Dogs & Puzzle Pieces

I am successfully avoiding one of my school papers as I type.  I have the urge to write some thoughts down, but I am tired of school.  What to write?  Today as I was driving home from school, I noticed this little dog running across Watt Ave.  Pedestrians nearby did nothing to help the poor creature.  Thankfully, cars slowed down for the most part.  The optimistic side of me hopes and prays he or she survived being run over by a car.  For some time, I have been asking God to help identify what causes or things pull at my heart strings.  In other words, what am I passionate about?  Supposedly, cats have nine lives, but do dogs have this same luxury?  Dogs themselves are not what I am passionate about.  What upsets me is when people seem too concerned about their own lives, and they look the other way when they see animals or others in distress.  I am the type of person that goes out of their way to help lost or hurt creatures.  Perhaps, God is showing me that I need to be more concerned with hurt and lost souls as well as animals.  This world is full of so much pain.  Am I too consumed with my own problems, and failing to put others' needs before my own?  Unfortunately, most of the time, I would have to answer yes to this question.  It is my goal that I will step outside of my own selfishness, and represent Christ by serving others, expecting nothing in return.  Developing relationships with people before telling them about my faith will allow me to create a common ground with them first.  I have plenty of things to chew over.  I haven't quite gotten the complete picture yet, but God is providing me with one puzzle piece at a time.