God Carries a Crate

"You have not because you ask not."
Could it really be that simple?
Probably when the Bible records those words, it is with reference to things like developing a soul that God would want hanging out with Him for all eternity.  I mean, it is not likely that God would reject the heartfelt sincere prayer of someone begging for the soul transformation that would bring her the ability to pray more deeply, love more fully, reflect God more completely.  I don't think it generally means material possessions, though every single one of my kids has quoted that verse at one time or another as support for the shiny new thing that they felt I had been biblically mandated to provide.

So I didn't even think to pray for a crate for Lucky.  I did what anyone does who needs an item and wants to get it as cheaply as possible. I got on the computer and hit my favorite button, the shopping button. The world of crate construction has expanded like melting cheese since I last  was in the crate buying market. There are still the basic wire crates with the single function of keeping a dog contained in a small space that  will prevent him from packing his bags and heading off to a vacation on the busy highway a mile away.  But now there are also crates that are designed to meld seamlessly with home decorating.  Crate end tables, made of cherry with tasteful mission-style flavor. Crate coffee tables that hide the imprisoned pet neatly under the magazines artfully arranged on a mahogany surface. Crate couches with padded seats for the guest who wants to sit on the dog without getting dog hair on his black pants. Rattan crates, plastic crates, wood crates, glass crates.... gold plated crates.....crates for small dogs, crates for big dogs,  crates for growing dogs with removable walls so one crate is all the growing pup will ever need.  I can't imagine what impoverished third world countries that make a total of $1.23 per year think of people who spend thousands of dollars for a dog crate that can double as a cappuccino machine.

But even the cheapest dog crates the size Lucky requires were not cheap.  So it was with incredulous delight that I perused the email from an old friend who read my blog and offered large crates that she was just going to donate to the Humane Society anyway. Instead, she would donate them to Lucky, and to Hollow Creek Farm.

I didn't pray for a crate, but God sent me one anyway. And He sent it in the arms of a loving friend who also stood and listened to some of the turmoils of my soul and eased some of the burdens that we all carry.  I suspect God knew I didn't need the crate as much as I needed the sweet listening spirit of a friend. God works in mysterious ways, and while the path is often clear in hindsight, sometimes it doesn't make any sense at all while we are lost in the underbrush.  And then, He reaches into the bramble and clears a patch with a fellow traveler.... and the traveler bears the image of Love and carries a crate.

Psalm 112:4-6 (New International Version)

 ⁴ Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
       for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. 
 ⁵ Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
       who conducts his affairs with justice.
 ⁶ Surely he will never be shaken;
       a righteous man will be remembered forever.

Keeping my cells aligned

It's not like the view outside our yard is a whole lot better than what is inside our fence. There are no sparkling lakes down the street in which to swim. There are no purple mountains majesty to scale. There is no reason, not one, for our stupid dog to want to keep escaping. I walk him several miles a day. He is fed delicious food and has clean water always available. He has a large yard with trees and squirrels, and a dog door that gives him access to it.

"What is your reason this time?"I asked him. Lucky hung his head.

I had been asleep at 6:00 but Arvo had been up...woken earlier by Lucky pushing his nose against the bedroom door.  While Arvo was eating breakfast, Lucky had escaped over the backyard fence, and raced off while a dog walker went by and the dog erupted in barking, which alerted poor Arvo who then sprinted after Lucky. He later found a place along the back fence where Lucky had pushed the extended wire down, the wire meant to make the fence unscalable.

For the past three nights, an owl has visited nearby. As soon as he begins his mournful, "whowho who who", Lucky dashes outside barking loud enough to warn the neighbors even beyond the group that is petitioning to have dogs banned from our home. We had tried the citronella bark collar some years ago- a collar that squirts citronella up a dog's snout each time he barks. It worked until he learned to bark til the citronella was gone with a quick series of lemon scented eruptions. Then it, like our fence climbing solutions, was useless.

We don't know what else to do. We will have to crate him at night.... which means buying a crate instead of a nice dress for Matt's wedding.  Then we will have to dig a moat around the fence and fill it with crocodiles. I just see no other solution.

Sometimes problems seem unsolvable. Answers just don't parade in bright colors before me, and life, at least temporarily seems to be nothing but struggle. The barking/escaping dog is just one example.  When there is one irritant constantly pricking the calm surface of existence, it makes all the other irritants even more pressing, more daunting.

My friend recently sent me an article that shows photos of water molecules before and after encouraging, kind words are spoken to the water. In the pre-kindness photos, the water molecules are dark and in disarray, ugly. In the post-kindness photos, the water molecules are beautiful geometric arrangements. Now I did notice that in the post-kindness photos, the water molecules had 6 points.... suspiciously like snowflakes. I also could not find any corroboration that this article was more than a nice but  fabricated bit of mood boosting poppycock. However, I do know that when one thing is perpetually eating away at you, all things seem to become more difficult to handle. It doesn't take a scientific examination of molecular structure to know that my molecules are not happy about the perennially escaping dog.  And that nagging problem that is lurking in the back of my mind colors the whole panorama of life.

I think that is why Jesus warns us , "In this world you will have troubles...."  He doesn't want us to be caught unawares. He doesn't tell us we might struggle....He tells us we WILL.  He knows our molecular structure will be in disarray. But He also knows how to pull all our ugly cells back into beautiful and glorious harmony with the only words of encouragement that I have ever known to truly work....

"But take heart! I have overcome the world."

With my cells aligned, I go forth to overcome the dog.

John 16:33
³³"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

The Invisible Revealed

The school week resumed and I thought wistfully of the peaceful and calm paced joy of paddling on a little lake with no thoughts more daunting than whether to push a little harder with the left stroke to follow the curve of the shoreline.

  However, the school day began despite me. Dear friend Andi called and offered us some luscious food that was filling her overfull refridgerator. One was some vegetable melange, which meant one less thing I would need to think about before dinner, so I gratefully collected the dish and returned to the problem at hand.

Some homeschool teachers like to be prepared and have the materials prepared and available as needed. I sometimes keep things a little more spontaneous, and we discovered as we pulled out the pond water in which Asherel had been growing microbes per the Biology text instructions, that we would need a microscope.  We had some cute little hand held gadgets that Grandpa had sent long ago, but the microbes were either not there, or very fast and very small, and we were unable to keep the hand held microscope still enough.

"Are we sure they are there?" asked Asherel, "Cause I don't see anything."

"Of course they are there. Can't you smell this water? Microbes are proliferating at an alarming rate."

"Why do we need to see them?" she asked, "Can't we just look at a picture of them?"

"Because of knowledge for knowledge sake," I answered. She looked blank.

"OK, try this then, because you never know when some little piece of experience tucked away in the back of your mind will make a difference and be just what you need at just the right time."

She remained skeptical, but to her credit, did not laugh.

"OK, because they are cute. You haven't lived til you have seen an amoeba swimming around right next to a paramecium."

"Well," she said finally, "There is that old computer microscope."

Grandpa had sent that one too, but it was made ten years ago and used an old operating system. We downloaded the software anyway, which in and of itself is as miraculous as paramecium. I found the software on line and figured out how to get it on my computer. We attached the old microscope and for a few brief seconds it would work, and then we would get a window on our screen that said, "The computer is having trouble communicating with the device. Please restart your computer."

 After wasting an hour trying to get the microscope to function, we had to admit defeat.
"Just go look at pictures of bacteria for now," I said, and I heated the vegetable melange Andi had sent over, along with meat I'd been cooking in the crock pot.

Well, I tasted the vegetable melange and before I knew what was happening, I was shoveling it in my mouth in at least as alarming a rate as our bacteria were proliferating in our pond scum.  When I opened my eyes, half the melange, and it had been a good bit, was gone.

"Where did the vegetable melange go?" I asked.
It had mysteriously vanished, just like the elusive protococcus, diatoms, and euglena in Asherel's slides.
"It is a good thing I can't cook like this," I said as I waddled to the sink to rinse my plate,"Or I'd be one of those people that have to be fork lifted out of their room."

"What will we do about the microscope?" asked Asherel, "I am supposed to make more slides with the pond water in two days."
"God will provide. Surely He who made the streptococcus can make the means for us to view it. Him, or Craig's List, or maybe Ebay."

So with my belly full of vegetable melange, our slides full of bacterium waiting to be viewed, and a heart full of faith, we are on the prowl for a microscope. The invisible will be made clear, and as quickly as the vegetable melange had vanished, the mystery of microscopic life will burst into view.  The connection is not as tenuous as you might think.  I had needed a vegetable for dinner, and Andi had out of the blue called and offered a vegetable fit for a king.  It was the invisible made visible- the invisible quality of generosity made visible in a dish of vegetables offered to a friend. 

God seems to work in the realm of invisibility. But then, every so often, He powers up a cosmic microscope and the invisible is revealed- the generosity of a friend, Mercy and Justice merged in an atoning sacrifice of our Savior.... bacteria swimming in pond scum. It is all there, waiting for us to find it.  And if you have an extra microscope you want to sell, can you give me a call?

Colossians 1:14-16 (New International Version)

¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. ¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

A Holy Place

I had spent the weekend, as most mothers do, caring for the needs of my family, chauffeuring Asherel to her agility trial and spending the day helping her so all she'd need to do is focus on her agility runs, then coming home to laundry, cleaning, cooking, organizing, complaining....you all know the routine. Our full slot of homeschool activities kick in over the next two weeks, and our days are already long- we rarely finish before dinner time. I needed some recharging to go the distance.

What I really wanted was some peaceful time alone, not caring for anyone's needs but my own. Still, I asked my family if they would like to go kayak. They were busy with their own recuperation from a long week, and Asherel snored, "Nooooo...." and Arvo only grimaced.  I didn't ask twice.  I ignored the explicit warning on my boat tag, "Never paddle alone", and independently hauled the kayak into the back of the van and shot off all alone to the nearby lake, quickly before someone changed their mind.  This lake is small and safe, and always has a few people on it, so I had no concerns for my safety. I would've preferred the Catawba River but decided to settle for this closer and safer adventure.

The van echoed in its emptiness as I drove. I listened happily to silence. I backed up to the lake, hauled the kayak the few feet into the water, and within moments, was gliding along the shore. A butterfly drew a shimmering path across the blue sky. Cicadas hummed, and the leaves rustled with birds.  Turtles splashed to safety as I skimmed near.  A little mantra kept circling in my head, "I am happy, happy, happy. Thank you for this lovely world."

I had no great revelations, and no deep thoughts. I quietly exulted in the glorious beauty of the trees along the shore, the rippling water sparkling in the warm sunshine, the silence of the lake, and the peaceful aloneness in the midst of God's creation. My soul longs for the quiet beauty of nature, but is more often thrust in a world of roads, and cars, and noise.  I would not have thought it possible, but I didn't think of a single thing I had to do or a single responsibility or worry waiting for me when I returned to the onslaught of life.  I just glided along in my kayak with an empty head and a full heart.

Psalm 134:2-3 (NIV)
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. [3] May the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.

Exodus 15:13 (NIV)
"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

Ezra 9:8 (NIV)
"But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage.

Resting from Labor

It is Labor day, a holiday that has always confused me since we celebrate Labor day by not laboring. That's like celebrating Thanksgiving by being ungrateful, or Sunday with rain. It just doesn't compute.

But it is particularly fitting for our tired agility dog. She worked hard, and won many awards this weekend, and now today, we rest from our labor. We celebrate what should be more aptly named Lazy Day.

Yesterday, Honeybun trotted somewhat tiredly to another first place "Q" (qualifying score) in her Standard class, and then raced to a  third place "Q" in her "Fast" class.  When she came out of the ring, surprising all of us with her speed which she is not known for, our mentor Polly asked Asherel, "What was the difference, do you think?"
"Hot dogs," replied Asherel.
Ah! If that was all it took to perk us up before the great starting lines in life! We wouldn't need Labor Days to not Labor. We would all want to labor 24/7.

Asherel had a particularly fun trial this time. She had just met a fellow homeschooler her age who loves dogs, horses, and kayaking. She heard about Hollow Creek Farm and is dying to come volunteer with us the next time we can carve some time to get out there. She begged her mom to let her come to the trial, and spent the whole time there with Asherel. I had been praying for several weeks for a perfect friend to materialize for Asherel. She loves people and the circle of friends she had last year seem to have all drifted to new things. Asherel is a remarkably content person, but she needed a friend that shared these things she loves so much. And then this delightful and sweet and fun friend appeared out of nowhere. Out of prayer into existence!

When I went to introduce the friend's mother to Arvo, I told him, "Arvo, this is Faith."
"Faith" glanced at me, and said, "Leigh. My name is Leigh. Pleased to meet you."

Now I get a bye, as I had only met Leigh a couple of days ago, but we had exchanged some emails, and her name was signed on them all.  Yet not a day later as she left her daughter at the show with us and I was plugging her name into my phone, I again typed, "Faith."

"I don't know why I keep calling you Faith," I said, "I just can't get that out of my head."
"Perhaps because of an answer to prayer?" she asked, smiling.

Yes. And that is the antidote to Labor fatigue.  Faith. Faith is God's "hotdog"- the enticement that keeps us sprinting through the race of life, our eyes lazer-trimmed on the last jump, the end goal. Faith that God is in control, and His ways are perfect whether we understand them or not. By faith, we walk and don't grow faint, we run and don't grow weary. By faith, we all "Q" and enter into a well deserved rest at the finish line.

 Isaiah 40: 28-31
 ²⁸ Do you not know?
       Have you not heard?
       The LORD is the everlasting God,
       the Creator of the ends of the earth.
       He will not grow tired or weary,
       and his understanding no one can fathom.
 ²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
       and increases the power of the weak.
 ³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
       and young men stumble and fall;
 ³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
       will renew their strength.
       They will soar on wings like eagles;
       they will run and not grow weary,
       they will walk and not be faint.





I

Finishing Well

The day did not begin auspiciously. (for those of you studying for the SAT, I have pasted a free vocabulary lesson below:)

Auspicious–adjective

1.

promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable: an auspicious occasion.

2.

favored by fortune; prosperous; fortunate.

     The first class of the day for Asherel and Honeybun was called  "Fast". In this class the dog does indeed need to be fast, but must also successfully complete enough obstacles/jumps to earn a minimum number of points to qualify. Additionally, the dog must get a "bonus" section, which is set apart with an orange taped line. The handler cannot step over the line, or dire consequences ensue. For starters, the dog will not get the bonus points, but I think other horrible consequences rebound upon the offending team as well, such as death threats from the AKC. I am not sure about this, but I do know that agility people take their sport very seriously.

     Anyway, Asherel was fast. So fast in fact, that Honeybun was left in her dust, and wondering just where she was supposed to go. She missed the entrance to the tunnel completely because she was trying desperately to stay up with Asherel who was sprinting like a bat who has just sniffed its own guano.  They did not qualify in that event, didn't even come close, and our dear mentor Polly told Asherel she was too fast. Way too fast. Slow down, she advised, so your dog can keep up.  So taking no chances for the next class, Polly walked the course with Asherel. If everyone had a Polly in their pocket, life would be a cakewalk. Polly is enormously talented in her own right at agility, but beyond that, she is a very gifted teacher. For example, to show Asherel how to run the course for her next class, Polly became a dog. Polly is a very lovely woman, but she became a dog, moaning to Asherel that she was "too fast" as dog Polly tried to keep up.  Asherel who does not chuckle easily, was chuckling. And she almost qualified in the next class- making just one mistake- dropping the last jump.

     Then our favorite dog, Kaz, the 13 year old Polish Sheepdog that lumbers over each jump barking and dumping most of them, happily plodded to the finish, where he was awarded a jump pole, signed by dozens of admiring fans. This was to be his last agility trial, and crowds of people who love Kaz, and especially love his kind and gentle owners, wanted to present him with a special award. He deserved that award, the one all of us should covet- the nice and honorable and kind companion and owner award.

     As if the day could not become more lovely, Asherel ran her last class, the dreaded Novice Standard. She has come close, but never qualified in that class. Arvo came to watch for the first time, and Honeybun adores Arvo. We were concerned that when she caught sight of him, she would leave the course entirely. However, despite some minor mistakes, she ran the course cleanly, qualified and won her class height in her division.

Kaz is retiring in his happy barking blaze of glory, and Asherel is just catching the whiff of what it means to be an agility handler. Ascending and descending... all part of the rhythm and glory of life.

     It was not an auspicious beginning, but it was an auspicious ending. And ending well is really what matters.

2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Deuteronomy 8:16 (New International Version) 

¹⁶ He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.

 

Bathing away prejudice.....

Honeybun had some sort of dried brown yuck on her flank. She has an agility trial this weekend, and it would never do to have her looking like common riffraff.
"As long as you are giving her a bath, bathe Lucky too," I requested of Asherel.
Both dogs glared at me. They heard the dreaded word.

I think the entire character of the world can be summed up in how our dogs approached their respective bath. There are two basic kinds of people and our dogs varying response to the dreaded bath was an example of each kind. Neither dog was happy with the circumstances being foisted upon them, and neither was in control. But they responded quite differently.

Lucky, who believes that he should be in control and fights for control in often underhanded and devious ways, spent the entire time trying to run away. He was vocal about his displeasure. As soon as the bath was over, he raced outside and rolled on the ground, covering his so recently clean fur with mud and grass.

Honeybun who will take control if she must but is much happier having someone else paying the bills and making the meals, followed meekly to her fate with a resigned look on her face. While she didn't love it, she acquiesced silently, her ears flat on her head, her gentle demeanor submissive and accepting. When done, she wagged her tail, and shook, and politely trotted back to her bed to dry off.

Lucky held a grudge all day. Honeybun asked if there was anything else she could do to make our lives more pleasant. Lucky made sure that he stood right next to me when he shook the water like a wringer dryer all over me. Honeybun went outside on the deck, and let the sun fluff and dry her coat.

I want to be a Honeybun. I admire and long to have the sweet submissive, accepting nature of a Honeybun. But I fear I am a Lucky. I relinquish control grudgingly, I fight and rail against inevitable circumstances. I look for ways to express my displeasure so I won't be put upon too often by the ignoramuses that force me into uncomfortable situations.

But I was sad this morning...thinking of some issues that seem unresolvable. I was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, feeling weepy and hopeless, when the door creaked open. There stood Lucky, wagging his tail. He came and nudged his nose against me, and leaned into me, letting me pet him, transferring comfort in the only way he knew how. You just never know the kind of person....or non-person God might send in His stead. It is easy to think one kind is better than another.... but God made all kinds. Who would have thought that giving dogs a bath could be a lesson in how to love unconditionally?

Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.