12/03/2017

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!” Luke 1:30 NLT

Scientists have shown a dog’s cortisol levels are lower when they are around their care-takers. This means they are under less stress. Even if they are around kennel mates they have known all of their lives, they are more calm and choose to be around a human who can provide for them.

God comes to us in our need and for his purposes. In this first week of Advent, may we know the peace that God can bring into our lives and rejoice in the provision of a Savior sent to bring us everlasting peace!

I anticipate the revelation of the Son of the Most Holy God!

11/19/2017

“And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” II Corinthians 9:14-15 NLT

This is a week when we are expected to focus on giving thanks, to remember our blessings, and to remember the Source from Whom all blessings flow. So why am I not able to concentrate on this joy, this “hallelujah” experience, every moment? Why am I so often preoccupied with worry over safety, achievement, or even being loved? Why do I find Christian friends often depressed, or frustrated, or sarcastic and even belittling?

It is simple enough to say we are all human and have human shortcomings and faults. But is that justification for allowing such a mindset to even occupy one second of a life that is given in devotion to God? We have been given much, particularly in America, where opportunity is abundant compared to other nations. We have the capacity to learn, to grow, and to share our faith. God’s grace to us is truly “too wonderful for words!”

But evil would keep us from celebrating such a gift. If our minds are obsessed with worry, doubt, and fear, then thanksgiving is replaced by hatred, revenge, exclusion, and intimidation. These are seeds of darkness, and they have been planted in every mind. But these seeds cannot thrive in the light of the love and grace which rain upon us from heaven. We acknowledge we have received in abundance the gifts of the Spirit. Are we also willing to take the responsibility of using these gifts in obedience to God’s will?

Famous is my spiritual compass. He can almost instantly cast out any self-doubt, fear, loneliness, or depression. What then is left but thankfulness? I believe God has provided at least one spiritual compass for each of us. I pray you find yours this Thanksgiving and allow it by the power of God’s Holy Spirit to transform you into a child of grace and light!

Pierce my heart, Father, with the undeniable awareness of Your purpose for me that I might be thankful in all things and at all times.

11/11/2017

“Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” Luke 1:78-79 NLT

So here is the thing. I cherish my walks with Famous. When I am able to be home during the day we must take a minimum of four walks, often as far as a half a mile from our house. But it is not with the greatest of pleasure that I must wear two and three layers of clothing now that autumn is transitioning to winter. More layers means more pockets to hold bags, lights, keys, phone, and anything else I might feel to be useful during the outing. But tonight one of those pockets failed me as we finished our walk in the cold and had returned to the front porch only to discover the key to the house was missing. The door was locked, so I had not forgotten the key. I quickly checked all of the many pockets in my clothing, but I came up empty. What would we do in the cold night?

Rather than panic, I ran through what must have happened to my key. During this late night walk we had stayed in our neighborhood, but we had covered most of its main street and side paths. Unswept leaves would make it very difficult to spot a key on a brown strap in the middle of the road, but I reasoned I would have heard it hit the asphalt. The only time we were not in the road was when Famous had visited a side field. Before leaving the house I had stuffed a plastic bag in my coat pocket for “duty” retrieval. I figured the key must have fallen out when I grabbed the bag out in the field.

So we turned around in hopes of locating the spot where the key would have dropped. Not only would I have to approximate where Famous had stood, how far he had ventured from the curb, but also where I would have been when I pulled out the shopping bag. And we would have to find the key in the dark. And we would have to find it in the cold.

I took out my phone and turned on its flashlight application to help illuminate the metal key in the grass. I chose the direction in which I thought I should search with Famous by my side, knowing it was only a guess of where we might have stood just a few minutes earlier. With no other landmarks in the field, I knew we could be looking for a long time under poor conditions. But before I had a chance to even start the search, I froze. My boot had landed on a hard object several feet from where I was about to start looking. I turned the light to the ground and saw the key! I had searched less than ten seconds, and a few minutes later we were home safe and warm.

The dark path of sin is often one where we feel lost, forgotten, helpless, and ignorant of the light of God’s direction. His hope comes to us when we rely on his truth and protection rather than our own devices. He will guide our steps in our time of need.

Show me the path that I must walk to keep my steps from straying from Your love.

11/01/2017

“In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.” Hebrews 5:9 NLT

Anyone could have predicted it was going to happen. Being in a hurry to prepare dinner for Famous and for me, I placed the can of French country style vegetable soup beside the can of turkey and chicken grill. The former was for me, and the latter was for Famous. However, it was the former that went into his supper bowl looking a little more liquified that what I had anticipated. That is when I realized I had made the mistake. He would not be able to eat the spicy ingrediants meant to tempt the human appetite, and I was not about to try his unopened can of dog food. I washed his bowl and started over, and fortunately for me, there was just enough of the soup still in the can for my dinner.

Christ, alone, is the perfect intercessor for our lives. We were made with imperfections and flaws because of our sin nature, but it is the perfecting of our souls which brings us closer to God. Were we to think we could accomplish such a task by our own volition, we would be sadly disappointed. For only God by his great grace can free us from our sin and allow us to abide in his great love.

Help me on this day to realize my imperfections can become vehicles of God’s grace which allow me to come to Him for forgiveness and inspiration.

10/30/2017

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NLT

Not only did yesterday’s weather deliver the strongest blast of cold air thus far this season, but a cold virus descended upon me as well. One clue that I am about to succumb to a virus is the inability to get a good night’s sleep, and I am at two nights running with having to get up several times during the night.

Consequently, today became a stay-at-home day with coughing, sneezing, and congestion–things I did not want to share with my patients. However, one of the comforts was spending the day with Famous, both of us napping at times, enjoying a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup (out of the can), accomplishing a few loads of laundry, and when he was due for his walks, bundling up to take him outside for a brisk walk in the bright sun. It was enough to lift the spirit and know that healing will come.

Even when we walk through the dark, cold seasons of life, there is deliverance by grace.

Let Your light pour over my soul for healing and strength.

10/23/2017

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” Colossians 3:16 NLT

If I were to write a hymn about Famous, it would be a song of joy and gratitude. He brings delight along with the reminder he is a gift from God. He makes known to me many of my greatest attributes and faults, and he helps me weigh the value of each decision and effort I make. When I would spend time on myself, he reminds me to think about others. When I reprimand him, he reminds me of forgiveness. When I am lonely or afraid, he is the one who would point me to God.

What is the hymn you are writing with your life?

Teach me to sing Your song, O Christ!

10/19/2017

“May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness— an abundance of grain and new wine.” Genesis 27:28 NIV

Yesterday our grounds keepers aerated the lawn in preparation for the fall seeding. But the mixture of heavy dew on the morning grass and the thick plugs of muddy soil turned Famous’ white legs and paws into dark chocolate to match the rest of his coat. Not quite the best combination of dew and earth mentioned in today’s scripture!

How easy it is for us, with the best intentions, to quickly find ourselves influenced away from the path which leads us closer to God! Whether we lose sight of the way or we allow the world to tempt us, the result is the same — we miss out on the rich rewards God intends to give us.

Guard my steps, I pray, to keep me moving closer to God.

10/18/2017

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Jehovah, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12 ASV

More so this week, this year’s fall temperatures have taken a dive in the darkening mornings so that I am now requiring hat, scarf, and even gloves to take Famous on his neighborhood tromp. As I rested my knit cap on the coat rack after today’s walk instead of placing it back in the drawer, I thought to myself, “and so it begins.” Now in our tenth autumn together, I feel prepared for the requirements of cold-predawn outings. I have collected a nice stash of gloves, scarves, heavy socks, and various lights to illuminate the dark streets.

Stay prepared for whatever life may bring. Seek ways of spreading kindness to everyone you meet. Look for every joy which has been set before you. As we climbed the hill in our neighborhood this morning we were greeted by a sliver of a crescent moon flanked by Venus and Mars, a sight worthy of braving a little cold.

The Lord is coming! May my actions today be worthy of His return.

10/17/2017

“Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights— His faithful love endures forever, the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever, and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:7-9 NLT

The brightest star in the sky is Sirius, the dog star. But Famous and I saw an even brighter man-made star last night as we went outside to view the International Space Station whizzing by overhead. Any aircraft has to expend huge amounts of fuel to stay up in the sky, but the ISS moved steadily across the sky, suspended in orbit above the earth traveling at approximately five miles per second. It came up over the playing field where we walk most days and went directly over our heads where it was at its brightest before disappearing in the tree line on the opposite side of the field.

The events and monuments we create are fleeting compared to the eternal God who reigns above. And even though stars will also one day pass away, their existence in such a timeline remind of the everlasting love God has for us.

Remind me of Your steadfastness when I am distracted by the insignificant moments in life today.

10/16/2017

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” Romans 8:18 NLT

Can we as modern-day Christians expect to suffer? Can we perhaps not have as close a relationship with Jesus if we do not suffer?

Famous had six teeth extracted this weekend. Six! And for all of that he seems to be doing very well two days out from the procedure. I would never wish him harm or any suffering. But I understood the discomfort he would suffer this weekend would be mild compared to the pain and dysfunction he would have if his periodontal disease progressed further to infect his jaw bone. In the aftermath I have learned better ways of providing his oral hygiene and how to nurture him until his incisions have healed.

Does God want us to suffer? No, He does not. But there is suffering in our world every second. If we feel we do not suffer, then somehow we have conveniently managed to cut ourselves off from the rest of the world, living quite oblivious to the needs of others. Jesus taught us that their suffering is his suffering. If we are to be Christ-like, then we must share the awareness of suffering in this world, rebuke it, and strive to improve it.

Instruct me today, Father, in how not only to avoid causing suffering to others, but how to prevent it and alleviate it when it is found.

ourdailydogdotcom

OurDailyDog

Author: rlowbass