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 

Skunked!!

Psalm 136:23(MSG)
God remembered us when we were down.  His love never quits.

I love dogs!!  Everything about them brings a smile to my face.  Their loyalty.  Their happiness.  Their energy.  You name it and I love it!  (Ok....I know what you're thinking now...and well..I guess I love almost everything about them.)  I own two healthy and beautifully tempered canines.  They happen to both be females, so they have earned the name "The Girls".

"The Girls" have a routine they embark (pun intended...ha) upon every night.  It begins right before bed when they proceed downstairs to speed out the back door for their last midnight run.  It's at this point in the night that they run "full on" down the hill and into the darkness racing to the back fence in a flurry of flying hair.  It is such a treat to watch this ritual.  I usually let them cruise around out there for up to an hour while we finish up whatever we have started inside and begin our final bedtime preparations.  Last night was no exception to our rule.  As I opened the door, they tore off into the night as usual.  I went off about my business.

What I discovered on my return trip was sad indeed!  I opened the back door as usual and my nose could not have prepared me for what it encountered!!  Thousands of tiny molecules hit me square in the face......and my brain took no time in identifying the obnoxiously dreaded skunk smell!!!   Oh noooooo....not again!! 

I snapped this pic one day last year...he must have a home nearby.

This happened to us almost one year ago to the date.  As I looked down, my poor little "girls" were foaming at the mouth and the youngest was partially blind...stumbling all over the deck.  There is not one ounce of funniness in this.  In fact, the skunk's spray is oil based and actually creates blindness for a period of time if it enters the eye.  If that isn't enough to make them miserable, the horrific smell can linger for up to a complete year.  Yikes!

I ran inside to fetch the "skunk" wash, which is "supposed" to strip the oil off their hair.  (Did I mention that this happened last year?)  Here is what I know about this.  If your dog sheds, then he/she will have a much happier time after his skunking, because his coat also sheds the oil quickly. The nasty stuff just sort of rolls off of their back.  If your dog does not shed, like my youngest one, then the spray is absorbed like a sponge being dipped into water!  The only thing that will help the poor victim is to shave them as short as possible and begin the daily baths with Dawn liquid dish soap.  Very traumatic event for all parties involved.

So, off I went this morning with my stinky little fur ball, escorting her to the precious groomer named Jessica, who willingly agreed to receive her for her haircut, detoxification and purification regime.  (She is the sweetest lady to receive her with no appointment scheduled and a sympathetic face!  Thank you, Jessica...if you're reading this.)  Gloves on, mind you, cuz last time I wore no gloves and it stayed on my hands for about two months...even after scrubbing with lye soap!  Scary! 

As I'm driving, I'm thinking about the smell...obviously quite strong now that the two of us are alone in my small vehicle.  The stench is circling around and around the car like a strong kerosene.  And then it hits me....no not another car thankfully....a thought!  The thought comes to my mind that this must be how much we stink when we are covered in the sins of our flesh.  The fumes linger and are so powerful that they can be detected a mile a way, but God still loves us.  He probably has to cover His nose, but He still loves us enough to scoop us up and take care of us.  The Lord gently washes us with His holiness until the smell is no longer there.  When we're at our worst, He comes in and rescues us from our debilitating messes.  Phew!!  Thank goodness for a God who has love for me that "never quits"!  

I currently understand, to a much greater degree, the old expression that says, "We got skunked!!"  It means we had "zero" and the other team beat us really bad!!  And guess what?  That really does stink!  (Quite literally in this particular story.)  But fear not!!  "God remembers you when you are down"! 

1John 1:9 (NIV)If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Awe Lord,
You are so amazing in my life.  You are becoming larger with each passing day.  Thank you for the blessing of transparency and the gift of friendship.  Thank you that even though we stink sometimes, You are willing to reach down, scoop us up, and take us to the groomer for a gentle cleansing.
Amen