"Puppy Guarding"

This morning, L was very excited to tell me his dream about playing capture the flag with his friends and that he was "Puppy Guarding" the flag. I instantly thought about his phrase "I'm a sproutling" and knew this is another great lesson from our eight year old son.


"MJ" courtesy of Deann Barrera of Deann B Photography

 Because puppies have alot of energy and they are on guard with every new noise, sound and sight, I thought about how I could be more excited about sharing the Gospel, how I could be more diligent about scripture study, how I could be ever ready to defend the truth, and willing to serve others with kindness and love. This idea of "puppy guarding" the flag is like "puppy guarding" our salvation -- ever ready to pounce at the enemy, constantly working on keeping it safe, learning from those who have forged ahead, ever ready to protect and willing to share enthusiastically the truth.

And because puppies watch their Master and older dogs to learn and be trained...I thought about the importance of being a good example because "Parents teach their children with words and through example. This poem by C. C. Miller titled “The Echo” illustrates the importance and impact parents have as they influence their children:

’Twas a sheep not a lamb

That strayed away in the parable Jesus told,

A grown-up sheep that strayed away

From the ninety and nine in the fold.

And why for the sheep should we seek

And earnestly hope and pray?

Because there is danger when sheep go wrong:

They lead the lambs astray.

Lambs will follow the sheep, you know,

Wherever the sheep may stray.

When sheep go wrong,

It won’t take long till the lambs are as wrong as they.

And so with the sheep we earnestly plead

For the sake of the lambs today,

For when the sheep are lost

What a terrible cost

The lambs will have to pay.

"The consequences to parents who lead their children astray are laid before us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants: “And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion … that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, … the sin be upon the heads of the parents.” --Richard J. Maynes of the Seventy, "Establishing a Christ-Centered Home" April 2011.