Barlow to eat freely. To this day he is on a restricted daily amount of food.

Barlow and his insatiable appetite:

The Bible says it is important to use self-control in everything we do in life, so that we can be more effective and productive in serving Him and serving others.

"So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation

that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world."

1 Peter 1:13

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to

goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control,

perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual

affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these

qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being

ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord

Jesus Christ."

2 Peter 1:5-8

Barlow could have died that day from overeating. Sometimes when people don't use self-control in their own lives, they too can destroy their lives and hurt the ones they love the most.

This dog actually likes to go trucking with my husband. It is kind of funny that two other truck drivers, in the same company that Brian works for, have Yorkies that they take trucking with them periodically. Yorkshire Terriers are intelligent, playful and have a great deal of spunk! They're not afraid of anything, even the inside of a noisy semi-truck! My husband, however, has a tendency to overfeed Barlow because he feels sorry for him. Oh, how we all need to exercise self-control in some areas of our lives.