The Animals In Our Lives

“The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”
Proverbs 12:10

I thank God everyday for the animals He has put in my life. Each one of them have been a special blessing in their own way. They all have their own personality and express themselves differently. There were only a few short years that I didn't have an animal in my care. M. Henry says, "The animals that are under our care must be provided for, must have convenient food and rest, must in no case be abused." Yes, every animal should be taken care of, just like we would want to be. God's command to "Love one another" includes the animals that are in our lives. "A godly person is always kind, and that kindness extends to the animals under his care. The righteous person cares about all life, including animal life." [gotquestions.org]

"God cares greatly for the animals He has created. Those who seek to follow His ways will also care about His creation, including animal life. Animal cruelty, the neglect of pets, and the wanton destruction of a species are sin. Christians are called to care for animals, expressing the same attitude toward animal life as our Creator has." [gotquestions.org]

When I was in my teens, I couldn't do most of the jobs that my friends had. I wanted a job tho, that was within my capabilities. So, one Christmas I got a female golden retriever, that I named Wendy. Wendy turned out to be a wonderful mother, so much so that she took care of another one of our dog's pups. My dad took care of a lot of the physical labor in raising my pups, like filling the feeders and water bowls and taking them to the vet for shots. I gave Wendy and her pups all the love they needed. It's hard to let go of the pups when they are old enough, but they filled new homes with fun, excitement and love. God's creatures are an example of His creativity, blessings, and bundles of love.

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Lying Hurts

 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Exodus 20:16

As I continue my youthful blogs, I want to talk about lying.  The Bible is clear that lying is a sin and is displeasing to God.  The first sin in this world involved a lie told to Eve.  "In the early church, Ananias and Sapphira lied regarding a donation in order to make themselves look more generous than they really were. Peter’s rebuke is stern: “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?”. God’s judgment was sterner: the couple died as a result of their sin of lying.   Jesus called Himself the way, the truth, and the life, and He expects those who follow Him to be people of truth. The truth is to be expressed in love, offering hope to those seeking redemption from the lies of the world. [gotquestions.org]

"Satan continues his efforts to make sin less offensive, heaven less appealing, hell less horrific and the Gospel less urgent." - John MacArthur

Yes, we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  I freely admit that I am a sinner and that includes my days of lying, as a teenager.  God knows all of our sinful ways and sometimes our parents find out about them too.  

In 7th and 8th grade, I played the flute in band.  It wasn't my love or my talent.  I was supposed to practice a few times a week and record it in a chart.  One time, my parents had went out to dinner and when they came home, they asked "Did you practice your flute?'  I answered without any doubt, "Yes!"  My dad went back out to the car and brought my flute back into the house.  BUSTED!!  The lie I told was undeniable.  My parents told me how disappointed they were of me.  I felt ashamed and went to them asking for forgiveness.

We should all repent of our sinful ways and ask for forgiveness from God.  Ephesians 1:7-8,  "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us." 

God has His arms open wide ready to welcome you into His kingdom with His free gift of salvation.

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Appearance and The Truth of It

"The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

The world is so quick to judge a book by it's cover or people by what they see.  "In ways we cannot understand, we reflect His own beauty. God places some value on appearances; if He did not, we would all look the same. It is not a wrong thing for us to notice and appreciate physical appearance as well."

"Our outward appearance should not be our focus. If the reason we try to be the perfect weight, wear the best clothes, have facial treatments, etc., is to impress other people, then our physical appearance has become a matter of pride. We should be humbly aware of our appearance rather than acting to conform to the world’s standards. We must watch out for anything that draws us away from God, including the too-often extreme emphasis the world places on appearances.  God has shown us His own amazing power and beauty and love in an incredibly diverse creation. We should be humble, not committing idolatry in worshiping the creation rather than the Creator."  [gotquestions.org]

As a teenager, I was a girly girl.  My focus was on both an inner and outer beauty of myself.  I didn't want to be in the popular crowd of girls who were pretty in the mirror, but were obviously ugly in their speech and attitude.  I am grateful that God looks at my heart because while it's not perfect, it is a caring and thoughtful one.  I know love because Jesus loved me first and I've seen it through Him.

Oh, I spent plenty of time in front of the mirror growing up.  Blue eye shadow was my signature shade.  Straight hair with feathered bangs transformed into permed hair with perfectly teased bangs.  My obsession with the latest in-style jeans, usually Guess brand for me, was my mom's battle back then.  

Matthew 23:12 ,"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." 

 When I got married, my beauty needs got humbled along with my bank account.  I was suddenly grateful for all the stuff I got at Walmart and The Dollar Store.  

As I've gotten older, humility has come more from knowing who I am and whose I am than anything else.  My small size has been judged by people, as a person who needs a child's menu or no menu at all.  My wheelchair bound self has been judged as one who's never walked or been educated or had a life.  People think they are better than me just because of their current abilities, that I have lost.  Not knowing isn't better, but just ignorance.

A mirage is an example of seeing and believing in something that's not true.  Don't make your vision of others like a mirage, find out the truth about them in whatever shape or form you see them in. 💚

Sleep

Psalm 4:8 — “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."

Sleep is essential for us to restore our worn down muscles from the day and to recharge our brain.  Sleep plays an important role in both your physical and mental health.  When we feel secure and at peace, our sleep comes more easily and is more restful.  As Psalm 4:8 states, it is God alone who is all sufficient to protect us when all of our own defenses are at rest.  "Though I am alone, yet I am not alone, for God is with me; though I have no guards to attend me, the Lord alone is sufficient to protect me; he can do it himself when all other defenses fail." [M. Henry]  

"So a good man, having by faith and prayer cast his care upon God, sleeps and rests night and day, and is very easy, leaving it to his God to perform all things for him and prepared to welcome his holy will." [M. Henry]  

As a very young girl, my nightly prayer was "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. AMEN"   It may sound a little depressing for a 4 or 5year old to say, but it's not.  It was a reassurance that God is in control as I closed my eyes knowing that I had nothing to fear or worry about.  I don't recall ever being afraid of monsters under my bed.  God gave me 'peace'.  This prayer can help bring children sweeter sleep and more confidence every day.

Oh, how I miss the sweet sleep I had in my youth.  As I look back in hindsight tho, I can see how I learned patience and endurance even during my sleep times.  Whether it was my pink foam curlers or my brace's headgear for my teeth, their uncomfortable times on my head was preparing me for a future I would've never suspected.  I wonder if those times made it easier for me to accept my current mask wearing with greater ease?

God alone has made me sleep in safety.  I've always felt secure whether I lived at home, in the dorm, in an apartment, in a rented room, in a duplex, or in my own home because I've always known God watches over me.  Psalm 145:20 say, "The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy."

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. —Isaiah 26:3

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Fear Isn't Part of the Plan

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.   
-Isaiah 41:10  

Today, I will discuss one type of fear.  The fear that comes from living in this dangerous world and the feeling of being alone, but we are not.  The verse above, Isaiah 41:10, comforts us and tells us how God is always here for us and with us. 

'Do not be dismayed' reminds us not to get too frustrated, too alone, or too overwhelmed by what we face.  He is with us!  His strength helps us, like nothing in this world can provide!  Its indescribable and all-powerful!   This verse is "to silence the fears, and encourage the faith, of the servants of God in their distresses." [M. Henry] 

For by suppressing our fears, He assures us... to fear not the enemy and doubt not the promises of God.  God is all-sufficient, even in our worst times.  "He will take us by the hand as our guide, to lead us in our way, will help us up when we are fallen or prevent our falls; when we are weak he will hold us up-wavering, he will fix us-trembling, he will encourage us, and so hold us by the right hand."  [M. Henry]

As a child, some of my fears were mine alone and weren't spoken of to anyone.  I knew my legs were weaker than others, just by the mere presence of my braces.  In elementary school in Stuttgart, I had to cross the ditch to get to school and the fear of falling led me to scope out the smoothest, different path each day.  God gave me confidence thru the Holy Spirit.  When I was in 6th grade at Sylvan Hills Elementary, God provided strength thru my new friend, Nita.  She knew it was hard for me to walk up the steep hill from recess to class, so she pulled me with her belt loop on her jeans.  Onto junior high, where stairs were now a part of my daily struggles and fears.  I was slower than slow, but that was better than a fall.  I knew God was with me and upholding me with His right hand.  The struggle wasn't over when school was out, but now the bus trials called for strength and endurance.  My friend, Lily, helped me get my school books onboard because just getting myself on was a feat in itself.  So many times, a tumbling I went off the bus while books and a flute case went scattering.  My dog, Bosco,  waited patiently for me so we could climb and fall on the steep gravel driveway together.  Confidence was built not only in myself but in God's promise to 'be with me always'.

As a teenager, my most difficult surgery yet was now to be faced.  Back surgery that involved placing 2 titanium rods along my spine and fusing them to my vertebrae.  This is where my trust in God was truly tested and God's promises were on the line.  Before I went back to surgery, I had no fear or obvious doubt but I reassured my Dad that 'It was going to be okay' and it was well with my soul.

When we let fear rule our lives instead of faith, we get a life that isn't what God had planned for us.

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