“O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.” Psalm 104:24  NLT

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Variety is the spice of life! The variety and beauty of creation surrounds us, and we often fail to notice how exquisite it is. I recently bought a new car, but few people would know it. Although it was a newer model, it was very close in color to the car I previously owned. Even my neighbors were slow to realize it was a slightly different shade of copper. But many aspects of the lines, the profile, and the sound are the same. I did want to keep this unique color, but I also wanted to give Famous a recognizable vehicle when I drove past the front window. Yellow is one of the colors dogs can distinguish, and he instantly recognized me in the new car! As I drove past the window, he raised his head and jumped down from his perch in the chair to run greet me at the door.

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Help me to be not blind to the wonders of Your world!

“Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.”  Mark 4:38a  NLT

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Early each morning while I am in the kitchen, Famous takes up his spot in the dog bed under the piano. He has a good view of me making and eating my breakfast, and I am envious of how comfortable he looks while he catches a few more minutes of rest.

Famous continues to amaze me in his natural beauty. And Jesus amazed his disciples while sleeping in the midst of a storm. But he illustrated the need for all of God’s creatures to find restorative rest, and sleep under God’s protection.

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Lead me to a place of healing and rest under Your watchful eye, O God.

“Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. ‘Lord,’ the man said, ‘if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’ Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ And instantly the leprosy disappeared.”  Matthew 8:2-3  NLT

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We probably have much to learn about the healing power of touch. Famous usually initiates our contact, rolling over on his back or strolling up to my legs, and I happily oblige with a back massage or belly rub. But when I feel a headache, or period of nausea, I reach out and stroke his warm coat and instantly feel a comfort that slows my breathing and lowers my pulse.

God is always willing to provide wholeness to us. Sometimes this involves physical healing and at other times spiritual healing. At times we are the vessels of God’s healing Spirit. Even if we do not understand the nature or timing of God’s healing, it is available to all who believe.

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Draw me to Your source of healing today, O Lord.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:34  NLT

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After consulting with our veterinarian I was able to postpone, at least for a little while, any dental extractions for Famous. Any dog can have cavities, but he has two molars showing root damage on x-rays. He has fleshy gums and a flap that has allowed food to settle there and cause infection. He did well with the anesthesia, so I will wait a few months before proceeding with the extractions while he is still quite healthy. So he escaped surgery, but it is only postponed for later in the summer.

Anticipating a stressful time and worrying about the future show our lack of understanding of all God has planned for us. God does not ask us to forget that evil exists in the world or that we are surrounded by danger. But He does assure us that we are not left to face them alone. His peace is a gift to help us survive the troubles of the day.

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Remind me of Your strength when I feel vulnerable and alone. 

FRIDAY FUN DOG FACT:

No night vision goggles needed! Dogs’ eyes contain a special membrane, called the tapetum lucidum, which allows them to see in the dark.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.”  John 6:47  NLT

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I was on the line this evening with Famous’ pet insurance company. He may have a dental extraction tomorrow for a decaying tooth. X-rays will help determine the severity of the problem. But I was amazed at the list of exclusions in his policy just under the dental section. Add to my amazement the high cost of his monthly premiums and low benefits after the high deductible, and I wonder (and dread knowing) if he will ever need the extreme benefits that are offered.

There are many opportunities to insure ourselves against life’s calamities. The insurance does not prevent the disasters in life, but it may give you peace of mind knowing there is a financial net that may catch you. But one certainty is that your life will end. But rather than thinking of faith in Christ as your insurance police against eternal damnation, think of it as a passport to eternal life. What greater benefits could there be?

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Teach me Your truth, O God, and show me the blessings of living in Your Word.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”  Psalm 34:18  NLT

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How does he know? I love the nearness of Famous, when he lies at my feet or jumps in my lap while I try to tie my shoes. But how does he know when I have had a hard day that I need him nearby? How does he know to keep a watch on me and settle where I sit?

Why is God close to the brokenhearted? I believe it is because they are the ones, whether they know God is available to them or not, who have realized they are vulnerable to suffering and loss. People who cannot admit they need the Lord cannot be open to his healing and his love.

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Break my heart so that it may be filled with eternal love that only You can give.

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”  Matthew 7:11  NLT

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To Famous, I am the giver of gifts. This evening after supper, I bestowed upon him an empty plastic peanut butter jar. (To me it was empty; to Famous it was filled with delicious remnants of the sweet sticky goop that was once inside.) He carried it into the living room where he spent fifteen minutes licking every last smear of peanut butter until it was as clear as glass. Just watching him work for every taste led me to believe he very much enjoyed the challenge of the treat!

Famous knows how to ask for a treat, and we should not refrain from asking God’s favor as we journey through life. I do not support the theology that God wants to bestow upon us worldly wealth. Rather, He wants to give us the true desires of our hearts that can perfect us in relationship to his design for eternity. If we are burdened or blessed with worldly riches, then we must figure out God’s design in how we can use them for his glory. Most importantly, we must understand and acknowledge the Source of all good gifts.

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Show me Your great kindness today in granting me gifts from heaven, and cause me to be thankful.

“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.”  Isaiah 46:9  ESV

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The present moment is singular, but time connects it to all the moments past and future. When I was walking Famous this afternoon in the early summer heat, I remembered many other hot walks, some on beaches or mountain trails, some on racing courses, but mostly I thought of our last summer when we traveled halfway across the country during the most stifling of heatwaves. Today’s mid-eighties heat would have been most welcomed then. Famous is smart enough to head for grassy shade rather than stay on the hot blacktops of streets and parking lots.

God meets us in the present moment, but memory is a gift that reminds us of the many times He has helped us in the past. These reminders give us joy, but also hope and courage for even tougher times we may yet encounter.

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Let memory guide me through today’s complex path.

“And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.”  Genesis 2:3  NLT

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Sundays with Famous remain special. Our early walk with no other sign of human activity is different from the weekday morning hustle and bustle. The birds are just as active, or maybe just noticeably so without the traffic noise, and the only other sounds are our footsteps and Famous’ audible panting. We could imagine we were the special recipients of God’s gift of the day.

God provides rest from the working week, but He also provides rest from the burden of our sins. This is the sanctuary we find in him. This is the life created with us in mind and given as a gift. We have only to receive it.

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As I journey through this day, keep me mindful of the many gifts I have received by Your design.