“He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”  Daniel 2:21  NIV

I am trying to catalog in my mind the simple memories Famous has been making with me. In just a simple walk there are many sensations which are eternal. Spring gives us a shower of cherry blossoms. Summer supplies the wet slap of feet and paws in the ocean. Winter challenges us with an occasional slippery slide or the crunch of fallen snow giving way under our weight. And autumn sweeps a little hurricane of leaves across our path that rustles wistfully, reminding us that the only thing which is constant is change.

But God is also constant, giving us the hope that these moments are eternal because He has created them, and He has directed them to change. Today is the moment He has created for us. It will soon change, and as it does, we can watch and listen to his unfolding miracle.

What eternal memory will You give to me today, O God?

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”  I Thessalonians 5:11  NLT

Taking a walk with Famous can sometimes be as much an adventure for me as it is for him. Today, a car sent out a friendly toot as he and I were heading down the sidewalk. I thought it appeared to be a neighbor driving by so I quickly waved. A few short moments later the same car came by us, turned the corner, and then stopped. Out jumped a friend whom Famous and I had not seen in a long time.

We greeted each other with a warm hug. Famous appeared to recognize him as well and eagerly sat down with tail wagging, ready for his chance to say hello and get a pat on the head. My friend and I quickly caught each other up on recent events. But we also blessed each other by sharing the good news of what God had been doing in our lives.

We may forget our role as encouragers to others if we are tempted to dwell on our own needs. Let us never forget that words of kindness are a ministry to both those who know and those who seek the Lord.

Open my heart and ears to those to whom God would have me encourage with kind words today.

“If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out.”  Numbers 9:21  NLT

The cloud did remain this morning. The cloud over our heads on this day, however, was the result of tropical moisture that had settled over our region. The light arrived later than usual and filtered through the dense cloud layer as a quiet gray. Most of yesterday’s winds had died, so it was apparent the heaviness and dampness of the morning would linger throughout most of the day. Nonetheless, it was a good morning to sit with Famous (and a cup of coffee) to see how the weather God had sent to us would affect our plans.

Where do we turn for direction? Is it our work, our bank accounts, or friends, or the ones we love? If we pray for guidance from God, he will show us the path to take. God will intervene to further his plan of salvation for the world. We must be willing to serve him in this ultimate glory so that its impact will be realized in our daily living.

May the wonders of Your glory be my strongest influence today.

“But then I recall all you have done, O LORD; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.”  Psalm 77:11  NLT

The autumn brings new opportunity for finding fun things to do with Famous. This month I plan to take Famous on a mountain hike, stand with him in a pumpkin patch, and sit and watch fireworks one evening at the end of the county fair. I am storing up memories with Famous. He is my gift, one which comes with responsibility. I choose to be faithful to this gift and to honor God, the Giver of all good gifts. My hope and trust is that these memories will turn into blessings even after Famous is no longer by my side. He points me back to the One who so loves me, and he will continue to remind me of that love once he is gone.

God bestowed upon us the gift of memory. This is one way in which we can draw closer to Him. Our memories of his presence, his intervention, his providence, and his grace, result in our natural responses of praise, thanksgiving, and adoration.

Preserve and protect the memories You have given to me, Father, of my journey that continues to lead me closer to You.

“For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”  II Corinthians 4:6  NLT

It is the time of year when daytime and nighttime temperatures fluctuate quickly. This evening we headed out for a walk with a beautiful sunset for a backdrop. By the time we had walked around the schoolyard the light was fading when we turned to head home and the air was cooling. Famous led us close to a southernly exposed brick wall of the school, and you could feel the radiant heat from the bricks, evidence they had been baking in the sun for hours during the day.

We need only look for evidence that the Lord has been with us in this place. Out of the void God spoke and evoked the light in the beginning of all creation. This was his “Word,” his logos, which became flesh in Christ Jesus and which continues to go forth into the world through our hearts.

Enable my senses to find evidence of Your presence in my life today, dear Father. 

“Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle^[a] near the Ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”

“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.

Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”

Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”  I Samuel 3:1-10  NLT

Poor Famous! An intestinal infection kept him under the weather with loss of appetite all week. Instinctively, he refused to eat. But even that did not stop his urgency to quickly get outside when he could not control  his bowel. Careful monitoring of him and his mood, appetite, and urges became my main focus. If we did not make it outside in time, he sadly waited until I realized that he and the living room floor needed cleaning. During the daytime I learned to watch for any sign that he needed to quickly be taken outside, whether it was a short whimper, heading to the front door, or just standing and staring at me hoping I would see him in time.

At night this become a more difficult problem. His whimper could not always arouse me from sleep, so he would relieve himself when and where he could. I would usually awaken to the foul smell from the midst of my slumber and instantly realize Famous needed my help.

After the second night, with the realization the problem was not going to be solved quickly, I made a decision to sleep on the living room sofa with my clothes on ready to walk outside with him in a moment’s notice. Then if he called to me in distress, I was ready to respond once I could focus on the room and where my shoes were laid! This proved to be a satisfactory method but one which deprived me of my sleep just as had been the case the summer I was house training him. At that time he would sleep in his crate close to my bed. At the first sound of any whimper, I would show him outside where it was appropriate to relieve himself.

Today Famous showed the first signs of improved energy and appetite. His urgent needs have also improved. Our solution depended on my willingness to respond quickly to his call for help. But how often do we delay our responses to God, either convincing ourselves we need to think about his call or ignoring it all together? God will, I believe, continue to call us to the purposes for which we are created. The problem in delaying the   response is that we will miss unique opportunities to serve and understand God’s will. We should become quick and obedient servants waiting for the Master’s call, even if it means sleeping in our clothes and being ready in a moment’s notice.

Help me not to stumble in my conviction to follow Your direction today, O Lord.