Saturday's With Stella by Allison Pittman

Oh, my goodness, this is a great book! Hubs and I don't consider ourselves to be dog people. Of course we also don't consider ourselves to be cat people, fish people, reptile people, or anything needy besides our children people, so that isn't saying much. I honestly wanted to read this book because it seemed awfully close to my book idea (export dog, import children) and I wondered how she would do it and whether me taking the other angle would be a re-do.

Man, she pulled it off well. My dear Hubs glanced over the cover and the cover copy and deemed the book "cheesy" and was quite surprised when I told him how very excellent the book was. (I'm rather glad he didn't tell me what he thought until I'd already read most of the book. He can poison my opinion, I'm ashamed to say.) But this book REALLY works. Despite the cover and copy (if that looks cheesy to you. If not, say, if you are a dog person, or even just a pet person which I think is what Hubs is missing, ignore this part.).

I LOVED it. I LOVED how perfectly she expressed dog personalities. I know dogs just like each of those in the story. And I LOVED how dog-like we people should be in relation to our Master. And maybe this book just hit me at the right time of my life, but it hit me square between the eyes. And I highly recommend it.Even if you aren't a dog person.

And here's the cover copy for your enjoyment. Weigh in: do you think it is cheesy? I think he's being a bit harsh.

Sometimes your best four-legged friend is also your best teacher

When you bring a new dog into your home, a wash of great joy can become a trial of perseverance as your furry pal chews, digs, yaps, and yes, piddles her way through every room in the house. Allison Pittman learned this all too well when she adopted a “tiny, shiny puppy of indefinable breed(s).” Stella wasted no time in turning her home upside-down as only a pup can.

As could be expected, six weeks of obedience school covered the much needed basics–sit, stay, come, and down. What Allison didn’t expect was the spiritual benefit she would receive as each Saturday lesson revealed a fascinating metaphor. In this heart-warming, thoughtful, and often hilarious tribute to her beloved Stella, Allison Pittman shares how she came to understand what it means to follow the ultimate Master, including how to:

Sit!–at the feet of Jesus and listen for His voice
Drop It!–and let go of personal agendas
Come!–when it’s time to run in the right direction
Stay!–in God’s presence

In Saturdays with Stella, a slightly neurotic yet curiously adorable canine will not only capture your heart–she’ll show you how captivating you are to God.