Month: August 2017

08/30/2017

08/30/2017

“All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”  Joshua 24:23  NLT

A catalog arrived today filled with pictures of beautiful art treasures. One such treasure was a bronze statue or figurine depicting a dog jumping into the lap of a woman. The statue was entitled, “Joy.” It was apparent to me that the emotion could be applied to both the dog and the woman in the statue.

Famous displays a certain amount of added affection of his own choosing. Sometimes without warning he draws close to me rather than apart snoozing on the floor. I could suspect he wants nothing more than the pleasure of my scratching behind his ears, but he seems to be trying to express to me his happiness and satisfaction of being close to me, almost as if he were to say, “Thanks.” “Let’s just enjoy all that we have right here in this moment and make it last (at least until you grow tired of scratching my ears).”

What brings us such satisfaction with our Creator? I believe it is that freedom of choice we exercise when we elect to draw close to God to experience the gift of life He offers to us over and over again. But we are human and cannot sustain the continuous rapture of being in his presence. But we can come to his arms over and over again when we remember his call to our hearts.

Help me to satisfy the yearning of my heart for Your wondrous love, O Lord. 

08/29/2017

08/29/2017

“Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails!”  Psalm 51:12  NLT

THIS is Famous weather! Our walk this evening at the end of August with the temperature in the mid 60’s felt more like mid-October weather. He was so eager to show off the “spring” in his step in the refreshing breeze which was dramatically different from the sultry weather of Charleston a week ago. His coat is perfect in this crisper air whereas I could have used a light sweater. It is a night for counting blessings knowing that others are going through such difficulties in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

The Spirit of God moves among us every day. We can choose to walk in the renewal of the Living Word or to walk in the oppression of sin. Famous teaches me the joy of finding the revitalized life bestowed by his Spirit.

Direct my path into the way of Your Spirit. 

08/28/2017

08/28/2017
“At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep.  As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.  At the top of the stairway stood the LORD, and he said, “I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants.”  Genesis 28:11-13

Famous accompanied me recently on a vacation where our lodging was a three story home. It required descending two flights of stairs first thing in the morning in order to take our walks. Then, throughout the day Famous would follow me up and down the main staircase even if it were to retrieve a book or to change clothes. If he saw me heading up or down the staircase, he had to follow. We both got fairly good workouts, and I was pleased to see his joints, agility, and vision were still functioning very well.

Famous followed me up and down the stairs to be in my presence, even if he had to do it several times a day. This reminded me we should all be searching for the things in our lives which bring us closer to heaven. They may require hard work, repetition, and diligence, but every rung is well worth the effort if it brings us closer to God.

Teach me today, O Lord, to seek a closer walk with Thee.

08/27/2017

08/27/2017
“If my misery could be weighed and my troubles be put on the scales, they would outweigh all the sands of the sea. That is why I spoke impulsively.”  Job 6:2-3  NLT

Our summer adventure had come to an end, and Famous and I were finally home. But our first walk proved to be anything but routine. A stranger in her car followed us into the driveway, and a lady got out of her car and asked if I lived here. While passing by, she had seen that I was walking a springer spaniel, and she was aching to say hello. She quickly added her springer of 15 years had died recently, and Famous had rekindled the loss in her heart. She wanted to say hello to him and obtain what comfort could come from such a chance meeting.

Famous was indifferent to her situation, but he accepted her pats and hugs which she gave as though they had been friends for a long time. Finally, she said good-bye and wished many more years of happiness.

Emotions are integral to our human state. They leave us with lasting impressions of the experiences which step out from what is ordinary. And they can draw us closer to God, or they can become confusing and obscure God’s blessings.

Lead me to those whose paths have led them away from You, O God. 

08/14/2017

08/14/2017
“Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”  John 4:7-10  NLT

He is not white. He is not brown or black. Famous is a liver-colored spaniel. He has beautiful white markings which give him distinctive and striking color blocking, a hallmark of his breed. He never ceases to garnish compliments beyond the love I bestow upon him.

What if we were all like Famous? What if our skin were blocked with different tones, like dalmatians or beagles? Would we be less likely to fear or hate people who were different from us? Would we be able to see more of ourselves in others rather than the learned lessons of bigotry and racism?
Jesus does not deny this Samaritan woman the opportunity for a gifted life. But at first, even this particular woman is subject to the line of segregation handed down to her from previous generations. But the power of God’s love is the mightiest force of change which can lead to redemption.

Dear God, help me to see beyond the borders that have been placed around me.

08/13/2017

08/13/2017
“Then Jacob hurried on, finally arriving in the land of the east. He saw a well in the distance. Three flocks of sheep and goats lay in an open field beside it, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well. It was the custom there to wait for all the flocks to arrive before removing the stone and watering the animals. Afterward the stone would be placed back over the mouth of the well.”  Genesis 29:1-3  NLT

Famous is used to waiting. He waits to go outside. He waits for me to come home. He waits to be fed. He waits for me to finish whatever I am doing so that he can have my undivided attention. I have also learned he waits to drink out of his water bowl. Knowing it may be hours before my return, he will often leave his water untouched until I return. Then, just before taking our afternoon walk, when he is assured the opportunity to relieve himself, he eagerly laps up the water that has been waiting all day.

This passage in Genesis is the beginning of a story about patience and waiting. It is a lesson not easily tolerated in our culture today. Instant gratification has replaced the “joy” of anticipation. The beginning of this story, however, is not about the reward one receives in working and earning an achievement. It is about the communal good that can equally be shared. When we view the world around us as something to be exploited for our own good, everyone loses eventually. When we see the world as a gift to be celebrated and shared, all of our lives are blessed.

Grant me the wisdom and patience to see Your greater good, dear Lord.

08/07/2017

08/07/2017
“So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.” Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition.”  Mark 7:5-9  NLT

Famous uses his keen sense of smell to determine where other dogs have been. He will sometimes suddenly change direction to follow his nose. This occasionally leads him near a spot where a less than conscientious owner has left behind his pet’s excrement. I know it is there because Famous will perform a little hop to side-step the evidence.

We are pretty clever at justifying why it is not necessary or convenient to follow God’s  commandments. In most of these cases we are putting our needs first and ignoring the needs of others.

Help me to seek Your guidance this day in meeting the needs of those around me.

08/11/2017

08/11/2017

FAMOUS FRIDAY FUN FACT

When did we become friends?

Scientists believe that humans and dogs first became best friends 30,000 years ago and our close bond started in Ice Age Europe when wolves, ­ancestors of today’s domesticated dogs, were first tamed by the ancient hunter gatherers.