Category: dogs

As I was sitting here this morning, pondering what I should write for todays Live Wire, I found myself staring at my bible for a bit, not sure that I even felt like writing. I suppose that there are just those days, where I don’t feel like even reading my bible, even though I know that I should.

When I find myself in this place, it helps to have index cards with bible verses written on them, strategically placed around the RV to catch my eye. As I move here and there throughout the day, they allow me to see God’s words of truth, edifying my spirit and encouraging my heart. It wasn’t always like this though, as there were numerous times in my life that my bible simply gathered dust upon a shelf!

Many times I found that I didn’t have room in my life for such a commitment to a book. I’d read the bible enough times, I felt confident that I needn’t read the book so often.

Knowing what I do about humans, as a whole, I feel pretty comfortable saying that this is something everyone encounters in their walk with God.

Life interruptus occurs…

Birth, babies and childhood,

Unexpected twists and turns,

The pain and confusion of loss,

Good times that bring about a sense of Out of sight, out of mind…

Eventually, Holidays alone seem to be sufficient enough, for pulling the good book out and dusting off it’s cover.

Somehow, we turn the word of God into a tonic, of sorts! We use it when we need it, and then return it to the cupboard for next time. I found myself actually getting so angry at the Israelites, while reading of their rinse and repeat cycle of sin and consequence. Time and time again, they wandered off and got happy… forgetting God, returning to their old idols and sins, only to watch everything fall apart, and then they ran back to God, begging for another chance. My anger dissipates at the moment I remember that I do this all the time, now, today! We all do!

God’s word and promises are always so valuable and sought after when we are in need of His help, when we are hurting, afraid, or lost. We turn to Him in our time of need, in our time of anger or despair, in our time of utter Joy… but what about all the time in between?

In truth, I think that it’s the commitment to follow and obey during those in between times, which enables God’s word to strengthen and keep us standing strong, while in the intense highs and lows of life. Something like staying the course, even when it doesn’t feel necessary to pay attention. I’d like to say that I’ve advanced beyond the Israelites revolving faith door, leaving their ridiculous behavior behind in the distant past, to become so much wiser than sinners of old… but unfortunately, I cannot!

Human nature is not something we shall ever overcome, not by our own power. That’s most likely what God wants me to understand, as I read through the biblical dirty laundry list of our predecessors screw-ups and consequences. It’s not so much about WHAT they did wrong or right, but about humanity as a whole… sinful, willful, and needy children… but all created in the image of God. As a parent, I don’t look back with memories of all my children’s faults, nor have I ever stopped praying and hoping for them. A parents love is unconditional, a trait provided by our ultimate parent! My kids generally didn’t come asking for mom’s help, until they’d already tried and failed first. By nature we are all selfish creatures, only asking for help during or after we’ve learned things the hard way, revealing that we can’t do things on our own.

I guess what I’m saying is that the Bible is like the spiritual version of things like toothpaste, clean underwear and love… we should probably be using them all the time, rather than only when we feel like it! If we don’t use them consistently, they’re rather ineffective when only being employed in emergencies… just sayin.

Put your money where your mouth is!

Your turn…

Ready, Set, Go…

As I arrived at the barn this morning, for a moment, I actually thought I might have a quiet opportunity to write about Squagon, our furry little flyer. Thinking that perhaps the babes had already headed down to the pond, I blissfully headed for my office, thinking how easy today’s writing might go, without all the babes underfoot. What a rookie mistake!

Upon opening my office door, my senses were assaulted by a room filled with sneezing, sniffling and miserable babies.

It looked as if a large box of tissues had exploded all over the office, covering both my desk and the sofa. Poor Tilly was doing her best to comfort and care for everyone, while barely able to stand on her own tiny feet… she was just as ill as the rest of the babes!

I promptly took the tissue box from Tilly’s hands, directing her to the couch, where I tucked her beneath the blankets. Leaving Brutus to watch over my tiny pitiful crew, I dashed home to grab some herbal teas, honey and a stack of Disney videos. The babies were definitely not feeling good, but a cold is not the end of the world, though it will be a few days before this passes. All I can do is to make things easier for them, soothing their symptoms with the tea and honey, and offering myself as a human sized feel-good pillow.

I’ve put on Rescuers Down Under, as this is one of their favorite movies, and I need to get the tea started as soon as possible. In his agitation, Boomer keeps trying to eat all the tissue paper, which is grossing everyone out… myself included!

Squagon’s story will have to wait for next Friday, when this whole cold thing blows over… get it… blows over?!

Anyway, just in case you were concerned that I wasn’t taking this seriously, I’ve put in a call to the local Animal Clinic and they’re sending someone out later today. Just because this seems like a simple cold, there’s no point in taking any chances with these little ones. A small thing can quickly get out of hand, if one isn’t paying attention. With these little ones, I thought that it might be better to get them checked out by an expert, just in case!

Never fear, as I feel certain that all will be well in a day or so, and I should be able to start back to writing again shortly. For now, though, I hear Dinky crying because Lilly took her pillow, so I better hurry inside, and turn myself into the human pillow I told you about earlier.

All morning I’ve been feeling somewhat like Winnie the Pooh, with my head all full of fluff! Lately, my writer’s brain has been burning the midnight oil, firing up at all hours of the night. Ever since last week, when the Big Guy gave me the go ahead, to finish my fantasy/fiction book, it’s all I can think about 24/7!

Why I ever thought that I might lose the story, by taking a break from it, is rather funny if you think about it. It’s like a really good movie one watches, after years have passed since viewing it for the first time. You might be surprised by a few small things that you missed or forgot, but not the important stuff. I’ve been discovering this over the last week. All my waking moments are consumed with scenes to be written down, as well as, the numerous tiny details needing to be included, while my dreams are filled with the lives and experiences of the characters I observe within the story.

Though I don’t profess to exhibit nearly the same high level of writing skills employed by the Big Dog authors out there, I’m learning to appreciate the efforts it must have taken them to produce such in-depth stories; envisioning and writing about events and experiences that never actually occurred. It’s a brain burner, to say the least!

It’s like seeing a really good movie for the very first time, and then trying to sit down and rewrite a word for word, play by play, retelling of what you watched. You have to take the time to remember all of the tiny details and conversations that made the movie so good! I dare you to try it! I guarantee you will be spending a good deal of time trying to re-watch all the good parts, so that you get it just right for whomever might read your version of the movie.

Being a writer by nature, I catch my brain running in circles trying to make things just so, in an effort to ensure my readers can see what I see, hear things the way I heard them, and feel what I felt. My desire is for the reader to cry at the places where I cried, laugh at the things I thought were so funny, and be drawn to love the characters as much as I do.

While one might think this to be stressful, it’s actually pretty fulfilling to me, as I excel at taking a yes or no answer, upending it and creating a 15 minute dialogue that causes my husbands eyes to glaze over. I’m just good at it! This girl is proficient at making mountains out of mole hills, as they say!

Perhaps one might say, I’ve never lost the overactive imagination I had as a child, and I’m finally putting it to good use. I’ll gladly take my time with this first story, as it has to lay the groundwork for all the others to follow. I may be sitting at 55 years old… but I’m just getting started!

Eustace brought his cell phone to the staff meeting, for scientific purposes only! He’s paying attention… really… ok, maybe… fine, let’s just say he’s multi-tasking!