People....

I am reminded anew that people will always disappoint us.  If we put our trust in people rather than God, we will be disappointed. If I neglect getting to know the One who will never disappoint, I will be disappointed.  Working in the church/schools always bring me to this realization. People say hurtful things, they speak out of ignorance, they mention simple things to others and the others blow the statement up to gigantic proportions.   I am grateful that I have a God who will "accomplish all that concerns me"....that I need to focus on following Jesus and imitating His example of forbearing, forgiveness and fixing my eyes on Him, rather than obsessing on the ones who hurt me and hurt other friends I love.  I have been through this so many times before...I have never seen God leave me or desert me as I followed Him.  I will follow Him again.

God and my sweet dogs...

I love my dogs....I have also learned so much about what God is like from them.  My sweet old dog Sophie was with us for nearly 12 years.  In the last 6 months of her life, she needed special help just to make it.  Ray or I would have to get up at 3:30 every morning just to take her out to do her business.  She couldn't make it thru the night if we didn't.  Sometimes during the day she didn't make it outside and we had messes to clean up. She loved to go for walks but she walked so slowly, that it took forever to just walk down the street.  I got impatient at times, inconvenienced by the needs of an older dog....but I loved her, thanked God for her, and I did my best to take care of her.  I was reminded that God's love for me is patient and kind.  He understands my weaknesses and lovingly takes care of me and He would want me to do the same for this dear dog He gave me to love and care for.  We now have a new dog...Sadie.  I love her just as much as I loved Sophie.  She is a yr old lab mix... very spunky, will walk 5 miles and still want to walk more, she is the most affectionate dog I have ever seen....we just love her.   There are times where she embarrasses me though, especially when we have friends over for dinner. Last Sunday we had 2 friends over for lunch.  Sadie was just "full of it" and was in her "crazy puppy " mode.  What she really needed was a run through the woods but that couldn't happen just then. She was barking, ran around squeezing her loudest toy for us, she was mouthy....it was not pleasant!  Our friends left and I was exhausted!  As I replayed the afternoon in my head wondering how I could have handled her better, I was reminded that God is patient with me.  He is long-suffering, compassionate and abounding in love for me...even when I do dumb things or say things at the wrong time.  He is that way with me and He wants me to become like Him so He wants to develop those characteristics of love in me.  Loving my dogs reminds me of what God is like and taking care of them helps me become the kind of person He wants me to become.  I am grateful for both of those lessons.