A Boy and His Dog: Graduation Day

Well, scooter went back home yesterday afternoon. He learned all of the basic commands and now it is time for him to be able to do them and add to them in his regular environment. He was able to complete and follow all of the tasks and commands as I would give them, so my job is done. His dad thought a week would not be long enough. Turns out, 5 days did the trick.
Now the hard part begins.
Scooter is educated now and knows what to do. Now when he is back in his environment with so many other distractions around him, the questions is: Can he do it there too? To that I say yes, if his family will make him do what he has learned so that there is no break in his obedience or a going back to his old ways.
Now, how about you? You go to the week long or weekend conferences and walk out of there knowing that you can accomplish everything that you just learned by listening to the speakers. Or it is a sunday where the pastor was so passionate about the series that he was wrapping up that you know you can put these last weeks of learning a new living for Christ to good use.
Then Monday hits. Kids don't want to get out of bed. Work has already started calling you before you leave the house. Or if you're a stay at home parent, the laundry and mess from the weekend has piled up so until it is discouraging to even think about it. So you bury yourself in daily rituals forgetting the new ones that you were supposed to be adding/changing.
Then Tuesday hits. Things are worse, and errands are needed. Wednesday you think about what you've learned, but then decide you'll go to prayer meeting/small group and that will count for you trying to do the right thing.
Thursday you wake up and commit to starting your new life today, then friends call and you go out to lunch and you're tired when you get home so you lay down on the couch and take a nap.
Friday is family night and you'll be gone all evening doing family stuff.
Saturday is grass cutting, gardening, sports.
Sunday: When the pastor asks how everyone did last week with their new knowledge, a pang of guilt hits, and you go home berating yourself and downing youself to the point that you never really try again.
Start out now with what you know. If it's been awhile since you were taught, that's okay. While you're sitting here drinking your coffee and reading blogs, put it down/up and go read your bible. Don't know where to start. Try Genesis 1:1 and go from there. If you still have any course material from the seminar, pick it up and reread it. Pray over it. Then start out doing what you were supposed to be doing all along.
God is there to lead you and He has been there all along. Problem is, you may have thought you were ready but you really weren't.
As Michael Jackson once said, "Make that change." (too bad he didn't live up to his own words)
It is only too late to change your life when you're dead. While you're alive and breathing, do something about it.
Thank you for visiting this and come back again real soon! May God bless.