Assurance that my weekend was important!

 I was so surprised when I saw this come on my email today!  It just made me chuckle!

This is what I have been doing for the last couple of days!  I have been dog sitting for Doug and Susie, who are occupied at the hospital with their brand new baby!  So yes, I have been noticing the joy that Sammy and Kylie have on a walk, outside playing with a ball, or just running around the yard.  Given that we have a wonderful new baby (who looks very much like his daddy!), and then these two sweet doggies, there has been lots of joy!

Yesterday when I was visiting with new baby Lucas, I took his blanket and hat home with me.  I presented these "gifts" to Sammy and Kylie so they could get acquainted with the new baby "smell".  Kylie took the hat and would not let it go.  Sammy was quite happy to claim the blanket, which he added to his bed.  Later in the evening the dogs switched places (which they often do) and Sammy moved the hat onto his favorite blue blanket that he had rolled into a bed.  When I woke up this morning both dogs had their baby objects with them.  Doug and Susie are bringing little Lucas home tonight, and I am praying that Sammy and Kylie have been calm and welcoming on their arrival!

All day today this email from the morning just kept coming to mind.  It is sure worth a chuckle or two.  I felt as if Jesus was speaking right into my exact situation through this!  I just love it when this happens.  How can you not know the wonder of Jesus' care and concern when something like this comes up that exactly meets the situation that you are in!   I was so happy to be able to watch Sammy and Kylie for Doug and Susie. So it was my pleasure and joy to be able to relieve their worry about the dogs during this happy time.  Yes, it was a busy, happy weekend.  But right now, I am so thankful to be home, in my own bed.  And I am thankful for the safe, healthy delivery of baby Lucas.  While I was snuggling little Lucas this afternoon, Doug and Susie and I were talking about the upcoming holidays.  It was so much fun to anticipate Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations with 5 kids!  Last year we only had 3 kids (Anna was born in January)!  Yes, there will be much fun and lots of noise this year!  Lets face it, 6 adults, 5 kids and 3 dogs is quite a bunch! But we are a big happy bunch!  And just as suggested in the email above, we will be "letting our wild spirit run free and not be stuck in a rut!"   

Jesus, thank you so much for the reminder of what is really important.  Thank you so much for children and animals that show us the pure joy and wonder you want for us.  Thank you for your creation that stops us in our tracks! 

Thank you for this amazing sunset from Doug and Susie's backyard.  I would have missed seeing this if I had not been outside with Sammy and Kylie!  What an amazing gift!   Help us all stop to see the amazing things that are right under our noses!    Amen

When you lose a family pet..........

Today via email, we heard that Ken's father's very special dog, Bobby had to be put to sleep last week.  This must be such a hard thing for Ken's dad.  Bobby was a rescue doggy that had come from a very sad situation.  When we first met Bobby it was clear that he was skittish and afraid of people.  He barked at the least little movement.  But, slowly and over time, mom and dad were able to break through to this dog.  Ken's mom was especially close to Bobby and he was always right where she was.  After her death, he never really left dad's side.  When dad moved to Florida to live with Ken's sister, Bobby went with (of course).  He became a pack member with Sue's two dogs and seemed to fit right in.   Last summer when we visited dad, it was clear that Bobby was not doing so well.  He couldn't see or hear very well and he moved stiffly and slowly.  Ken and I actually had a conversation about Bobby's passing.  Dad is 93 years old and has had his own health issues in the last year.  And Bobby was an important part of his life.  Yes, Bobby will be greatly missed.

Today all I could think about was getting to Florida to see Ken's dad.  Those vacation plans that just didn't seem to come together, seem so much more important right now.  Isn't it interesting how something can change your perspective so quickly?  I think I will be getting those travel arrangements made soon. 

You know, it is really hard to not live close to family isn't it?  I missed being close to my mom and I miss seeing my siblings.  And now Florida is so far away.  I have also been thinking about how busy we are that we don't even see the family that lives close by!  Yes, these things really make you stop and think.  So tonight I am thankful that I made the choice to spend one day a week with Gwen and the kids.  And I am so grateful that tomorrow is one of those days - a "Grandma Lyn" day! (And I am sure to give Chandler the dog an extra bit of love also!)

Jesus, thank you for reminders like these.  Bless Dad and give him peace in this hard time.  Thank you so much for Sue and Wayne and their care for Dad.  Holy Spirit, help us all to recognize how important our family connections are.  Give us wisdom and grace to stay close to our loved ones.  Thank you for our special pets that enrich our families.  Amen

Some doggy tales.......of a life-long friend!

Most people wouldn't think of me as a "dog person".  Actually, I really like dogs!  This sweet dog above was my childhood buddy, Trixie.  She was a wonderful dog that was a part of ALL of my childhood memories.  One of my very first memories when I was 3 years old was the day that my dad brought Trixie home in a cardboard box.  She was just a little puppy and she ran around in circles.  She was always part of my family.  That metal box she is in was her bed for as long as she was with us.  I also remember well the day my mom took Trixie to the vet to end her suffering.  She was an almost unbelievable 19 years old.  She had some kind of cancer, probably stomach cancer.  Even in this picture you can see that her muzzle is gray.  This picture was taken when she was about 15 years old.  She was such a great dog.  My mom had trained her to stay in the kitchen on the tile floors when she was a puppy.  And until the day she left us, she NEVER went in to the bedrooms.  There were times when we tried to coax her into the living room and she would stand at the door but never cross off of the tile.  She was great in the car and would just sleep on the floor below my feet.  I don't remember a time that she sat on the seat.  Oh how she loved the Lake!  It was truly her favorite place.  When we were about 30 miles from the lake she would sit up and start to sniff the air.  It was as if she could smell the lake!  We never had her on a chain or confined at the Lake.  She had freedom to run.  She would go up in the woods and explore and her favorite spot was under the trees watching the squirrels.  They would stay just out of her reach and chatter at her!  It was a great game.  At the lake her bed was a cardboard box under the couch.  Trixie was a great dog! 

I've been thinking about Trixie today because of a very noisy, barking, jumping dog that lives next to the new house where I work.  This little dog was barking and jumping for most of the morning.  From inside of the house, I couldn't really tell WHERE the noise was coming from.  It was only when I went outside that I saw that the BIG noise was coming from a very SMALL dog.  But that little dog got me thinking about a wonderful part of my childhood.  And also, a somewhat sad part of Gwen and Doug's childhood. 

 

This is Sheba.  Ken and I bought her from a pet store shortly after we moved into our house.  She was so little and she reminded me of Trixie.  Gwen loved Sheba.  They would run around and around the circle pattern in our house.  And Gwen would laugh and laugh.  Sheba was a good dog.  But shortly after Doug was born he began to suffer from continuous ear infections, then lung infections, and urinary infections.  And then he started to have serious allergic reactions.   The doctor suggested that we remove all the things that could be the triggers of these allergies.  And the dog was first and most obvious.  So we decided that it would be better for Sheba to go to another family.  Gwen often talks about the day that Ken took Sheba away.  She stood at the kitchen window and waved goodbye.  I am sure that she would have gotten rid of Doug rather than Sheba.  Even though now when Doug owns two dogs, it seems like a mistake we made, I know that there was a purpose in that decision.   Over the next 5 years, having a dog would have been very difficult.  With Doug's many hospitalizations, I don't know how we would have cared for a dog! 

So, tonight I am celebrating that Gwen now has a wonderful dog and Doug now has two wonderful dogs!  And I am also so thankful for both Trixie and Sheba.  I love that the Holy Spirit reminds us of the special ways that Jesus blesses our families - even when that reminder comes in the form of a very noisy neighbor dog.  In looking back at Trixie, I can see how she was a faithful and obedient friend, and companion.  So, since I have been blogging about life-long friends, I guess I needed to include her! 

Jesus, thank you for friends - even doggy friends!  Holy Spirit, thank you for those gentle reminders that bring us revelation.  Jesus, you are the best friend any of us could ever have.  Thank you for showing us devotion and love and obedience through our pets.  Jesus, thank you again for my family.  Help us all to be aware of the great blessings  you have given us.  Amen

Sad Sammy the dog........

Last weekend one of my special "grand dogs" came to our family gathering looking like this....

This is "Sammy the Dog" - as he has been called for as long as he has been a part of our family!  We love Sammy. He was rescued by Doug and Susie when he was about 2 years old.  He is a sweet, mild mannered dog.   He has spent a couple of nights at our house on several different occasions.  He is such a well behaved guy, who just goes into his crate to sleep - all on his own.  Well, this week, he is wearing the "cone of shame".  And I just feel so sorry for this little doggie.  He has terrible allergies!  Boy, can I relate to this!  They already were giving him medicine everyday, but unfortunately, he was still itching.  In fact, he was itching so much that he has scratched all the fur off of the top of his ears and scratched his eyes. So a trip to the vet netted a cone and instructions to give him even more allergy medicine.  Look at those eyes!  He knows that something is very wrong.  He hates that cone, but it is necessary for his own good.  Several times during the day, Doug took the cone off and after a few minutes, Sammy would find a place to hide - and scratch.  So, the cone went back on. 

All week I've been thinking about that cone. That cone represents the restraints that are for our own good.  I'm sure that everybody can think of at least one example of a policy or a rule or a law or even a recommendation that can feel a lot like that cone.  For some people it might be the speed limit sign.  Or possibly it is the dosage recommendation on a bottle of a pain reliever.  Maybe it is one of the ten commandments that just seems to be asking "too much".  But today, I am seeing a little more clearly, thanks to Sammy, the meaning of "for our own good". 

For years I thought of God as that angry old man, sitting up in heaven, who just wanted to punish us at the first sign of us stepping out of line.  When you see God like this, it is really difficult to love him or to feel loved by him, for that matter.  But when you can begin to see how all of those "restrictions" really are for our own good, it is easier to understand how loving they are.  Let's face it.  That speed limit is for our own good (and the good of those around us also!).  Really, who would want to drive around if there were no traffic laws?  It would be scary and dangerous.  I am so thankful that Yahweh knew that we would need our "cones"(rules, laws, recommendations) or we would surely slink off into a hiding place to scratch! And by this I mean, getting ourselves into lots of self inflicted pain and suffering.  Isn't that the most loving thing!  Most of my work these days, is looking after a very active, very curious 20 month old boy.  I have noticed how many times this week I have used a "cone" of some kind, for Michael's own good.  I closed and locked the front door to prevent him from bolting outside without me.  I moved the knife holder to the very back of the counter when he decided to use the drawer handles like a ladder and climb the counter.  I put a very tired boy into his crib for a nap, even when he was saying (very loudly) "NO NITE NITE"!   Yes, many injuries and scary things were averted this week!  And Michael was protected - from himself!  I am so thankful that there are times when I am protected from myself!

Jesus, thank you for showing me, through Sammy, how much you love me and want the best for me.  Thank you for helping to restrain me from self inflicted pain and making bad choices. Holy Spirit thank you again for helping me to understand something that is really so simple, but at a much deeper level.  Holy Spirit, would you please remind us all that sometimes the "cones" are for our own good.  Jesus, thank you so much for Doug and Susie.  Continue to give them wisdom as they care for Sammy.  Yahweh, you are an amazing God and a loving father. Thank you for your great plan for us.  Amen