I'll never find a more faithful loving friend. Meko, our Maltese follows me everywhere I go. My husband tells me when I leave he sits on the back of the sofa and watches out the window, waiting for me to return. He cries real tears. It doesn't matter what I do, he still loves me. A normal working day will find him asleep on top my desk. When he wants down he jumps into my lap. Trusting little guy, don't you think? Anyway, he is also very persistent when he wants to go outside, for a walk, or play, he doesn't give up until he gets what he wants. It doesn't matter to him what's on my schedule, it's all about him. When we are outside he barks at other dogs or people. A few days ago we were on a walk. He spotted another dog and yelped. In fact he jumped and bounced against my leg for me to pick him up. I reached down and scooped him up allowing his bravado to return. I laughed when he barked. As long as I'm holding him he's very brave. Oh, he's a mess all right, but he's my mess. My husband thinks I have ruined this little guy. He's just under four pounds, but doesn't realize it. He thinks he's a Rottweiler. I've mentioned to my husband several times this little guy isn't in control of my life, I am. Oh, I've got to go, Meko wants to play.
Being a single Mom isn't always easy. One of the most difficult things for me was taking, or not taking my kids on vacations. I was lucky to keep the electric on and food on the table. One summer I had a little extra money and the three of us decided to go on a canoe trip. A state park not too far from our home had a livery where we could rent all the equipment. My daughter and son each brought a friend with them. The "men", I think they were six or seven at the time wanted their own canoe. So we girls set off in ours. The creek bed was dry that year, and was probably only three or maybe four feet deep at the deepest point. The boys were ahead of us and despite my warnings they were moving around in the canoe, laughing and acting like boys. The current was swift, but the water was shallow. We had just begun the eight hour trip when I heard screaming just ahead of us. There in the water were my son and his friend. The canoe was upside down against the bank. My son and his friend were screaming, fearful they would drown. I yelled at them to stand up. He continued thrashing in the water as I neared. Finally, he peered at his friend who was already standing and sputtering. I am reminded of the times in my life when all I had to do was stand up. My faith wasn't strong enough. All I had to do was place my feet on the bottom and push myself up. The Lord was there all the time. Just like my son and his friend. The water was knee deep. All they had to do was stand up. Sometimes our faith is tested and we don't realize all we have to do is stand up.2 Chronicles 20:20 Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld....
Join with me today in welcoming guest blogger, Carolyn Hayes. Carolyn won my heart when I learned about our mutual love of animals. Carolyn is a pet sitter.
Welcome Carolyn! What can I say? People who know me, know all about me. But for those who don't, I am a professional pet sitter and an occasional writer. In addition, along with my sister, we've established a non-profit organization to assist in educating the public on pet care and responsibility.
A Survey of Thoughts
By Carolyn Hayes, Staff Writer, Penda Publishing
Often I ask myself about what I write, “Am I clear, concise and easily understood?” Generally my mind works faster than I type; and, therefore, my words don’t always express exactly what I want to communicate. My writings are a combination of spiritual words with spiritual thoughts. However, when I attempt to put them on paper, they tend to be somewhat different from my original intentions.
I “blog” online at my “Crittersister Journal” often and sometimes in my writings you’ll read about my thoughts and how they weave their way through a series of struggles and triumphs and then back again. However, as I reflect at the end of the day, those thoughts generally are not as extreme as I considered them to be at the moment of contemplation. Let’s take a look at what I would consider ‘extreme’ thinking:
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about polls and surveys. I realize most people are familiar with surveys like the Gallop Poll, the Neilson Ratings, and those one-hundred-people surveys from the game show Family Feud. Another interesting on-line poll I found was the Harris Poll (conducted by Humphrey Taylor) in February 2003. With over 2,201 U.S. adults surveyed, the following is an overview of its amazing statistics on the topic: “What Christians and Non-Christians Believe”…
What some people who call themselves Christians believe:
1% of Christians do not believe in God
8% do not believe in the survival of the soul after death
7% do not believe in miracles
5% do not believe in Heaven
7% do not believe in the Virgin birth
18% do not believe in hell
What some people who say they are NOT Christians believe:
26% believe in the resurrection of Christ
27% believe in the Virgin birth, Jesus born of Mary
This poll was disturbing to me. If some believers don’t know they know what they should know, how can they witness to anyone else to know? Then I wondered about what I know. How do I know what I know is what I should know? I began examining my own faith. What is it that I know? Where am I spiritually? Because sometimes I ‘feel’ like a Christian and sometimes I don’t. I know that sounds exactly like that commercial jingle for the Almond Joy candy bar, “sometimes I feel like a nut and sometimes I don’t”, but it’s true.
I find through prayer and reading God’s word, faith has nothing to do with feelings. I know that I am a sinner, Christ died on the cross for my sin, He rose from the dead, and He lives today to help me. And because He paid my sin debt in full, I can live as a Christian, even though, at times, I don’t ‘feel’ like one.
Life is difficult and the only way I remain steadfast in my faith is by continuing to read the Bible and praying so I’m not swayed by all the “religious” hype that fills all the various reports and publishings in the media about Christ, i.e. The DaVinci Code, The Gospel of Judas,The Jesus Papers, etc. Such information in the hands of a new or shaky Christian cannot be helpful as they undermine biblical truth. It is no wonder some Christians do not know what they believe!
Many years ago a friend called in tears. "Do you have a minute?" she began. I saved the file I was working on and sat back in my chair. She blew her nose and took a deep breath. "What's going on?" I said. She shared that she felt her family was under attack. She went on to describe a viscous attack on her family by a man who claimed to be a Christian. She shared how he was doing everything he could to destroy their family business. It seemed he had entered an agreement with her father to purchase the business, only to default later and was causing a great financial hardship on her parents as well as her own immediate family. While she was talking I began praying. I remember telling the Lord, "I don't know what to say to her Lord." I need a little help from you. She is suffering, her family is suffering, they may lose their home. What should I say?" I continued listening for a while and that little voice inside my head told me to go to Jeremiah 29:11. That particular day, many years ago, I wasn't familiar with Jeremiah 29:11 so I couldn't quote it to her. She suggested I send the verse to her in an email. We talked for a little while longer and we prayed before we hung up. I immediately looked up the verse. I got chills. A few hours later I heard from her again. This time the tears were gone. She said, "you aren't going to believe this. But after you sent me the scripture to read, I received another email from another friend just minutes apart. " The excitement continued in her voice. "Guess which scripture she sent for me to read?" Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Whenever I need to be reminded of how God works in my life, I remember the day I sat back in my chair praying for God to use me to help this friend. God doesn't have email, but he uses those of us who do. I will never forget the way I felt at the moment she shared with me how God had worked in my life and another friend of hers to tell her HIS message that day.
This isn't the Jordan River, but it is a river in Colorado and represents water flowing from the mountains above. I can't imagine stepping onto the water, hoping it will part so that I can cross it. I think it would be easy to stand back on the shore and say, "sure I've got lots of faith, but you go first." Kinda like the Monday morning quarterback. How many times in my own life, when the Lord has asked me to step out in faith, have I said, "Please Lord part the waters first?" I've got lots of faith Lord, but will you help me, show me another sign. One that's safe. Not so easy, is it. I love the way God uses me to bring people to him. One of my prayers is give me someone to bless today. And every single day He does. Some days I don't realize it until much later in the day. It is never like the parting of waters, it may be someone who needs a ride home. The other day I visited a friend who is incarcerated in the county jail. When I came back outside, I was making mental notes of things I needed to do for my friend. I wasn't paying any attention to my surroundings. A lady approached me, and asked if I could give her a ride back to her apartment. I said no, without even looking at her. After all, I was too busy. I'm interviewing people for the book I'm writing. I was late for one of those appointments. I had many other projects waiting at home. I was just too busy that day. Driving to her apartment was not part of my plan. Where is her apartment? I'm sure it's not convenient for me. However, I turned back around to face her. She was carrying a large paper bag full of her possessions. She said, "if you could wait just a second, I'll run across the street to the pawn shop." I knit my brows, "why would you do that?" She continued, "so I can pay you $20 for gas." I shook my head, and motioned for her to follow me while I found my car. As we were walking, I asked her if she was visiting someone in jail. She shook her head, "no, I just got out." On the way to her apartment we prayed. And a little later, after I dropped her off, I thanked the Lord for sending me someone to bless. Sometimes the leap of faith the Lord asks us to take, is just a tiny baby step. I almost tripped that day during my walk. I had to reschedule my appointments that day, but I was able to finish all the other projects and deadlines waiting for me. Thank you Lord for blessing me------don't wait for the waters to part.
Have you ever walked through a horse or cattle barn at the county fair? Flies buzzing all around your head. It's hot and smelly. Jodie Bailey reminded me on her blog last week about how Mary must have felt entering that stable. She was nine months pregnant. She rode a donkey for miles. Let me back up just a bit. According to Hebrew customs Mary and Joseph's marriage was arranged by their parents. After the contract was settled the two were considered married. Each of them lived with their parents until after a waiting period, when they lived together as husband and wife. If, during that time conception occurred, the marriage could be annulled. Imagine the disgrace Joseph must have felt upon learning Mary was with child. Joseph, not wanting to disgrace her publicly, planned to divorce her quietly. But Matthew 1:20 an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Now can you imagine what his friends thought? When he tried to explain Mary's pregnancy. Did they believe him? Probably not. They were scorned and mocked. Joseph and Mary,under the ruling of Augustus Caesar, were listing their names to be registered in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, known as the town of David. While they were there it was time for Jesus birth. Because there was no room in the Inn, Mary and Joseph went to the stable, where the animals were fed. It was there Mary wrapped her tiny babe with pieces of cloth and laid him in a manger (a tiny box for feeding animals). There among the animals in that smelly stable lay our King. Our precious Lord and Savior who would one day die on a cross for our sins. Yes, it all began in that smelly stable. Thank you Jodie Bailey for reminding me of this fact. And thank you Lord for loving me. Don't forget to wish everyone a Merry CHRISTmas this year. Don't take Christ out of Christmas. Remember it isn't happy holidays, but Merry Christmas. It also isn't a holiday tree, but a Christmas Tree. It's a time of Joy and celebration of our wonderful Lord's birth.
I don't seem to hear those two words as often as I used to. Are we still teaching our children to say please and thank you? My grandmother used to pound those two words into my head. I hear people say to me, "times are different now." Those were the same words Grandma used to say. Times are different today, but manners aren't. Are they? I don't think so. I didn't get any "mother of the year" awards from my children when they were growing up. In fact, I was the "meanest mom in the world." That award usually came right after, or during my suggestion that they clean their room before they go outside to play football with the neighbors or go shopping with girlfriends. It used to surprise me, if I was the meanest Mom in the world, why all their friends hung out at our house? It also surprised me that their friends would ask me if they could help with a chore around the house. There were times when I wanted to cave. When I wanted to be their friend rather than fight with them and remain the parent. The most unpopular person on the block. One of my fondest memories of my son is the memory of the look on his face when he thought "he won the battle." I always insisted my children write thank you notes for gifts or cards from friends and relatives. One day, my son stood before me with his little scrunched up nose and his hand on his hip. "I don't want to write a thank you note to Grandma. Can't I just tell her the next time I see her?" I turned and smiled at him and nodded my head. "Sure, you can do that." He stood waiting. I continued. "I'm going to call Grandma right now." He smiled victoriously. No more thank you notes, I'm sure he was thinking. "Why are you calling Grandma?" "I'm going to tell her you hate writing thank you notes. So in order for you not to have to write another one, I don't want her to ever buy you another gift." He yelled. "Where's a pen and paper." Today I love being their friend. And watching them be the meanest parent in the world.
Kathryn started writing when she was 10 years old. Fortunately for the world, none of those stories were ever published. Five years ago, she met and married her best friend. She lives with her husband and their dogs, Bailey and Meko in Florida.
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