My long-time ministry was ending. Following prolonged prayer, I believed God was guiding me to train my puppy, Duke, to be a Therapet. Therapet dogs, alongside their masters, visit schools, hospitals, and many other places. Training would require much time and hard work, but I was excited about this new ministry.
I love dogs! Every dog we have owned has been my close companion. Therefore, when our 7-year-old Chocolate Lab died suddenly of a stroke, I was heartbroken. Two days later, Don noticed an advertisement in the newspaper for a litter of chocolate labs. Though I was still grieving, I decided to begin looking for a puppy.
As I ate lunch with a fairly new friend, I shared my adoption story with her. Conceived in an act of adultery, my biological mother chose adoption. After seven months in a foster home, a young couple became my adoptive parents.
Have you ever felt an impending “shipwreck” looming on the sea of life? The waves of distress feel insurmountable and going under for the last time inevitable. Looking off in the distance, only the disaster seems visible, not the remedy.
I do not know about you, but when I finally joined Facebook, I experienced so much heartwarming fun. I heard from people I never dreamed I would touch base with again. Everyone seemed cheerful and glad to connect with each other.
Ecclesiastes 5:2 jumped off the page at me. I realized it referred to public prayer, but how often did my private prayer time consist of me doing all the talking? I determined I would spend time listening.
Have you ever heard of Senioritis? A conversation with High School or College Seniors may contain that word. Seniors have tired of studying, going to class, and the routine of school. The anticipation of their next endeavor could stand in their way of finishing strong.
It had been raining and gloomy for days. The girls and I played with every doll, conquered many board games and watched Doc McStuffins episodes too many times. We needed a break!
I am taking a large group of teenagers from Texas to Austria in the coming months. I am already working hard in planning and preparation. I have promised to go with them, to be ready to handle the details of our travel as well as the unforeseen encounters. And I’ve promised to bring them home safely. It is a sobering task.
Does the thought of living today, right now, seem too hard? Maybe. Living in “today” may mean facing health issues, relationship struggles, or financial hardships, according to God’s leading. The suffering and pain that trials bring may feel unbearable and unthinkable.
Have you ever had the feeling of Spring Fever? You just want to get out and do something. You might not even know what it is you really want to do. These words came to me during one of those times:
Ah, the seasons! They are truly one of God’s best ideas. We see His invisible hand in June’s full-flowering beauty, September’s glorious bounty and the pristine purity of December’s first snow. So, what can we say about March?
Speaking “I love you” does not come easily for me. As a child, I did not hear those words. I was twenty years old when my future husband told me, “I love you.” I eventually found the courage to say the words to him. When I was thirty-one, I finally heard those all-important words from my mom and dad—by phone—across the country.
When Biscuit, my seven-year-old Yorkie terrier, hears me talking on the phone or sees my husband and me hugging, he tries to nudge his way onto center stage and claws my legs. He does not tolerate us paying attention to anyone but him! His insecurities take over.
Biscuit, our dog, looks for a lap when we sit down. He is on the floor beside our feet when a lap is unavailable. He anticipates a ride in the car when he hears keys jingling. He follows us outdoors. He barks and spins in circles of excitement when invited to go for a walk. While in bed, he snuggles as close between us as he can. He cuddles with me in the sunroom every morning for quiet time with God.
The Yorkie terrier mix was two-and-a-half years old when we rescued him from the pet adoption center. His previous owners had surrendered him a week earlier due to neglect. The reason given was that they did not have time for him. The Center caretaker confirmed this by observing the long, matted fur coat and his insecure behaviors. He carried the dog like a twelve-pound infant child and referred to the pup as “Shiloh.”
Our eyes locked momentarily. I knew in that instant that he was the one for me! The adorable dog paced energetically. His barks echoed above the other dogs in their chain-link kennels at the pet adoption center.
As a little girl I loved to sit on the lake pier and dangle my feet in the water while trying to touch the fish floating by with my toes. But I never liked to swim in the lake. The darkness of the water and not knowing what was lurking beneath the surface made me nervous. I had friends who would swing from tree limbs and jump right in to the murky unknown. But not me.
Some mornings when the alarm clock blares, I feel like pulling the covers over my head – trying to stop the overwhelming thoughts of the tasks of the day. But something moves in my soul that pushes me out of bed. There is more to our day than a to do list. God has our day all planned out. I am sure He laughs at our day planners.
