“For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.”  Zephaniah 3:17  NLT

Music can inspire many moods, but for the most part we all appreciate it whether we prefer classical, country, jazz, or pop. I have a hunch Famous likes my piano playing. It is not unusual for him to curl up under my piano when I sit down to play. Perhaps he hears vibrations on the live strings in a way which is not reproduced for canine ears on radio or CD.

Christ is the song of our hearts. He is the music that allows our hearts to be glad and drives away our darkest fears. The mission for new and old believers alike is to find whatever it is in this world that reminds us of Emmanuel–God with us. Once you find this song, you can learn to recognize its melody and then tune into it under any circumstance. It plays so that your heart “strings” can respond. When we allow the music to play in our lives, we have the confidence of knowing we are not passing through this world alone.

While Famous is with me, I will play the music to assure him he is not alone and he is a welcomed addition to my life. In turn, I remember to find the joyful song which Christ brings to me.

What great assurance is mine knowing God rejoices over me today!

“There are three things that will endure–faith, hope, and love–and the greatest of these is love.”  I Corinthians 13:13  NLT

Death and taxes–perhaps these are the certainties in life. What is not preordained is the legacy we each will leave upon the earth. On this day in which human love is celebrated, I would like to elevate love itself as the force which is timeless and the one which can certainly make the biggest difference in our lives.

Valentine’s Day will be honored today around the world. We celebrate connectivity, reciprocity, and devotion. But we cannot insure that these will endure. Too often our own selfish needs lead us to believe love works for our own purposes, but I have found it is the energy which allows us to do for others. This is an energy that is truly renewable, for its source is limitless.

Having Famous share his life with mine gives me a glimpse of that inexhaustible love. We share a connection that can warm a heart and heal a hurt. And though love makes the moment sweet, it also will endure. But to do so, each of us must take advantage of this and every day as the best opportunity to show how much we love each other.

Thank you, God, for your everlasting love!

“And everything you do must be done with love.”  I Corinthians 16:14  NLT

It is true. Having a dog requires much work. Besides walking and feeding, there is grooming and bathing, training and teaching, exercising and playing. I suppose you could pay someone else to do all these things, but then why even have a dog?

For a brief time I entered Famous into show competitions. This required his grooming to only be done by a professional. His groomer had several dogs of her own, and one day she had a new dog in the yard. He was an older dog and overweight which surprised me because she took such great care of her animals. She explained a retired couple who had kept this dog as a pet for nine years had decided he did not belong in their lives anymore since they wanted to travel in their RV in their golden years. They had concluded keeping an older dog would not be very convenient and had contacted the groomer as the only resort short of taking the dog to the pound.

Perhaps this couple would tell you they loved this dog and it broke their hearts to have to abandon him. But I cannot imagine they lost very much sleep over their decision. As for me, I eventually learned to groom Famous myself. I did it out of love. I can also say it was love that enabled me to clean up the carpets when he would become sick in the house, to repair the screen door when he could not wait for me to open it, and to give him a bath when he would eagerly splash through a mud puddle or a scum-covered pond.

Love should be the best explanation for our actions.

Take my heart, Lord, and give me no preoccupation other than love.

“Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions.”  I John 3:18  NLT

Famous had his brief history as a show dog. Together we attended classes which helped me to know what to do in front of judges when we went to competition. They were looking for all of the qualities unique to each breed and for the dogs that best exhibited those qualities. I discovered a dog had to have excellent breeding, grooming, and discipline in order to advance and win. It was a very different community, but one where owners could “put their money where their mouths were” when it came to boasting rights.

There were weeks and weeks of practice for the two of us. In order for Famous to feel comfortable in a busy, loud, open space with hundred of other dogs, he had to practice his gait, his stance, and his obedience. Treats came in handy for helping him focus. All in all he did well for a young dog, and the judges took notice.

People do notice when we are proclaiming our love by our actions. But just as in the big world of dog competition, it takes work and effort to make our good intentions become loving actions which can ultimately change a life forever.

Spirit, motivate me to actively seek to demonstrate your love.

“This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.”  I John 3:11  NLT

You can ask anyone (other than a stranger in the yard), and they will tell you Famous is the sweetest dog. He rarely barks or growls in public, he loves children, and he is eager to roll over for a belly rub. It makes me wonder when we encounter other dogs less friendly if it is just a matter of poor training. I do appreciate it when the owner warns me his dog is aggressive and I should not let Famous come too close. But I am also saddened for the animal that has to live in a world with such limitations.

People can reject love for many reasons. But that should not keep the rest of us from opening doors to God’s love. Just as a dog owner should help socialize his pet with other humans and other dogs, people have to practice loving others. I believe it is true how we treat our pets gives insight into how we treat one another. And if we do not learn to share love, then we close our lives to the vast opportunities God wants to give to us.

God, remove any fear or doubt that would keep me from loving those I will encounter today.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud.”  I Corinthians 13:4  NLT

I have heard it said a dog can bring out the best in people. (Then there is the French proverb which says the best thing about a man is his dog!) I can tell you Famous has certainly helped me to be more patient. Perhaps he has allowed me to be kinder. I must admit I boast of him frequently, but even in my pride I am humbled by the fact that he is mine for far too short a time.

But it is because we only have a few years together that seems to connect me to the eternal. He is my treasure today, but these days are numbered. For him to continue in my heart when the day comes for him to no longer be at my side, the lessons he has taught me of loyalty, protection, and yes, love, must be able to endure. My connection to the Eternal comes from my understanding that Famous is a gift to me from God, as are all good gifts. My purpose then becomes discovering how I am to use it.

If we were perfect loving beings, we would always be patient, kind, and full of humility. But then what would we put on the evening news?

Lord, let me know the depth and the wonder of your love so that my thirst may be quenched.

“For you bless the godly, O Lord, surrounding them with your shield of love.”  Psalm 5:12  NLT

Famous is a fairly brave dog–in his own house. He is swift to notify me of anything from a stranger to a stray cat that might threaten our home. Outside the house, he is smarter than brave. He is more of a quiet observer, taking stock of anything that is out of place or worth his curiosity. But his reflexes give him away whenever there is a sudden movement from a bush or a loud bang. He will give a startled hop with a look to see if I saw or heard it too.

He also knows to listen to me at busy streets, to ignore the barks of noisy dogs, and to stay within eyesight if off-leash in the woods. I become his shield when we journey together, and my simple commands must be obeyed or we stop in our tracks until he complies. He may not know the full reasoning for my command, but he has come to learn to trust me for the beneficial outcome. I have learned it is better to avoid potential hazards than to have to react suddenly to them with dog in tow.

I must also learn to obey all of God’s commands, not just the easy ones, for He knows far beyond my understanding the potential dangers which lie all around me.

God, may your shield of love clear any danger from my path today. 

“Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:39  NLT

My traveling days almost ceased once Famous came home with me. But on occasion a conference or trip would come along where we were separated for several days.

I remember the first time this happened. I had to fly across the country and be separated from Famous by distance and time. I frequently checked on him to see how he was doing. I was told he was always trying to find me and refused to eat for a day or two. Our reunion was a relief for both of us. (He also learned to dislike the sight of me retrieving a suitcase from the attic.)

When God is missing from our lives, we are bound to find them fraught with mistakes and unnecessary worry. How reassuring it is to know there is no place on earth or in our hearts where God’s love cannot reach.

Christ, today I am mindful of the bond of love which can never be broken. 

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.”  Romans 8:38  NLT

I believe love transcends time and space. It endures. It is invincible. It can leap tall buildings in a single bound! It casts out fear, and it can free us to find the best in ourselves and helps us to reach our greatest potential.

I hope we all can agree love is  a pretty nice “high.” Not everyone believes in such lofty pursuits. Perhaps they feel unloved, or selfish desires have darkened their hearts. We all have times in our lives when things just are not working out the way we had planned.

I so enjoy the fun days with Famous, when we can take a hike to the top of a mountain or walk along the warm sands of the beach. But perhaps what is most satisfying is knowing he is there daily through those long months when life’s pressures and uncertainties seem never ending. He is a reminder love can handle the easy and the not so easy times.

Today I am overwhelmed that God’s love is always there and always available.

“‘O Israel and Judah, what should I do with you?’ asks the Lord. ‘For your love vanishes like the morning mist and disappears like dew in the sunlight.'”  Hosea 6:4  NLT

Famous has a stubborn streak in him. It is part of his personality which shows itself every once in a while. You can see him processing in his mind whether or not he will obey me or follow his own will. I have always known about it since he came into my life. His breeder would not allow me to sign his contract until she added in writing a stipulation, regarding his trait, upon which I could return him in exchange for another puppy if I were not completely satisfied. Apparently, his father had this “strong will” as well.

His behavior reminds me how fickle any of us can be in following the will of the Lord. We know we should behave one way, but we end up doing the opposite. We cannot see beyond the moment, and our defiant nature fools us into thinking we know what is best.

I rather laughed to myself when I signed the contract. I did not think I would ever be able to tell whether or not a dog was “stubborn.” As I watched him grow into a sweet, well-tempered dog, I also learned to accept a certain level of exacerbation whenever he disobeyed.

Father, forgive my disobedience today. Help me learn to not waver in my love for you.