my God & my dog (Hamish)
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Empty soda bottles.

2/28/2012

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Hamish loves playing with my empty big diet soda plastic bottles. He chases it around the house, tries to ‘kill’ it while making an awful noise.  Once it has been defeated, chewed up, he wants the next new one to do the same thing all over again.  When the bottle I am using is on the coffee table he usually leaves it alone.  As he knows he has tried in the past to poke it with his nose but it doesn’t budge. 

Do you feel like you have been tossed around like my empty soda bottle?  When you are near empty that is when you get tossed back and forth.

It is so important to be abiding in God, obeying Him, being filled by Him.  Life can be hard even when we are but when we are running on empty, how much more vulnerable we are to Satan’s attacks. Our spiritual discernment is way off, ever noticed that? When you haven’t been walking closely with God you can think one way about something that is happening in your life, or not be clear about it: But when you repent, obey and abide in God, you see things differently. We are then; way more stable than my full soda bottle, as God is our anchor, our source of strength.

“my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior.”
2 Samuel 22:3


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What are you hungry for?

2/24/2012

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When I took this video of Hamish as a puppy at the breeders, he was craving his mother’s milk and no one or nothing was going to stand in his way of getting it.

What a picture for us to remember and help us when we ask ourselves “am I hungering after God like that?”

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Matthew 5:6

If we aren’t hungering after righteousness – God, then we won’t be satisfied.  If you aren’t satisfied, it’s because you are hungering after something else more than God.  Christians can easily experience this at times in their life, but not know why. So if you go through a period in life and you aren’t satisfied, take a look at your life.  And ask yourself a few questions.

- Is God truly, practically number one in all areas
  of my life right now?  If not, why not?

- Am I praying and reading the bible consistently?

- What am I yearning for – recognition, fame,
  fortune? (This may not be at first glance that 
  obvious, but when you look at your desires, is it
  for more money etc?)

- What is taking up more time in my life
  than usual?  
   Is this causing me to say I have no time for
  bible study?

- Do I honestly, truly even have a yearning for
  a quiet time – get closer to God?

So if I am not satisfied, what is ‘feeding me’ if it’s not God? Some things it can be - pride, doing what makes me feel good, negative thoughts, addictions, what others think of me.

Some things can fill a need for a moment but very soon afterwards you are left hungry again.  It’s like having an ice-cream, it can taste good, go down smoothly but an hour later you are hungry, it didn’t satisfy true hunger.

Only walking closely with God can truly, long term, satisfy ALL our needs. If we aren’t hungering after God, we are hungering after something else.  The unmistakable, can’t fool yourself symptom of this is dissatisfaction.

So what are you hungry for? 

Are you truly satisfied?

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Helping others

2/20/2012

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“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

On Saturday night, Anthony finally had time to install our new dishwasher. (You know when you have been married for 18 yrs when this is what you do on your Saturday night!)

I wish I had my flip video with me as the scene was so funny.  Anthony was pulling the dishwasher across the floor and there Hamish was, walking completely upright on his hind legs with his front paws pushing the dishwasher.  He did this for quite a distance and Anthony said Hamish was pushing it as he could feel it.  (Anthony said he didn’t need any help, as the dishwasher was light and was on a mat which slid easily across the wood floor.)

Hamish was helping carry Anthony’s burden.

When I saw that, it reminded me of last week.  A good friend helped me with a couple of my burdens.  I shared some things with her and she made me see what the problem really was.  It was so obvious after she pointed it out but I didn't see it as I was too close to the problem.  Then it was relatively easy to deal with it, once I saw it for what it really was.

Sometimes that is all it takes, a friend to listen to us, so we can sort out our own thinking on a matter.  Other times a friend needs practical or emotional help, or it might be supportive help or a shoulder to cry on.  There are so many different kinds of burdens we can help with.   But what is important is that we are there for each other, encouraging and helping each other towards the finish line.

Your burden may seem heavy to you, but if you allow me to carry it, it won't be as heavy to me.

Do you need to allow someone else to help carry your load or burden for a while?  Don't be self-sufficient or proud, let others help.

Or are you always just looking to your own burden, wanting help with it, but never thinking to look to others to see if they need help with theirs?

God wants us to do both - share our burdens with others so we are then able to carry someone else’s burden.
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Testimony - Angus Buchan

2/16/2012

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I’d love to look at a few testimonies that really have spoken to me.  All testimonies are special as they are stories about how God has touched and is changing lives.  It encourages us and helps us in our faith as we see God working in people.  It’s always good to be encouraged in our walk with God!   And for people that don’t know what Christianity is all about, they can see it.
So maybe I should be thankful that Hamish was naughty as it started all this off!

What I love about testimonies is that we might not agree 100% with everything someone believes
(open hand beliefs) but we can come together and celebrate how God is working in people’s lives.  Today’s story is like that.  I rented this DVD called ‘faith like potatoes.’

On one side it’s a film about this farmer (who has Scottish ancestry!) Angus Buchan living in South Africa, and how others around him came to know God because of his simple faith.  The other side is a documentary featuring Angus Buchan and his whole story in his own words.  It was very moving and inspiring.  If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend it. 

Apart from the inspirational story, this is a very well produced movie.  So many Christian movies in the past weren’t well produced, but thankfully more Christian movies are being made that are as well made as any mainstream Hollywood movie.

If you can’t find it online at blockbuster, I know you can get it on both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

I know he has gone on into new ministries, but what spoke to me was his beginning story and how it changed the lives around him.

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Testimony - Jason Castro

2/15/2012

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Just when I think he knows I am in charge, Hamish proves otherwise.  He is starting jumping up on chairs, when he has known for over a year, he doesn't get up on anything - settee/chair unless we say it's OK.

But isn't that the same with me and maybe you? We may think God is in charge, but something happens in a moment and we take over. 

It's not even a conscious thought sometimes, but if I examine it, in a certain situation that's what happened.  It's a moment by moment thing to live - "I am second." 

Which got me thinking about I am second - "I am Second is a movement meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God and for others. Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Drug addicts. Your next-door neighbor. People like you."

One of those testimonies was about Jason Castro. (Make sure you 'watch the film' which tells his story)
He was the fourth placed finalist on American idol in 2008 and I was a fan.

I love when he says his life goal is -
"Loving father, faithful husband and servant of all...that's what Jesus came to be - that's what we're called to be."

I love hearing modern testimonies like his, he isn't a great speaker but it doesn't matter.  It still comes across what and who is most important in his life. Which is the most important part of a testimony!

If you are not a speaker or feel you can't share your testimony, take hope - it doesn't matter as your love for Jesus will come through.  It's all about Jesus!

As well as the above link to 'I am second', here is another article in christianpost.  I will finish with a quote I love from Jason - "I'm a Christian in whatever I do."

Jason Castro music -
"Who I am" album.
I really enjoy - 'wait for a miracle' and 'what if I fall'.
(although itunes class this a christian album, all the songs aren't what some would think 100% 'christian', although has that theme.)

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valentine's day part 2

2/14/2012

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The last entry was our main valentine thought for the day. But I love this thought and it says everything on it.  (Again I don't know who came up with the original idea I just made the image.  I left the side blank for space so you can put other things on it in powerpoint.)
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valentine's day

2/13/2012

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(This is not my idea - putting 'valentine' in John 3:16.
I've seen a few of these around for a while, and don't know who originally came up with the idea as I would acknowledge them. 
The following image - I put the verse etc on a istockphoto)
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Are you expecting a valentine’s card?  If not, or you know someone who finds valentine’s day hard, print the card out and give it to them.  Let us remind ourselves and everyone around us, that we have or can have the best valentine of all time – Jesus.

God loves you this much –

God wants to be with you forever so..
He humbled himself into a body for you so..
He could stretch out His arms for you so..
He could bridge the gap between you and God so..
you could go to heaven so..
you thank Him by living for Him so..
others can know of His love so..
what’s your answer – yes or no? so..
will you accept His valentine?

When you do, you will find out that –
  • God is never too busy for you. You will never go to His ‘voice mail’ or answering  machine.
  • He is more than a great shoulder to cry on in hard times, as He will help you through it. 
  • He is your biggest encourager - wanting you to succeed in Him.
  • He has the biggest cheering squad imaginable cheering you on towards the finish line.
  • He wants to spend every second with you. 
  • He will never stop loving you.
  • He will always be there for you. 
  • He only wants the best for you.
  • He only wants what is good for you. 
  • He will always forgive you and will never bring up your past offences up again.

No other valentine can live up to that! 
So remember, that you have the best valentine of all time.


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waiting

2/11/2012

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“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him...” Psalm 37:7

We live in a world that is obsessed with speed, always trying to figure out how to do things faster, multi-task and how to cram more things into an already packed day.  People seem to take pride in telling us how busy they are!

Speed dating has become more popular – 10+ people, a timer set for 4 mins and go - you have 4 mins (and sometimes less) to impress someone. 
Apparently spending an evening having dinner with someone is considered a waste of time, if they don’t meet expectations.  We aren’t prepared to wait for anything, instant gratification is the goal.

So when God tells us to wait upon Him, it is hard.  ‘How long will it be?’ – can be our first thought. 
The process of waiting upon God has so many benefits, which is why God wants us to do it in the first place.

Spurgeon and Piper says it better and clearer than I ever could -

Charles Spurgeon put it this way “If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord’s people have always been a waiting people.”


"To wait on God means to pause and soberly consider our own inadequacy and the Lord’s all-sufficiency, and to seek counsel and help from the Lord, and to hope in Him (Psalm. 33:20-22; Isa. 8:17)… The folly of not waiting for God is that we forfeit the blessing of having God work for us. The evil of not waiting on God is that we oppose God’s will to exalt Himself in mercy.”- John Piper


Hamish shows and shames me, how I should be with God, with how he waits patiently for me. He is always alert every time I move, to see if this is the time I play ball or walk him.  He lies for hours while I am doing something, and is hopeful when I stop doing a task, that maybe this is the time.  Even when I have just come in after a walk or playing ball with him, he is always expectant that I will do it immediately again.  It doesn’t matter if it has been 2 mins or many hours since he has had a walk or I played with him, he is always ready, waiting expectantly.

How he shames me!  If God doesn’t answer my prayer quickly, often I think the answer is no, rather than thinking it might be ‘wait.’  Sometimes when God has answered my prayers I haven’t been ready.  I often have the attention span of a gnat.  I either at times forget to pray daily for people, or with a long going situation my prayers have sometimes become perfunctory.  If God did chose to answer a long time prayer that day, probably more often than not, I have been a bit surprised.  Not that I didn't believe that God could or would do it, but more I got used to how things were.

The process of unlearning what the world has taught us about waiting, and learning correctly how to wait upon God is difficult.  But God is showing us how and is strengthening us through the process.

Do you need to hear and be reminded of these promises today?

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1

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Masterpiece

2/8/2012

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Hamish is unique and I love him for who he is. 
He takes as long as I do eating an ice-cream – he licks it slowly and doesn’t gulp it down in one bite like a lot of other dogs.  He does a lot of things differently and has his quirks which makes him unique.

“For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

You are not an accident, an afterthought or a mistake! 

Do you think of yourself in the way Ephesians 2:10 shows us?  That in Jesus, God made us the way we have to be, to do the things God wants us to do!

If you are shy, stubborn, always was a bit of a rebel, or never seemed to fit in with your peers – accept it, celebrate it!  God prepared a work for you to do before He made you.  That’s why he made you the way you are, so you, through Him could accomplish it.   

God may have known getting some work accomplished here would be difficult so may have made you stubborn, not so you would sin with it, but rather that you wouldn’t give up on His work when the going got tough.  If you are a rebel, be a rebel for Him – rebel against all that is wrong and mainstream secularism and speak up and work for what God has called you to be.

Character traits that we may have been told aren’t good – like stubbornness can be a good thing.  It’s all about how we choose to use it, if it’s in rebellion against God or for God.

If you are shy, please don’t envy others who with their outgoing personality are a magnet in a crowd of strangers.  I am very shy with people I don’t know well.  When you get to know me, I’m not.  When I was younger I was told I came across aloof and they couldn’t believe what I was really like when they got to know me.  But I can spot a shy person a mile away in a crowd, when others who don’t understand shyness may think a person is snobby or unfriendly, I know differently.  Are you like that?

Have you ever thought that only you can reach a certain person?  We all have different personalities and gifts.  This combined with God working in us makes us a unique masterpiece.  Only you can reach those people that God puts in your path.  Only you can reach that person that others can’t connect with. 

So next time you complain about your nose, hair or that you are too short or tall – God made you that way!  The creator of the entire universe made you – you are priceless, you are beautiful in Him. 

Don’t waste a masterpiece!

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Promise of spring

2/6/2012

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(our walk today, enjoying the weather)
We have had a lovely spell of nice weather for a couple of days.  The sky is blue and the sun has been shining.  Yesterday at church no one seemed to be wearing coats or jackets: After so long of either having rain or the threat of rain, it was a welcome gift.

God gives us these days in winter to remind us of the promise of spring that it is coming and winter will soon be over. 

If you are in a winter of life and your situation seems dark and cold, God is like those rare sunny days in the middle of winter; God brings us joy, hope, faith, peace and love.

We also have the promise of summer – Jesus is coming back again and winter will soon be over.  Unlike here on earth, winter will be over permanently and the summer will be permanent and be perfect.  As it will be God who brings the perfect unwaveringly warmth, light and joy in heaven.

So when everything seems dark, cold and never ending, look to Jesus, draw warmth and comfort from the bible, and from fellow Christians who can encourage, pray and help you.  When we pray for and encourage others, we are like that ray of sunshine to others.

Sometimes we can be stuck indoors and not realise what a nice day it actually is and we have to actively go out and experience it.  So too do we have to actively do these things to experience God and bring joy to others.

Our dogs or grandkids, children are excellent in making us see and experience rare days like these.  As we see the joy they have in getting out and enjoying the day then quickly we too have fun. 

So look for the sun and get out and enjoy it and as we experience those days that bring the promise of spring, we remember the promise that we will soon have a permanent home, where winters are no more.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:1-3

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