The Interloper, The Charging Dog, and The Clear Glimpses of God They Gave

Sam Wiley has a new dog. I'm not sure the dog doesn't belong to someone else, but it doesn't have a collar and it hasn't been neutered.

Sam had complained about being lonely, so, at dinner one night, I prayed that God would send him some company. Sam agreed with a hearty amen. I meant HUMAN company, which God knew, but it seems like He had a different idea. 

A few days later, Sam came over for dinner. "I think I got me a dog."

"You bought a dog? Where did you get a dog, Sam?"

"It just come up to my house and started hanging around."

"Don't you think that's your neighbor's dog?"

"Nah. If it were, they'd have bought him a collar."

I didn't have a good argument for that theory, so I asked to see the dog. "You can't see him unless he comes around. He just comes when he wants to."

"Sam, that's not much like having a dog."

"It's enough for me."

This went on for weeks. Sam bought dog food and started leaving it out. The dog started eating it and running off. Before long, the dog gained weight, "slicked off" (Sam's term), and started hanging around Sam's house. 

"That dog needs a name, Sam."

"Yeah, but I can't think of a name." 

I didn't have a ready name, so we asked Ryan. He couldn't think of a name, either, so he asked his girlfriend, Hannah. "She says name him Benny." 

We did. Benny learned his name pretty quick. Sam did not. Sometimes he called him Danny. Sometimes he called him Dog. It was a different name every time. 

Benny didn't seem to mind. In fact, he really liked Sam and started following him to the barn. That wasn't exactly a good thing, since Benny quickly developed a love for chicken-chasing, following closely by chicken-shaking, which always leads to chicken-killing. 

I'm down two more chickens. If it weren't for Sam, Benny would be banned from the farm.

Yesterday, Sam decided to spring a surprise on me. 

I had come home early and was working on my computer in the kitchen. The Wonder Dogs had gone outside to sun on the patio. We were having a peaceful and very productive afternoon when Sam opened the back door and motioned for the leashes.

"You taking the dogs for a walk?"

"Yeah, but I thought I'd let them meet my dog first. I'm just gonna let them loose together and see how it works out."

"Sam, I don't think that's a good idea. Maggie's..." Before I could say another word, Maggie noticed Benny sneaking up on her and went into Ninja-dog mode. She jumped up, every hair on her back standing straight up, started barking like crazy, and charged Benny, who's at least three times her size. 

He was so shocked that he stared at her for a few seconds. When he realized the crazed pint-sized Shih Tzu was about to jump on him, he turned and ran for his life. Maggie was right behind him.

Mamie was frolicking with the cat, as usual, and missed the initial exchange. When she heard Maggie bark, though, she took out to help her. 

Benny ran wide-open. Maggie was only a few feet behind him, a look of utter determination in her eyes. She meant business. That interloper was leaving her territory.

I ran after them, leashes dangling from my hand. When I rounded the house, I realized there was no hope of catching the dogs. I started yelling. "STOP! STOP!" 

All three dogs ignored me.

"Mamie sit." I didn't have much hope for this command, but I gave it a try. 

Miracles still happen. 

She was at least twenty yards ahead, but Mamie sat. I raced up to her and snapped a leash on her, then started running again. Mamie wasn't impressed with the pace, but she managed to keep up.

The sit command worked so well on Mamie that I decided to try it again. Maggie headed down the hill by the tractor shed. Only one little hillock separated her and Benny from the road. The very busy road.

"Maggie, sit."

She stopped, made a quarter turn, and stared at me. I stopped, pointed my finger at her and gave her the hand signal for sit. "Maggie, Sit." I stood as still as a stone and held my breath.

She completed her turn with the grace of a beauty pageant contestant in swimsuit competition, paused, and sat. As I clipped the leash on her (and rejoiced over the great obedience training school we'd attended), I saw Benny stop and look back. When he realized the chased had ended and he was safe, he loped off to Sam's house.

The Wonder Dogs and I walked back toward the house where Sam waited for us. 

"I didn't expect all that," he said.

"Well, it happened so fast I couldn't warn you."

"I thought she was gonna eat my dog up."

"Maggie would wade into a pack of coyotes if they got between us. She's born to protect her human. You can't spring a strange dog on her like that and expect it to go well."

Sam grinned. He loves just about everything Maggie does. "Yeah. I see that now."

There's more than one lesson to learn from this crazy story, but the one I'm teaching is about how ferocious a little dog can be about protecting her human. That ferocity didn't just happen, and it wasn't taught in obedience school. That fierce protectiveness is a God-given trait placed in dogs like Maggie before they are born by the One who created dogs in the first place.

Scripture tells us that nature declares the glory of God. I believe that animals, clearly a part of nature, also demonstrate the truth of God to a world that's often too blind to see. 

If dogs sense danger from an interloper and respond, how much more must God respond when His children encounter danger, even when that danger is self-imposed? 

Much more.  

If dogs respond immediately, how much faster does God respond?

Infinitely faster.

We do not serve a dog-sized God. We serve the God who keeps the stars in the sky and the earth rotating around the sun. He controls everything in the universe. The things we know about and the things we don't. 

He's too much for us to comprehend, yet He knows us. By name. 

He cares about us. Individually. 

He loves us. Unconditionally.

This God loved us enough to give His only Son to pay our sin debt. Despite that terrible price, He still cares about lonely old men and prissy, silver-haired women. He still cares about little children with no shoes (this is a hint for later) and mothers who struggle to make ends meet.

He loves us. 

When Maggie the Wonder Dog races around to try to save me from a danger that exists only in her mind, she reminds me of the unconditional love of a God that knows me, responds at the first instant I call, and cares about every moment of my future. And yours. 

Even if the only glimpse you've had of God is from a sweet dog, please know that the glimpse you've had is not even a sliver of the full picture of our great God.


If you've known Him for years, today, stop to thank Him for His incredible love and constant care. Remember that He has a plan and He wants us to follow it. It's made in our best interest and perfectly designed for our benefit. We can trust Him and His plan.

I don't always like how God's plan proceeds, but I'm always better for it. You will be, too. 

So, today, let's trust the One who uses the things of nature to show us His glory and thank Him for the glimpses He gives of His great love.

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have ben clearly seen, being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse." Romans 1:20 nasb
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When the Answer I Needed Was Already Written in the Margin

#God #Maggiethewonderdog

Choosing the Dirt

Maggie the Wonder Dog is funny and smart and a little sassy. Well, sometimes she's a lot sassy, and it's not often to her advantage.

A few days ago, Sam and I were sitting outside, talking and taking a break. We called the dogs, and Mamie came running. She jumped into Sam's lap and settled in for some good snuggling. Sam laughed with delight. He loves to snuggle with Mamie.

I called Maggie again, but she didn't come. "Where is that dog?"

Sam pointed toward the lake. "You ain't gonna like it, but she's rolling around in the dirt."

I followed his finger with my eyes, and he was right. Maggie was under the big pecan tree in a bare area of dirt, rolling around. Well, scrubbing around might be a better description. I could see from our vantage point that she was covered in dust and dirt. 

Sam hollered to Maggie. "She's not gonna let you inside like that. You oughta come now before it gets worse."

Maggie didn't care. She kept rolling.

This may be giving a dog too much credit, but I've often thought that, when Maggie knows a bath is inevitable, she gets as dirty as she can right before it.

Maggie loves the intimacy of snuggling. She loves the comfort of sitting in laps. That day, however, she loved the dirt just a little bit more.

We watched her as she played a while, and I finally said. "She's a lot like some people, don't you think?"

"Yep," Sam agreed. "They sure love the dirt."

Sam's right. Maggie could've had snuggles and laps and back scratches and belly rubs. She could've had all the good things that go with obedience. Instead, she chose the isolation and dirt of disobedience.

I think there are times when we're a lot like her, especially when we've already been disobedient. Somehow, despite the sweet intimacy that comes from repentance, we prefer the isolation of further sin just a little bit more. I do that sometimes, and maybe you do, too.

It's never worth it.

This world is a cold and lonely place when we're separated from our Lord. There's no momentary comfort that's worth the isolation sin brings. So, let's get up out of the dirt we're rolling in, whether that be pride, anger, unforgiveness, lust, or greed. We all have our favorite "flavor" of sin, but no matter what it is, it separates us from God. 

Let's stop piling sin upon sin and come back to our Father. The only thing better than the clean feeling of forgiveness is the sweet intimacy of right standing with our Lord. 

One of the last things Jesus said was, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing." He was right. 

If we understood what our sin cost, maybe we'd choose better. We won't understand, this side of heaven, the full price of sin, but we do know it breaks fellowship with God. That's enough of an understanding for me. 

So today, let's start with, "Father, forgive me..." and let the sweet times of forgiveness and restoration begin.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God... restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:10,12 nasb

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The Sam Trail

And here's the link to the featured post: Saving America

#repent #disciple #Jesus #MaggietheWonderDog

Maggie Speaks Out: Wanting Eye Drops

The ever-amazing Maggie the Wonder Dog is guest blogging again today. In case you haven't met her, she's a six-year old Shih Tzu who can dance like a ballerina, sneak like a spy, and herd cows like a border collie. 
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Sometimes sisters are so dumb. 

My sister, Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy, might know something about how my eye got hurt. Or she might not. (My mama made me write that, because she says I don't know for sure.) Anyway, whether she knows or not, how she's acted about my eye has been just plain dumb.

My eye was scraped bad and it hurt a lot, too. I had to have eye salve and snuggles and to be still in the dark. Mamie didn't care about the eye salve or the being still, but she didn't like me getting all those snuggles. She wanted snuggles for a hurt eye, too. 

Mamie would jump up on my mama and snuggle, too. I didn't mind. Our pack snuggles together a lot. I did mind it when Mamie wanted to sit on top of my hurt eye and snuggle. That was not nice.

When I got my new eye glasses, Mamie wanted some, too. Mama let her try them on. Unfortunately, they were too big, and Mamie decided I could have them all to myself. I was hoping she's snatch them away like she snatched my little yellow duck. No such luck.

After Dr. Black gave me those eye drops, Mamie got unhappy. Mama and I got home and Mamie said, "Where have you two been and why didn't you take me?" 

"We went to see Dr. Black to get my eye checked, Mamie. You wouldn't have liked it."

"Yes, I would have. I like to go for rides. I like Dr. Black. He's cute."

"Mamie, Dr. Black rolled a Q-tip on my eyeball to see if it was dead. You wouldn't have like it."

She had to think about that. She knew about Q-tips because she got one out of the garbage and ate it. She got in trouble with Mama when she did it, too. "That doesn't sound good, Maggie, but I wanted a ride." She stuck out her lower lip and pouted. 

My mama does not like pouting. "Mamie, pouting does not look good on young ladies."

"I am not a young lady. I'm a apprentice wonder puppy and if you would hurry up and teach me some new tricks I could be a wonder dog, too. Just like Maggie."

It was not a good idea to get sassy with Mama. "Mamie, if you would learn the tricks I've taught you, instead of bouncing like Tigger, you would get some new ones."

Just when I thought Mamie was done for because she was getting so sassy, Mama said, "It's time for eye drops." 

Mamie clearly did not know about eye drops because she started jumping up and down and running in circles. "Eye drops! Eye drops!" 

Mama snuggled me in her lap, gave me a kiss, and put two drops of antibiotics in my hurt eye. They do not feel good and I don't like eye drops. Eye salve feels better, but if I am still, Mama will give me a kiss when she's done.

After I got my stinging eye drops and my kiss, I hopped down, hoping never to have eye drops again. Mamie, though, was still chanting, "Eye drops! Eye drops!" 

"Silly puppy. You don't want eye drops."

Mamie did. "Maggie has eye drops and I want them, too." When Mama wouldn't give her eye drops, Mamie started barking and wouldn't quit. Finally, Mama said, "Okay, silly puppy. I will get you some eye drops." (She didn't give her the medicine ones. She had some artificial tears drops in the medicine box.)

She snuggled Mamie, gave her a kiss, and dropped the eye drops in Mamie's eye. She was so happy. She ran around and around. "Eye drops. Eye drops. I have eye drops, too." 

I shook my head. Mamie is so dumb sometimes.

My mama says people are like that sometimes, too. They want more, more, more. If they see someone else with something (like Mamie and my eye drops) they want that, too. 

Here's what's so silly. When people get into this more, more, more mode, they buy stuff they don't need. They waste the money God gave them instead of using their money for helping others, like he told us to do.

Jesus does not like this "more" stuff. He thinks it's dumb. At His house, they use gold for gravel in the streets, but when He came to help us out down here, He had to walk on plain old dirt. He didn't care. Jesus just did what had to be done and didn't whine about it.

Here's what He said: "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." (Luke 12:15 nasb)

We're supposed to be content. That means to be happy with whatever God has given you and not whine about wanting more. 

My mama said I'm taking too long and to get to the point, so here's the Wonder Dog Lesson of the Day.

Be content.

If Jesus didn't give you eye drops, don't bark until you get some. 

If you're not a dog, don't just buy, buy, buy. Be happy with what you have and don't always want more. Life is not about having more stuff. Help others instead. 

The end. By Maggie the Wonder Dog.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting, Maggie: Being Light, The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness, The Grateful Heart: Orchestration of God, The Grateful Heart: Avoiding Distraction, and Maggie: Eye Protection.

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, (a collection of stories about pottery class and becoming what the potter intends) available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00 (Also available to send as an e-gift)
#greed #disciple #JesusChrist #MaggietheWonderDog #eyedrops

Maggie Speaks Out: Eye Protection

The ever-amazing Maggie the Wonder Dog is guest blogging again today. In case you haven't met her, she's a six-year old Shih Tzu who can dance like a ballerina, sneak like a spy, and herd cows like a border collie. 

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Yes. That's me, wearing glasses. 

I've had a tough two weeks. I had a huge corneal abrasion in my left eye and it hurt bad. Ouch. My mama said it was as big as a pencil eraser. Big. Anyway, my mama had to put eye salve in my eye. It was messy and gooey and kinda yucky, but it did make my eye feel better. It didn't make it well, though. No salve now. I have eye drops every two hours. We are busy around here.

Yesterday, I went back to see Dr. Black. He shined a light in my eye and said my hurt place is better but still not well. Thank you for praying. I hate to say this, but you need to pray some more. You have to keep going until the job is done. Don't quit now! Pray for Maggie the Wonder Dog's eye! Tell everyone.

I still have two hurt places. They're big for corneal abrasions, but not as big as an eraser, so that's good. 

Sometimes, doctors do the most unusual things. Dr. Black said, "This might be dead tissue. I need to check." Couldn't he tell I was alive? No. He took a Q-tip and rolled it over my eyeball! I was shocked. No one has ever rolled a Q-tip over my eyeball before and I hope they never do it again. 

My eye wasn't dead. (I could've told him that without the Q-tip torture.) It was a scar. I do not like scars. That is too much like scare, and scars scare me. So I need you to pray my scar gets well. Please and thank you. (My mama told me to say that.)

Now comes the shocking part. Dr. Black said dogs like me (Shih Tzu's) are prone to eye injuries and I need to be careful not to get hurt again. My mama was already on it.

Yesterday, my mama said, "You girls stay here. I'm walking to the mailbox. Your surprise might be here." When she came back with a box, I thought, "Oh, good. Jerky." It was not jerky. It was glasses. For me. Someone should talk to my mama about treats and surprises. Guinea pig sisters and glasses are not good surprises, even if the sister surprise turned out okay in the end.

It is good that my mama picked a cute style but it is not good to wear glasses. I can hardly hold my head up when I wear them and the wind can't ruffle my eyelashes. 

My mama said, "Maggie, we have to be careful with your little eyes. You don't want another hurt, do you?" I do not. Then, she started singing. She is always singing. 

"Oh, be careful little eyes what you see, for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see." 

My mama told me that some humans have a little trouble protecting their eyes, too. They will look at anything. They will read anything. They will watch anything. Even if it is not nice.

Here's the rule at our house:

 If you don't want to show it to Jesus, you don't need to look at it, either. 

Mama said some people will think I've gone to meddling now, but that's okay. Eyes are very important. What goes in your eyes goes straight to your brain. When it gets in your brain, it goes straight to your heart. I think there's a song about that, too. The eye bone's connected to the brain bone. The brain bone's connected to the heart bone. Well, maybe not. But that's how it works. 

If you don't want something that is not nice getting caught in your heart and having to ask Jesus to get it out, you better not look at it, read it, or watch it. I don't have to tell you what's not nice. You know. If Jesus wouldn't like it, it's not nice.

Here's the Wonder Dog Lesson of the Day:

Protect your eyes.

That's the short version, so we can all remember. If Jesus doesn't like it, you shouldn't either. And wear your glasses. If you can hold your head up off the ground.

The end. By Maggie the Wonder Dog.

ps - Don't forget to pray about my scar! Thanks. Maggie.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, Maggie: Avoiding the Light, Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ, Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting, Maggie: Being Light, The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness, The Grateful Heart: Orchestration of God, and The Grateful Heart: Avoiding Distraction.

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, (a collection of stories about pottery class and becoming what the potter intends) available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00 (Also available to send as an e-gift)

#MaggietheWonderDog #cornealabrasion #purity #JesusChrist

Maggie Speaks Out: Being Light

The ever-amazing Maggie the Wonder Dog is guest blogging again today. In case you haven't met her, she's a six-year old Shih Tzu who can dance like a ballerina, sneak like a spy, and herd cows like a border collie. She's the best!
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Can you believe it? My mama let me write two days in a row. "Don't get used to it," she told me, so we better enjoy it while we can.  Maybe, if you leave a lot of nice comments and tell all your friends, she might let me write again soon, instead of making me wait for months and months and months.

Yesterday, I told you about forgiving and forgetting. If you haven't read it, you really should. I don't mean to be critical, but I've noticed that humans need a little help in this area. (okay, a lot.) 

Today, I want to talk about keeping my eye closed. That has worried my mama and Mr. Sam half to death this week. Every time I take Mr. Sam for a walk, he comes back and tells my mama, "She's still keeping her eye closed." My mama is just as bad. When I'm looking around to see what's happening and be sure no more guinea pigs are getting in our house, my mama says, "Oh, poor Maggie, you have your eye closed again." 

What is wrong with closing your eye?

When the sun shines in my eye, it hurts. Okay? If I close my eye, it doesn't hurt and I can stay in the sunshine. I think it's a great solution. 

Am I supposed to stay in the dark? I might be there forever, considering how long this pesty eye is taking to get well. 

No, sir. I like staying in the light, even if it's less comfortable than in the dark. 

I've noticed some humans are a little too fond of the dark. 

My mama says, "Nothing good happens after ten o'clock." She's in the "early to bed and early to rise club". I think it's a dumb club. I like to sleep when I'm tired. I don't care about that early stuff. My mama wears me out making me get up before the sun every day. That's why I have to take so many naps. You might want to talk to her about that. She gets up too early. I don't care if the early bird gets the worm. Who wants worms anyway?

There is nothing good about dark, except sleeping, which is very good. 

Anyway, there is too much sneaking around in the dark and too much carrying dark around in hearts. I've noticed that about humans. When Jesus takes you from the darkness into the light, He does not mean for you to carry the darkness around with you. What's up with that? Didn't you want out of the darkness? 

Jesus said we are supposed to be the light of the world, not the dark of the world. 

If we hang on to the world's darkness, it messes up our light and confuses the people in the darkness. They think, "I can just stay here in the darkness and be the same as those silly people in the light." That is not a good thing, and Jesus does not like it. 

You may be saying, "Oh, I don't have dark in me. I belong to Jesus." Yeah, right. Sin is darkness. If you are living, you have sin. Everybody has sin, but you don't have to hang on to it like a prize. 

Sin is not a prize. Well, maybe the booby prize, and who wants that? Not wonder dogs.

If you have sin, you are supposed to ask Jesus to help you and He will. That's what I did when I got my supposed guinea pig sister. I did not like her even a little bit, but my mama said she was here to stay. I could not be nice about it, so I asked Jesus to help me and He did. He turned that poohing guinea pig into a little sister and she is very nice. She poohs outside like me now, too. He had to help her with that and I thank Him that He did.

Well, I still have not told you what I tried to tell you yesterday, so I'm gonna have to write again tomorrow, if  I can sneak it past my mama. It's time for eye medicine now. Yuck.

Here's the wonder dog lesson of the day.

Be light.

That's the short lesson. Maybe I should've said, "Let Jesus get rid of your darkness," but "be light" is easier to remember. If you are hanging on to some of that darkness, you should let Jesus help you get rid of it, because He will. Then you can show all the people in the darkness how nice it is to just be light. And that's one of the reasons I am closing my hurt eye. So I can just be in the light.

The end. By Maggie the Wonder Dog

PS - This is very important. Don't forget to ask my mama if I can write some more. Thanks.

The end again, Maggie.

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Hey, my Mama has a new e-book. You should send it to all your friends for a little surprise. I love surprises. (I prefer jerky surprises, but books are good, too.) Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Knowing the Goal, Remembering My Way, and Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, Maggie: Avoiding the Light, Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ, and Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting.

The most read post of the past week: Remembering My Way.

#MaggietheWonderDog #lightoftheworld #JesusChrist #sin #holiness

Maggie the Wonder Dog: Confession

I am Maggie the Wonder Dog. In case you don't know, I am an eleven pound Shih Tzu. I live on a farm and my job is, of course, to be a wonder, doing many things that no one would expect me to do. Like dancing in a circle, sneaking like a spy, and herding cows.  Yep!  I can do it all.  Well, I can do it almost all.  This business of having a baby sister... Now that's one thing I just can't quite do.  Ok.  I don't seem to be able to do it at all.

My mama told me confession is good for the soul and that I should confess what I have done.  I don't really want to do that confessing stuff.  Do you know what I mean?  Really, I got in enough trouble already.  I don't much want to worry about my soul, too!  Anyway, if it helps me get out of trouble, I'm all for it, so here goes.

You probably know that my mama went to run errands one day.  When she goes to run errands, she always brings me back a treat.  Usually, the treat is jerky.  I LOVE jerky!  On this terrible day, my mama brought me something that she called a surprise.  It was a surprise all right! It was a furry THING that kinda looked like a guinea pig at first.  It squeaked a lot and would pooh in the floor.  I did not like it one little bit.  My mama kept saying it was my adopted baby sister, but I could not believe it.

Finally, my friend Lou told me to sniff the coming-out part, I did, and found out it really was a dog. It's not much of a dog, though.  It is bigger than it used to be, and it looks just like a gremlin now.  You would not believe how pesty this Gremlin-dog is!  She just about drives me crazy.  She has learned about sniffing the coming-out part, and she wants to sniff constantly.  Really, once should be enough! She hops a lot, too.  I don't know why she doesn't walk, but she really likes hopping.  Hey, maybe she's really a bunny!  I like bunnies!  Well, she can't be a bunny, because I don't like her at all, and I would if she were a bunny.  Oh well.  All this hopping is a problem, because she wants to hop on me, too!  Boing! Boing! Boing!  Hopping all the time! 

Friday night, I was sharing Lou's food, just like I always do, and Mamie was trying to sneak some. Maybe she thought she was sneaking like a spy, but we could all see her.  I am the only one around here who sneaks like a spy!  Anyway, I barked at her and she would not quit.  That food bowl was not big enough for Lou and me and the Gremlin-dog, too.  I barked again and started to growl just a little.  She would not quit.  My mama says that is how puppies are, but I say they should learn.  Finally, I had barked and growled, and she wouldn't quit, so I started growling for real.  I was so frustrated that I chased her off the porch and pinned her down.  I was sick to death of her!  OK, I was growling and trying to bite her. My mama came flying in between us and grabbed her up, and a kinda bad thing happened.  I really, really didn't mean to do this, but I accidentally bit my mama.  Well, it was just a little bite, but it was still bad.  I confess it was not a nice thing to do.  My mama thought I was trying to kill my baby sister. I didn't really have killing on my mind, but I did have MAD and SICK TO DEATH on my mind!

 I tried to say I was sorry, but my mama wasn't interested in sorry.  She said, "Maggie.  I have had enough.  You may think you are the Alpha around here, but you are not.  I am the boss.  You are not, and you are going to have to do things my way."  She wasn't smiling when she said that.  Then she said something terrible.  She said, "Maggie, you are not acting like a Wonder Dog at all.  There are about to be some changes around here and you are going to find out who is boss."  My mama makes me sit on a pillow on the floor instead of in her lap and I have to sleep in the kitchen now.  She says I was too spoiled.  I like being spoiled.  I do not like sleeping in the kitchen, not one little bit.

This has not worked out like I expected at all. I thought I might run that dumb Gremlin-dog off, but it looks like I'm the one that's losing.  That dog is here to stay.  Her name is Mamie. That 's what my mama said I should say. She says she's tired of my not-nice names for Mamie.  OK.  Mamie.  Mamie. Mamie.  So there!

I confess it.  Mama said I had to confess and I am.  I haven't been nice to Mamie. I haven't liked Mamie.  In fact, I've been mean to Mamie.  The crazy thing, though, is that I'm the one that has lost out.  Being mean has only hurt me.  My mama is really big on this loving your enemies and being kind when you don't feel like it business.  She says that you don't get blessings for being mean.  You get blessings for loving and being kind.  I didn't believe her, but it looks like she was right. Again.

Mamie seems like an enemy to me, and it sure has been hard to be nice to her, but I'm trying.  Mama is making me.  The funny thing is that it's easier to be nice today than it was yesterday.  Mama says it will be even easier tomorrow.  You know, what else?  My mama has helped me a lot.  When Mamie is being pesty, she moves her quick before I get really angry.  She says that's what God does for her. When she doesn't want to do right, He helps her do it anyway!  That's a pretty good deal she has with God, don't you think? It's why she's helping me, and I'm really glad she is!

Well, Wonder Dogs have to give a Wonder Dog Lesson of the Day, and here's mine:

 There are no blessings for being mean.    

It's better to do things God's way.

If you need help, God will give it.  

Just ask Him. He's really nice that way.

The end.  By Maggie the Wonder Dog.
Sister of Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy.
I can't believe I just wrote that!  Oh well...

Maggie Speaks Out: Forgiving and Forgetting

Maggie the Wonder Dog is guest blogging today. In case you haven't met her, she's a six-year old Shih Tzu who can dance like a ballerina, sneak like a spy, and herd cows like a border collie. She's the best!
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My mama has talked about my hurt eye all week and she hasn't let me tell you one single thing. She hogs the writing, but that's okay. It's her favorite. My favorite is sleeping in the sunshine. Today, though, it's my turn. Hooray!

Chasing possums is my favorite, too, but it upsets Mama. She says they might bite and give me a disease. I have had enough disease with my eye, so no possum-chasing for me any time soon. No, sir.

Mama has worried constantly about how my eye got hurt, but I told her, "Do not worry about that any more. Forget about it and let the past be the past." She said humans have a really hard time about forgetting. I knew that already. Don't people know about getting over stuff?

Here's a little hint. If you want the past to stay in the past, leave it there and quit talking about it. 

That's what dogs do. If you mess up and don't give us a treat when we want it, we just forgive you and love you anyway. Even if you are mean to us, we still forgive you. We still love you. 

You should check with Jesus about this, but my Mama told me He said, "Forgive." He did not say, "Talk about it all the time until everyone around you goes insane from hearing you gripe and complain." 

(My mama said I had to apologize for that. She wasn't griping and complaining. She was planning how to prevent another eye injury. Yeah, right.)

If my sister hurt my eye, and I'm not saying she did, I'm supposed to forgive her. I don't think humans know about that word, but it means to "deliver unconditionally." If I deliver my sister, if she hurt my eye (and I'm not saying she did), I will not have any conditions on setting her free from me being mad about my eye. I will just set her free and let her go from my anger. I will not keep worrying and saying, "You hurt me. Don't you do it again." That won't help anything. 

Anyway, I meant to tell you about why I keep my eye closed. That is a lesson you need to learn, too. I will tell you tomorrow. If my mama will let me write again. 

It's time for my eye salve, which is really slimy and kinda yucky. Have you tried to see through eye ointment before? It is not easy. 

Before I get my eye slimed, I want to give you the Wonder Dog Lesson of the Day:

Get over it.

(Wonder Dogs like short lessons so we can remember it. When you forgive, you're supposed to forgive and get over it, too. Quit talking about it. Quit thinking about it. Just get over it. That's what Jesus did for you, so you should do it, too. If you're having trouble with this, do what Wonder Dogs do. We ask Jesus to help us, and He does.)

And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 nasb

That's all for today, but don't forget. Let the past stay in the past. Even if the past caused a big hole in your eye. 

Worrying about why won't close the hole in your eye. 

Hey, that's a little rhyme. Time for eye slime. (There's another rhyme.) See you tomorrow. Maybe.
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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  I Shook His Hand Once, Knowing the Goal, Remembering My Way, and Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, Maggie: Avoiding the Light, and Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ.

The most read post of the past week: Remembering My Way.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 
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#forgiveandforget #MaggietheWonderDog #JesusChrist #letitgo

Maggie the Wonder Dog: Sister Love and the Body of Christ

Maggie the Wonder Dog has had a hard week. In case you've missed the other stories in this series (all of which are true), Maggie is my 6-year old Shih Tzu. She sustained a severe corneal abrasion a few days ago and has had a hard time of it. Severe photophobia has kept her in the darkest spot in my house. Eye pain has prevented her from running and playing as much as usual. Lest you think she's languished all week, she's played some every day, but it's been clear that she hasn't felt good.

The veterinarian and I assumed her injury was from our ramble in the woods last week, but yesterday I saw something that caused me to reconsider. Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy, Maggie's adopted sister, was trying to get Maggie to play. As she often does, she patted Maggie in the face trying to get her attention. 

This time, however, it wasn't a gentle pat. It was a whack. Actually, Mamie scraped down Maggie's face with her paw, beginning just above her eye. When I saw it, the size and shape of Maggie's wound replayed in my mind and I thought, "That was no blackberry thorn." I'm not accusing Mamie, but the whack and scrape from yesterday could easily explain the wound.

When I saw her trying to get Maggie to play, a thought flashed into my mind. 

The army of God is the only army that routinely shoots its wounded.

It's a shocking thought, isn't it? If our nation's soldiers shot their comrades when they were injured, there would be court martials and 24-hour CNN coverage of Congressional hearings. It would be a scandal. We'd be horrified.

When one of our comrades in the faith, one of our brothers and sisters, is wounded because of sin (their own or someone else's), it is, sadly, not uncommon for the rest of us to make their situation a matter of "prayer request distribution" (AKA gossip). When the body of Christ fuels the fires of negative public opinion, we can and do cause greater harm to our family members, the body of Christ. We, in effect, shoot our wounded. 

When we criticize and point our fingers at those whose behavior offends us, we can (and do) drive them away from the body of Christ intended to uphold them and help them grow as disciples. 

(There is a process for helping one who is weak, but it does not involve a critical and judgmental spirit.)

We cannot teach and condemn at the same time. We cannot love and slash with our words simultaneously.

I write those words and realize that I am not completely innocent, either, and it grieves me. 

Why do we wound each other? Because we do not love as we ought.

Even worse than injuring our fellow believers, our failure to love grieves our Lord, who taught us how to love by His example at the cross.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35 nasb

Commandment. 

This love for one another in the body of Christ is not optional. 

Love is not a choice. It's a requirement.

 Let us, then, love one another as Christ loved us. Unconditional, unbounded, unending love.

In so doing, we will show the world the inescapable, most desirable love of God and, just maybe, draw the lonely, love-starved world in which we live to the One who is Love.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Becoming a Writer: Cover Reveal, I Shook His Hand Once, Knowing the Goal, Remembering My Way, and Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, and Maggie: Avoiding the Light.

The most read post of the past week: Remembering My Way.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

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#loveoneanother #disciple #JesusChrist #bodyofChrist