"Welcome Home!"

On Monday, we had a wonderful surprise!

We were taking Ellie into the backyard, and as soon as she turned the corner of the house, she went literally berserk!  She was wagging her tail rapidly and went straight to the red kayak propped up against the wall of the house.  I find difficult to describe the sound she was making. It was like a shriek, a whine, and a bark all rolled into one.  

She was at the end of the kayak, trying to get between it and the wall.  At first, I thought she might have found a cat there, but then I realized she only made that sound for one animal.

I walked over to the kayak, pulled it a little toward me and looked down.  Yes, Percival was there!  He had come home!  Ellie was thrilled, I was thrilled and Glen was thrilled.

Thinking he might be a little hungry after his brumation (hibernation for reptiles) I went to get him some food.  

We have not seen Percival since October, 7th of last year.  I knew then he was nearing his brumation period because a few days earlier I had found him nestled in the leaves underneath one of our orange bushes.  But I knew something Percival didn't know.  I knew Glen planned to pull up that bush in a day or two. I uncovered Percival and spoke to him.  I brought him some food and that was enough to encourage him to seek a new hiding place.

I don't know where he was all winter, but I suspect he was close.  At the most, he was in or near the creek that borders our neighbor's property

Last Spring, we first saw Percival again on April 14th.  But the soil is warmer now than it was then, and our highs this week will be in the 80s, so I suspected we might see him sooner this year and had been looking for him around the kayaks each day.

For those of you unfamiliar with Percival, he is the Box turtle who lives on our property.  He is also a primary character in our children's book series "Ellie & Percival." If you would like to read how Ellie first found Percival, how he got his name, or how he became a member of our family, you can read that here.

It is amazing to me how much our family loves this turtle.  Especially Ellie.  She encounters other turtles, sometimes in our backyard or in the schoolyard where we walk each afternoon.  Then she just casually looks and sniffs the turtle and goes back to her business.  But Percival truly is her friend.  We look for him, feed him and try to make sure he is safe as much as we can without disturbing his turtle way of life.

Everyday now until the fall, Percival will be a part of our lives...a part that we love.

All Things Ellie Tuesdays

There is a wonderful experience with Ellie that happens quite often.  As the evening winds down, so does Ellie. She hops up into my chair, wiggles herself across my lap and tucks her face in underneath my arm.  It isn’t long before she is asleep.  

I love these moments, this beautiful, sweet dog deciding to take a before-bedtime nap in my lap.  I feel her whole weight on me, and I know she believes herself to be in the safest place she can be.  I rub her velvety ears and whisper to her how much I love her.  She and I both enjoy the moment immensely.

There are times, however, when Ellie wants to be in my lap that are not sweet, cozy moments.  Like Monday.

On Monday, we had thunderstorms for most of the day.  A peal of thunder in the distance and a crack of lightning sent Ellie scurrying to my lap in record time.  I held her close and reminded her that she was safe, but she would continue to tremble in fear until well after the thunderstorm passed.  Even chicken could not distract her; she wouldn’t even look at it!  I do have medication to give her, and it helps to take the edge off her anxiety, but I feel so helpless when my sweet puppy is so scared.

Ellie’s behavior reminds me so much of our Christian lives.  When everything is going well, we enjoy the nearness, love, and mercy of the Lord.  We “rest in His lap,” as it were, knowing we are in the safest place we can be. We feel loved and protected.

But when trouble comes, we have a different response.  We hear the thunder, we see the lightning, we feel the pouring rain, and we choose to believe there is nowhere safe.  The lap hasn’t changed.  The arms holding us haven’t changed. The words to us through the Scriptures have not changed.  But we have changed.  We choose to see the lightning, to hear the thunder, to feel the rain.  We also choose not to feel the comfort offered to us in the Scriptures.  We choose not to believe that the Lord is exactly the same as when things were going well. Only what we choose to believe is not true.  We are presented a lie by our enemy and because our eyes, ears, and feelings seem to agree, we believe the lie.  The truth of the matter is God has not changed.

“For I am the Lord, I change not.” Malachi 3:6.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever,” Hebrews 13:8.

If walking by faith is a choice, and it is, then let us believe that our Lord is just as near, as protecting, loving and caring of us in our troubles as He is in our times of comfort.  Let us mark His word in our hearts and cling to them – and to Him-, in our sorrows.  It is then we will realize He is a “very present help in trouble…our Refuge and Strength.”

“Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, 
I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of host is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Psalm 46:10-11

Friday Photos

  

Blackbird Bakery, Bristol, VA

I love this photo.  And I love the bakery in the photo!

Glen and I met Blackbird Bakery while driving home from vacationing in Virginia. There was a sign for the bakery on the interstate, and since we love to find new bakeries when we travel, we decided to try it. It quickly became a must-visit. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere warm and inviting, and the personnel friendly.

On the day this picture was taken, we were on our way home and stopped to pick up some goodies to take home with us. (We are both aware that when we do this, some—occasionally none—of the goodies will make it home. It is a long 622 miles from the bakery to our front door, and the pastries smell so good! Well, you know the rest.)

Glen had gone into the bakery while I waited in the car because, for the last four years, our sweet beagle, Ellie, accompanied us on our trips.  But Ellie couldn't go into the bakery, so as I looked at the reflection of the lights on the wet road, I knew I had to get out of the car and into the rain to snap this picture.  It was well worth getting a little wet.

If you ever pass through Bristol, VA, stop at Blackbird Baker on Piedmont Avenue. You won't be disappointed! 

Happy Birthday, Ellie

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLIE!

Today is Ellie's 5th birthday.  

She was one of eight puppies born to "Baby D." The breeders, Jeff and Lisa Michel of Jeffco Kennels, were so good with these puppies and with the prospective owners. They frequently posted pictures of the growing puppies to keep us updated on their progress.  Mrs. Lisa not only gave us great instructions for our new dog but also gave us everything we needed for a successful transition. Then, before we left, she held her up and said the sweetest blessing over her.

We brought her home on May 1st.  Ellie potty trained so easily and rapidly became a member of the family. From the beginning, she got along well with Sally, our daughter's dog, and now they are "besties".  Everyone who knows Ellie loves her.  She is a really good dog.

I cannot begin to express the joy and blessing she has been to us.  I love how she runs to greet us when we come home and how she snuggles as close as she can at bedtime.  I love playing with her, taking her for walks, and just being with her.

When we brought that 3 pound  3 oz bundle home, cuddled up in my lap most of the drive from Louisiana, I already loved her, but I had no idea what a huge part she would play in our lives.  She just fits in so perfectly. I also didn't know she would become the main character in three children's books I would write.

She loves to walk, and so do we.  She loves to travel with us, and she is a great car dog.  She is a great hotel dog, as well.  The first time we went to use the elevator, she seemed a little perplexed, but after that, she owned the place.  She rarely barks in a hotel, even the night the power went out.

I could not have asked for a better dog to join our family.  

We love you, Ellie!

 

 

Tuesday All Things Ellie

Ellie and her mask

Ellie was born in 2020, so she is officially a "Pandemic Puppy."  I guess that might partially explain a quirk of Ellie's nature.  One of her favorite things to play with is a surgical mask.  Specifically, the blue ones, which were so ubiquitous during the pandemic isolation days.

The schoolyard where we walk Ellie in the afternoons often has at least one of these discarded on the ground.  Ellie will pick it up and carry it around in her mouth as if it were some small animal she had just flushed out of a bush.  If she drops it, she hurriedly picks it back up as if I might rush to grab it.  She will carry that mask the whole time we are at the school or until she starts tearing and chewing at it.  Then I have to take it away from her.  While we find fewer and fewer of the masks these days, she found one Saturday.

At one point, I noticed she had stopped just carrying it and was tearing at it with her teeth and claws.  I told her to stop, and she did, and then I called her to me.  She trotted over like the good girl she is.  I was surprised to see she had left her mask behind, but often she tires of playing with them.

The next morning, I noticed she seemed just a little "off."  She ate her breakfast well, we took a walk outside and she did all the things a dog needs to do.  We went to church, and when we returned, she still seemed off.  As the afternoon progressed, she just appeared uncomfortable to me.  After being a nurse for 46 years, I can pretty much tell when someone isn't comfortable, even if it is a canine. I prayed often and fervently for my little puppy. (I know she is an adult dog now, but she will always be my "puppy".)

We have a small group meeting in our house on Sunday afternoons and weekends I noticed Ellie was not there.  Ellie is a very sociable dog. She likes to be in the middle of the action, usually sitting on someone's lap if she can get away with it.

I found Ellie sitting in her bed in front of the window in the back bedroom.  I did a quick nurse's assessment of her.  Her color was good, and her heart rate was fine. Respirations were normal, tummy was not distended or tight.  Then it caught my eye.

Lying on the floor near her bed was a wad of blue...something.  As I looked closer, I realized it was a blue surgical mask.  I picked it up to spread it out, and from the odor, it was obvious it had been in contact with gastric fluid.  I watched Ellie carefully for the rest of the night, but she was "right as rain."

Yesterday and today, she shows no signs of distress from trying to digest a surgical mask.  Of course, it is obvious she will not be allowed to play with one again.

 

Rainy Days and Mondays

I sit in the room where I write, exercise, and sometimes just look out the window at the trees and the sky. Ellie's bed is in front of the window (I say bed, but at night, she mostly sleeps between us in our bed.) I enjoy sharing this time with her.

Today, the view is a dreary, rainy day. A rainy Monday, in fact. Since I was a teenager in the 70s, I can't help but think of the song "Rainy Days and Mondays" or "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head."

As long as I can remember, I have always liked rainy days. In fact, it was a rainy day when we went to the hospital in labor with our first baby. I remember telling Glen I was glad it was rainy because I liked rainy days.

As I sit here, watching the raindrops falling from the oak trees, making concentric circles in the puddle our sidewalk has become, I find an inexplicable sense of pleasure. For one thing, I won't have to water the flowers today. 

But there is a price to pay for enjoying the rain. For one thing, we didn't get to take a long walk this morning. And the schoolyard will be too wet and soggy for Ellie to sniff around there today. In a couple hours, her internal clock will tell her it is time to go for her favorite activity of the day. I'm afraid she won't understand why we aren't going. She will give me a mournful look with those beautiful caramel-colored eyes, and I will not be able to make her happy. This disappoints her, and it hurts me.

That's the way it seems to be sometimes, isn't it? For one person to have something they want, someone else will be disappointed. Looking back at my life, I am amazed at how many things that seemed disappointments at first turned out to be something totally different.

As a high school senior, I decided to go away to college and study journalism. A family member discouraged me from this choice, and I decided not only to stay in our hometown but to change my course of study. I never thought of becoming a nurse, but the thought popped into my head and seemed like a good idea. That brief blip of thought led to an excellent 46-year-long career. One might ask, from "whence cometh" that thought? I  know the Lord was leading my thoughts that day. God knew he needed me to be in Mobile to meet a particular, handsome young man. He knew He intended us to marry, have children, and minister to others together. It was a quick decision, without much thought involved, and I have thanked the Lord for it more times than I can count. What seemed like a big disappointment at first turned into the greatest blessing of my life.

I am sure, just like I will feel toward Ellie this afternoon when I have to disappoint her, that the Lord hurts when He has to disappoint us in our hopes and dreams. But He knows He has something better, something greater for us. It is up to us to believe the Scriptures, "But as for God, His way is perfect" (2 Samuel 22:31.) 

This Christian life we lead is a walk of faith, not sight. We can't see the path ahead of us, but we can trust our way to the one who IS "the Way, the Truth and the Life," (John 14:6.)

These thoughts bring to mind the lyrics from one of my favorite hymns, "Day By Day."

Day By Day

By Linda Sandell

Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strength I find to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,

I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.

He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,

Gives unto each day what He deems best,

Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me,

With a special mercy for each hour;

All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,

He whose name is Counsellor and Pow’r.

The protection of His child and treasure,

Is a charge that on Himself He laid;

“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”

This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then, in every tribulation,

So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,

That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation,

Offered me within Thy holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,

E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,

Till with Christ the Lord I stand.

ADDENDUM: Yesterday, after I had written this, the rain stopped, and the sun came out.  By late afternoon, it had dried up sufficiently for Ellie to go to the schoolyard.  While there were some places too wet for her to go, she still had a great time sniffing and tracking.

Friday Photos

 

I was thinking about this photo yesterday. We were driving home from walking Ellie in the schoolyard, facing the almost full moon in the eastern sky. It was about the same time of day and in the exact same location as when I took this photo.

This photo really surprised me.  I thought I was taking a picture of the moon, and I was, but when I got home and looked at the photo on my computer, I noticed for the first time the dragonfly I had also captured.  It made this photo even more special to me.

It just goes to show that often, when the Lord gives us something, He often gives us something so much more.  This is always true, because He is always giving us Himself.

I Am Thine

We all like to belong...to something, someone, some idea.

But if we have trusted in the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we belong to Him.

"I am thine..."  Psalm 119:94

No truer words could be spoken.  Indeed, we were "bought with a price".

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." I Corinthians 6:20.

Glen and I were discussing this concept yesterday. In fact, he had just given a message about it, and I told him I was going to "steal" his idea. That is because it reminds me of two different instances with our youngest granddaughter, Evelyn.

When Evelyn was in Kindergarten, they were going to celebrate "Grandparent's Day".  We had been to this celebration when her brother was in Kindergarten, and we were looking forward to having a similar experience with Evelyn.

Now, Evelyn had never been effusively affectionate to us, but she is a shy girl. Being a shy girl myself, I knew not to push her. But nothing could have prepared me for the response we received when we walked into her classroom.

When we arrived, and sat by Evelyn at her seat, she never spoke a word to us.  She wouldn't even look at us.  She turned her head away when we tried to engage her.  Our feelings were hurt, and frankly, we were embarrassed.  There were many grandparents there interacting with their grandchildren in happy, loving ways. We were the only ones being shunned by our grandchild.

Almost a year passed, and we were at Evelyn's house. We were going to sit with her and her brother while her parents attended a church event. I was going over Evelyn's schoolwork with her while Glen talked to our son Noah nearby.

Evelyn pulled a paper out of her bookbag and said, "This is about grandparent's day.  But my grandparents can't come because they live too far away."

It was this statement that made me realize that Evelyn knew her maternal grandparents, which she called "Grandpa" and "Grandma" as grandparents.  Glen and I, whom she called "Granddaddy" and "Grannie Frannie" (I didn't pick it out, but I guess it was inevitable I would be called that), she did not think were grandparents because we were called something different.

I asked her, referring to Glen, "Evelyn, did you see that man talking to your father?"  

She nodded her head.

"Well," I said, "that man is your father's father.  And I am your father's mother."

Her eyes opened wide.  Immediately, she made the connection I was hoping for.

"Then you are my grandparents!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, we are!" I laughed.

"Then I want you to come to Grandparent's Day!"

I assured her we would be there.

Evelyn thought because we were not "Grandpa" and "Grandma," that we were just some kind people who were with her family a lot and gave her presents on birthdays and holidays.  Imagine her disappointment on Kindergarten Grandparent's Day when she was expecting her "Grandpa" and "Grandma," and these two interlopers appeared instead!

Grandparent's Day

Evelyn's attitude toward us changed immediately from that evening forward. She is as sweet and loving as a little girl can be, and I enjoy it when she spends time with us. Evelyn's attitude changed because she realized that we belonged to her—we were bonafide grandparents.

When we realize that we belong to the Lord, that we are bonafide sons and daughters, our attitudes should change as well. 

We belong to Him.  

We were bought with the precious blood of His Son and we now are His children as well.

This realization should change us as much, or even more than Evelyn's realization changed her.  We are children of the Living God and loved more than we can ever even begin to imagine.  Let us embrace that truth and live in it as fully as we can in this life.  God loves us and has made us His children.

"According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 

To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved."

Ephesians 1: 4-6

Tuesday - All Things Ellie

Ellie does some things I love and some that exasperate me.

During the day, she comes to me with one of her stuffed animals in her mouth. I know what she wants. She wants me to play tug-of-war with her for a bit and then chase her down the hall to the den. I will chase her around the chairs a couple of times, and then another round of tug-of-war will ensue.

After a little bit, I will tell her to drop the toy, and she promptly does.  Then I throw it on the couch, or in a chair, or across the room.  She will retrieve it and the process starts over.  Ellie loves this game, and I enjoy playing it with her.  Sometimes, however, she waits until I am in the middle of something to bring me the toy.  It is hard for me to tell her to wait, and I know she doesn't like it either.

In the late afternoon, Ellie starts hanging around me more. She knows this is the usual time we head to a nearby school so she can walk around the schoolyard. She loves that activity. I know it is good for her to have time to smell as much as she wants, so I love it, too.

I love how when Ellie wants something, she comes and sits in front of me with those beautiful caramel-covered eyes unwavering in their attempt to gain my attention.  If I take too long to pay attention to her, she will gently touch my leg with her paw.  If I ignore that, she becomes a little more insistent.  Usually, during the day, I love this.  But at night, after dinner, I am often in a quandary to know exactly what she wants.  Well, of course, she always wants more food.  But if I fed her as much as she wanted, I would have to roll her around the neighborhood instead of walking her!  

Sometimes, she just wants to sit in my lap.  That is one of my favorite parts of the day.  Everything is done, bedtime is near,  and Ellie is cuddled up in my lap with her eyes drooping.  Sweet!

One activity that Ellie does not want to see me preparing for is her bath. I usually have to carry her into the bathroom.  Once in the tub, she cooperates with everything I need to do, but she clearly doesn't like it.  As soon as I have finished and give her the "OK", she is off in a flash.  She also pouts for a while, but by evening, she has forgiven me.

Ellie is a source of sweetness and love to everyone who knows her—well, except that one neighbor she always barks at when she walks around the block. But everyone loves Ellie, and she deserves it!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Since both my grandmothers were half-Irish, I want to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

It seems on March 17th, everyone wishes they were Irish! But there is so much more to the story of St. Patrick's Day than wearing green. 

St. Patrick's name was originally Maewyb Succat.  He was born in Roman Britain in the 4th century to wealthy Christian parents. When he was 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he was a slave.  At that point he wrote that he heard a voice telling him that soon he would go home.  Then, later, he heard the same voice telling him his ship was ready.

He ran away from his master, traveled to a port two hundred miles away. He found a ship, and convinced the captain to take him aboard.  

After returning to Britain, He became a priest.  Patrick is the name he chose for himself after becoming a priest. Eventually, he returned to Ireland to teach them about Christ.

The shamrock is associated with St. Patrick, because this is how he explained the Trinity to the Irish people. 

Patrick would hold up a shamrock and challenge his hearers, "Is it one leaf or three?" 

"It is both one leaf and three," was their reply. 

 "And so it is with God," he would conclude. 

This is the same thought process I used to share with my oldest granddaughter when she was three.

Using clover from our yard, I  explained to her that God was one God, but He was God the Father and Jesus, God the Son and also God the Spirit, pointing to one of the petals for each member of the Trinity.  But He was still one God.  

I also pointed out to her that the petals each looked like little hearts, which reminded us that no matter what, God always loves us and that if we trust and believe in Him, He will come into our hearts to stay forever. 

I showed her the little ring of white toward the center of the clover and explained that a circle has no starting point or ending point and God had no beginning point and has no ending point.

So, as we celebrate March 17th, which was the day of St. Patrick's death, let us not forget he devoted his lifeto  teaching the truths of Christ and the Trinity to the Irish.  I am quite sure St. Patrick would prefer we focus on the God of the Trinity, instead of on himself.

Words from  "Patrick's Confession":

"For there is no other God, nor ever was before, nor shall be hereafter, but God the Father, unbegotten and without beginning, in whom all things began, whose are all things, as we have been taught;and His son Jesus Christ, who manifestly always existed with the Father, before the beginning of time in the Spirit with the Father,indescribably begotten before all things, and all things visible and invisible were made by Him. He was made man, conquered death and was received into Heaven, to the Father who gave Him all power over every name in Heaven and on Earth and in Hell, so that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God, in whom we believe. And we look to His imminent coming again, the judge of the living and the dead, who will render to each according to His deeds. And He poured out his Holy Spirit on us in abundance, the gift and pledge of immortality, which makes the believers and the obedient into sons of God and co-heirs of Christ who is revealed, and we worship one God in the Trinity of holy name."

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Friday Photos

 

The Statue of Liberty

This picture was taken in May 2010 when Glen and I, along with our daughters, visited New York. We all wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, but I had a specific purpose in going.  

I was about six when I first went to New York with my parents, brother, and cousin. We went to visit some friends of my parents who lived there. One of those friends took our picture sitting on the side of the platform.  

This picture shows my father and mother, my brother and cousin, and me, the little girl, chewing on her finger.

I wanted to recreate this picture with my girls (because Glen was going to take the picture.)

Ironically, while I could find the picture that was 61 years old, I could not find the picture from 2010!

Such a Little Thing

My husband and I conduct church services in four area nursing homes. Frequently, the temperature in the rooms where we meet is a bit warm for my taste. However, I know the residents often tend to feel cool, and this is their home, so I have never said anything about it.

On Tuesday, after Glen and I finished singing during our hymn time, I looked for a place to sit while he gave his message. There was an open chair near the back of the room. I hesitated to sit in it, though, because I was already feeling warm, and this chair was directly in front of the heater.

I went ahead and sat there, and to my incredible joy, the heater was not on. Better yet, the air conditioner was. My chair was positioned directly in front of the vent so I could sit there during Glen's message with blissful, cold air blowing on my back.

It was such a little thing, but as soon as I sat in that chair and felt the comfort of the cold air, I thought, "Lord, you really do love me!"

Sometimes, I think we tend to recognize the Lord's work in our lives only when "big" things occur—when we see obvious answers to prayer or provisions appear just before the need.

But our God is the Master of the little things, too.

Several months ago, my husband introduced our youngest grandchildren, aged 6 and 8, to the joy of watching the cartoon Tom and Jerry. This show debuted on the CBS Saturday morning schedule on September 25, 1965. Glen and I would have both been eight years old then. I don't know how many times we have watched it in the sixty years since. Judging by their laughter and giggles when they watch it, our young grandchildren love it as much as we did. 

To complete their joy, our oldest daughter surprised them Sunday with Tom and Jerry stuffed animals.  They were an immediate and HUGE hit!  Our granddaughter has even made Jerry his own little bed in her bed.  

Those stuffed animals were a small thing, relatively speaking. But to our grandchildren, they were a big thing. They brought great joy to our grandchildren —and to us—by watching them play with them.

I know for a fact my daughter had great joy in giving them the stuffed animals.  She had joy in listening to their squeals of laughter as they played with them.

It was such a little thing.  But she had great joy in giving great joy.

This is how it is with our Lord.  He loves to bring us joy in the little things, as well as the big things. It is up to us to realize that every time - every time - we experience joy in something, He has been the source.  It is His gift to us, no matter what human agents were used to bring it to us.  His love for us, His joy in us, and His never-waning being with us are gifts He gives to us every moment

The truth is,  He is the gift.

"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; 
He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; 
He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing."
 Zephaniah 3:17

"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift."
2 Corinthians 9:15

(Not) Tuesday All Things Ellie - Looking Back

Ellie and I walk around a nearby schoolyard five or six days a week. When we are at the schoolyard, she is always on a 30-foot leash. There are two reasons for this.

First of all, she is a hound.  She is driven by her nose.  If she catches the scent of something interesting, she will be off!  I have read that beagles can run at least 20 mph. She can run at least that fast. More importantly, she can run faster than I can!  Having a 30-foot leash gives her plenty of freedom to move and sniff but gives me a way to hold her back if I need to.

The second reason is that the schoolyard is not entirely safe for Ellie. Even though there is new fencing around the perimeter, there are several places where she could easily fit under it. Other things could also present a hazard, and my goal is to always keep her safe.

On Monday, as we walked around, she was busy sniffing.  She had the whole length of the leash, but it wasn’t taut.  I followed behind, simply watching her.  At one point, she must have heard me step on a branch or something, because she turned toward the sound.

When she saw me, she seemed surprised.  I think she was so caught up in what she was smelling, she thought she was alone. She tilted her head, and her eyes seemed to show genuine surprise.

Why was that?  Because while she was doing what hounds do, she forgot about me.  I was there every step of the way, but her mind was concentrating on the ground and not on me.  She didn’t even remember I was there.

As cute as the look on her face and the tilt of her head were, it made me a little sad.  Not because Ellie had forgot I was there, but because I knew there were way too many times in my life that I have simply not thought about the Lord.  I hadn’t thought of Him being part of whatever equation in my life I was trying to figure out.

Yet, He is ALWAYS there, at the end of my leash, keeping me safe, watching out for me, ready to jump in and guide me if my feet go astray.

How wonderful it is that we have a Lord who not only loves us…but who loves to know everything about us…who is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives, even if we don’t remember He is there.  He is, and He will be, forever there.

I am reminded of a verse from one of my favorite hymns,

Fear not; I am with you. Oh, be not dismayed,

For I am your God and will still give you aid;

I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

(How Firm a Foundation)

"He shall cover thee with His feathers,

and under His wings shalt thou trust:

His truth shall be thy shield and buckler."

Psalm 91:4

Friday Photos - The French Broad River

 This photo is of the French Broad River from Hot Springs, NC, taken on October 24, 2015. A large print of this photograph hangs above my desk. 

  It was our third section hike of the Appalachian Trail, and we had planned to take a shuttle southward from Hot Springs and hike back to town for three days.  We did not realize during our travels to North Carolina that a Pacific hurricane had crossed Mexico and was traveling up the east coast of the US.  High winds and rain were scheduled for North Carolina after the next two days.  We obviously had to make other plans.  After giving it some prayerful consideration, we decided, since we had at least a day and a half, we would hike northward instead, for as far as time would allow, and then turn around and hike back.

While disappointed we would miss some of the vistas the southern hike would give, we knew enough about hurricane winds to not be near them if possible.  This turned out to be one of our favorite hikes of all time.  The weather was cool and dry, and the first part of our hike went along this beautiful river.

We hiked about three miles out and three miles back to the river's bank. At one point, the trail was covered with red leaves from the trees lining it. The backs of the trees were pink, so the whole trail looked like a big Valentine's Day card. The color on this hike was amazing, and as we discussed it, we realized that all the beautiful leaves would be blown away in the next day or two...this was the perfect and last day to see them. 

As we headed back toward town, we pitched our tent on the bank of the French Broad River. Its swiftly flowing water lulled us to sleep. It was simply wonderful.

This year, when Hurricane Helene tore through Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, it saddened us greatly.  The hotel where we spent the night before this hike was greatly damaged, as was much of the city.  I will be glad to visit the sweet little town again and, once again, let my ears and eyes be blessed by the French Broad River.

Tuesday All Things Ellie - Meet Callie and Oakley

Callie

 Max and Jack aren't the only cats that Ellie has befriended (well, as much as a cat and dog can be friends, I guess.)  Ellie also knows Callie and Oakley.

Ellie and Callie's relationship had a rocky beginning. When Callie walked into the front yard, Ellie was just a puppy. Ellie wanted to jump right over to her. I held her leash tight, trying to judge the cat's ability to reach her. 

I judged poorly. 

Callie stretched out the full length of her front leg and scratched Ellie across the ear. Poor Ellie was shocked and hurt, and her ear was even bleeding. I took her inside, cleaned her ear, and gave her lots and lots of love.

At that point, I thought Callie belonged to the people next door. When I commented to our neighbor about "their" cat, he told me the cat did not belong to them but was just hanging around their house, so he started feeding her. He also said he let her sleep in their storage area if it was cold. This made me feel a little better about the cat, but not much.

Then, a neighbor around the corner told me the cat had jumped the fence and picked a fight with his cat, Jack.  Now I really didn't like Callie, because Jack is about the sweetest cat I've ever met.

Several days during the week, Ellie and I see Callie crossing our yard.  It took a long time - a really long time - working with Ellie to get her to where she would not react to Callie's presence.  They never became good friends as they did in our children's book "Greens for Percival," but they do respect each other a good bit more.

Oakley is exactly the opposite of Callie.  

The first time we saw Oakley, we were walking through the neighborhood.  She was sitting on the front steps of her house, and as we approached, she slowly came down the steps and walked down the sidewalk toward us.  She did not seem frightened at all,  in fact, she seemed as if she wanted to greet us.  

Ellie stood very still, maybe remembering the wonderful greeting she had received from Jack. When Oakley was almost upon us, Ellie lowered herself into that "beagle pounce" position, as I call it. I knew enough about Ellie to know there would be a lunge if I didn't intervene. I made Ellie get up, and we began to walk away. Oakley returned to her porch.  

We see Oakley frequently, and now the two animals don't respond much to each other, but they don't react either, which I think is a good relationship for a dog and cat to have.

The Call Light

 In the hospital, every patient has a call light to summon help.  The call light is one of the greatest tools for caregivers. The sound it makes is also one of the greatest irritants for caregivers. Even though I am retired, I can still hear the call lights in my head.

It is funny how call lights work. Patients either use them or they don’t. Some seemed to be trying to set a record for how many times they could press that button, and others would not use them even in the most dire circumstances.  

It was not uncommon for our patients to send a family member to the desk when they needed something. However, the family member often didn’t know what the patient needed. This meant the nurse had to first go to the room, ask the patient what she needed, procure whatever it was, and return to the room with the item. I will confess this frustrates nurses greatly.

I used to show my patients the call light and explain that this was the best way to contact me. I also explained that sending their families to the desk could delay their getting the things they needed since I might not be at the desk at that time. They would nod in agreement and then apparently forget every word I said.

I wish I could have convinced my patients that just by touching that button, I would appear and be happy to help them with whatever they needed. In fact, I reminded them I was getting paid to do just that. I even told them they could push the button just to see if I would come when they called. Several did just that.

It’s a great invention, isn’t it?  A magic button we can push to speak to someone who can take care of our needs.  A way to reach someone who desires for us to have everything we need and be perfectly content.

As Christians, we all have a “call light.”  We can immediately reach Someone who can take care of our every need, Someone who desires the very best for our lives, and Someone who loves us more than our human minds can ever imagine. 

He waits and desires for us to turn our attention to Him.  He cares about our every need, our every desire, our every thought.  But sometimes, we just don’t avail ourselves of Him, like the patient who will not use the call light.  Sometimes, we may ask others to pray for us when we have yet to seek the Lord in prayer ourselves. The one difference though, is we can never use our prayer-call light too much in the Lord’s sight. He never tires of hearing our call light...our voice.

So let us remember that He is waiting, listening, caring, and loving us.

“Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee 

great and might things, which thou knowest not.”

Jeremiah 33:3