My Dog Lucy

Psalm 119:85(MSG)
The arrogant godless try to throw me off track, ignorant as they are of God and His ways.

It doesn't take much to throw me off track these days.  I don't know if it's my age or what.  I mean let's be candid, I am pushing 50 years on this planet....that's 350 years for a dog!  Holy smokes!  That's half a century!! Perhaps another contributing factor could be the extraordinarily large amount of information that is available to me at the swipe of a screen. I suppose it could be a combination of both, but it's definitely a constant battle for me to stay on task and I don't think it's got anything to do with the "arrogant godless" this time.  


Here's the real deal. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that we are living in a world that is too busy.  Good grief, the things I can do now that weren't provided even a mere ten years ago is mind boggling!  I can check e-mails while I'm brushing my teeth.  It's not uncommon for me to look at the weather radar while I'm cooking dinner.  I frequently find myself reviewing all of the latest news events as I'm sitting in the car line waiting to pick my daughter up from school.  Oh yes, and there's Twitter, Facebook, Google+, blogs, etc....etc. Great. Or is it? 

I'm not sure what the answer is there, but I am sure of one thing.  When I do derail and inadvertently switch tracks, I usually end up falling behind on what I had intended to accomplish.  When that happens, my stress level goes way up. When my stress and anxiety go up....my "God ways" and certainly my God awareness go down.  Uh-oh... 

Did you know looking into a loving dog's eyes will increase
 endorphin (neurotransmitters that decrease stress)
 release in your body?  This is Lucy...in case
you don't have one of these at home and need
a little stress reduction today.
  

This is a picture of my dog, Lucy.  She is a beautiful cockapoo who brings so much joy into our home.  I am a firm believer in the stress relieving capabilities of a friendly pet. No surprise there, as they are one of God's biggest blessings to us humans!  You may not agree with that, but this is my blog, so I get to freely voice my opinions :).  Anyway, as awesome as she is, if I multiply that times infinity, my answer will still not compare to the stress relief that I find at the foot of the cross as I look into the eyes of my Savior.  He is certainly the biggest stress reducer of them all.  I hope you'll agree with that one!



Lord,
Thank you that I am created to be known by You.  I am so grateful that I don't have to hide from You.  You know when I sit and when I rise.  You discern my thoughts from afar.  You know, Oh God, a word before it is even on my tongue.  What freedom to know Your loving eyes are upon me.  What comfort to acknowledge that we don't have to live under the burden of stress or fear because of Your sacrifice.  (Psalm 139)
  
Oh...and thank You for these beautiful creatures that you have given us to enjoy.

In Christ's Name,
Amen 

He Is A Delight

Psalm 119:14(MSG)

I delight far more in what You tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches.

The quietness of a mountain stream.

Awe.....there is so much peace in this verse.  I have been so busy this season running hither and thither that the peace of God has eluded me.  Kind of hate admitting that little secret, but 'tis true.  I always know when I have forgotten to delight on His word, because that frenzied feel begins to creep into the core of my heart.  I start to feel like I am chasing a shadow when I merely read His Word like it were a dictionary, instead of hearing Him talk to me like the special friend that He is.  

I am missing a whole lot when I don't take time to delight in what He is saying to me!  If I am so distracted with a pile of earthly riches that I cannot focus on Him, then it might be time for me to remember what Jesus said:

Luke 12:15(NIV)~Then he said to them, "Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 

Father,

Thank you for pouring into my life and offering a beautiful picture of who I am as You reveal it to me through Your word.  Help me to always linger in Your presence and to remember that You are a trusted friend and counselor.  Lord, speak gently into the hearts of others today who are struggling to know that You are listening and let them know that You hear and You care for them so deeply! 

In Jesus Name,

Amen

The Broken Window

Proverbs 3:25 (MSG)
No need to panic over alarms or surprises, or predictions that doomsday's just around the corner,

I was very preoccupied with my window today.  Every time I passed by it, I wondered about it.  It wasn't what I was seeing outside of the window that was bothering me....