Why Dog's Don't Live as Long as Humans

(Taken from an email)

WHY DOGS LIVE LESS THAN HUMANS? ANSWER FROM A 6 YEAR OLD

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up. "I know why."

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.

He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life, like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

"OMG" = Profanity in God's Ears

Gonna step on some toes today. But sometimes we need a little toe-crunching to help us see things we've ignored or let slip or simply didn't know. Today I'm taking on the vastly popular phrase: "Oh my God!" You hear it on TV, on the radio, in movies. You hear it from friends and co-workers or even in your own home. You see it written in texts, Tweets and Facebook messages, usually shortened to "OMG." It's catchy, to be sure. It's easy to utter when you're surprised or scared or happy or whatever.

But I'm here to tell you: OMG = Profanity in God's ears.

From the very beginning, God was to be revered by man. And not just God himself, but his very name! In Genesis 4:26 we see that "men began to call on the name of the Lord." God himself told us not to misuse his name in Exodus 3:15 and Deuteronomy 5:11 when he gave us the Ten Commandments:

"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD your God will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." (NIV)

I like the way the Message Bible puts it:

"No using the name of GOD, your God, in curses or silly banter; GOD won't put up with the irreverent use of his name."

King David declared "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth." Psalm 8:1

The Prophet Joel wrote, "And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." (2:32)

Jesus himself told us to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..." (Matthew 6:9) Merriam Webster defines "hallowed" as "holy, reverent, sacred." Jesus is telling us that God's name is holy.

This week I've been reading in the book of Ezekiel. In chapter 20 God is speaking to Ezekiel the Prophet about Jerusalem's disobedience. Three different times God says this about his name:

"But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations..." (v's 9, 14, 22) 

God's name is important to him! (Also see Ezekiel 36:21-23)

He doesn't want it misused. He doesn't want it to be the word-of-choice when we feel the need to utter an exclamation of some sort. He sure doesn't want it used as a curse word. In fact, Revelation 11:18 tells us God will reward "those who reverence your name."

While I'm on my soapbox I'll go ahead and add that the name of Jesus Christ is the same as God's name. Saying "Jesus" or "Jesus Christ" in a way that is irreverent is breaking the third commandment just as surely as if you had used the name of God. God is Jesus. Jesus is God. Keep his name holy!

It makes me sad when I hear God's name used in vain. And if it makes me sad, I can only imagine how God feels. =(

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:
USA, Germany, France, China, Vietnam, Latvia, Ireland, Kenya, Russia

The Edge of His Cloak

A number of years ago I read a phrase in a Bible story that grabbed hold of me and has never let go. It's found in the New Testament story of the woman with the bleeding issue. She'd had this terrible medical issue for twelve long years. She'd sought help from doctors and healers and had spent all her money trying to get well. Nothing worked.

But one day the most wonderful event happened. JESUS came to town! Large crowds followed him. People with every disease and deformity hurried to him to be healed. This woman, however, didn't have the courage to approach Jesus directly. I imagine she was ashamed of her illness. Maybe she'd been told her sin or those of her parents was the cause of it. Yet despite her lack of boldness and maybe even her shame, she knew Jesus could heal her and she wasn't about to let anything stop her from receiving it.

"Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, 'If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Matthew 9:20-21

Or in Luke 8:42-44: "As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. A woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped."

That is faith in action, folks!

She wasn't bold, but she was determined.
She wasn't pushy, but she had a mission to accomplish.
She didn't doubt but trusted in the power of God.

Imagine what would happen if more people simply reached out to touch the edge of Jesus' cloak!

I would have thought the woman would be filled with joy once she knew she'd been healed, but Mark 5:33 tells us that "knowing what had happened to her, [the woman] came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the truth."

I'm guessing the poor woman suddenly thought she'd taken something from God without asking. But Jesus didn't see it that way.

"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." v. 34

I love, love, love that Jesus referred to her as 'daughter.' And I love, love, love that I am his daughter too! I can reach out and 'touch his cloak' any time I want. And believe me, I have!

If you need healing in any area of your life, I encourage you to reach out to Jesus! Don't let shame or fear keep you away. He promises peace and freedom if you will put your faith in him!

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:
USA, Spain, Brazil, India, Kuwait, Russia, Slovenia, United Kingdom, South Africa, Colombia, Germany

Woe to the World

I think most of us are familiar with the carol we sing at Christmas called "Joy to the World." "Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King." But I'd wager the vast majority of people aren't familiar with the phrase, "Woe to the world."

In Matthew 18, the disciples want to know from Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Frankly, I don't get why they asked that. Did they want to know if they, because of their close relationship with Jesus, would be greater than someone else? Or maybe they were trying to figure out where the Pharisees and other teachers fit in. Whatever their reasons, I don't think Jesus' answer was what they expected.

"[Jesus] called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2-4)

But Jesus didn't stop there. He'd answered their question and now came the teaching.

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." (v. 5-6)

This past week I had the misfortune to catch about fifteen minutes of the Dr. Phil show while I visited one of my elderly clients. Dr. Phil's guests that day were couples with "open" marriages. I don't have any desire to know the depravity that goes on in those people lives, but what infuriated me most was that the children in these families knew exactly what was going on. They'd been brainwashed into thinking it was perfectly acceptable in marriage to have multiple sexual partners. I heard a 14-year old girl state that "staying with one person all your life is totally unrealistic." There is no way a girl that age could up with that on her own. Her parents and their partners need to read Matthew 18: 5-6!

It's that kind of world that Jesus was referring to as he concluded his lesson.

"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!" (v. 7)

That two-sentence verse is packed with power. Jesus uses the word "woe" twice. "Woe" is not something you want directed at you. It meant, and still means, really really bad stuff. Webster's defines it as "a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction or grief; ruinous trouble; calamity." One of the verses where woe is used that sticks in my mind is Revelation 8:13: "As I [John] watched, I heard an angel that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice, 'Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!''' Bad things were coming in those trumpets blasts, folks. Keep reading Revelation 9 to find out what. "Woe" is never good.

Jesus' words in Matthew 18:7 also end in exclamation points. I know the original Greek didn't have exclamation points, but the words Jesus used and the way Matthew wrote them made the men translating it into English believe an exclamation point was appropriate. And I agree. I don't think Jesus said "Woe to the world" in a calm, monotone voice. I think he said it like, "WOE, people!! Don't you get it?! Don't you get what your sin is doing to the children?! WOE to you who cause it!"

God hates sin. And He will punish those who live in it. Those who embrace it. And those who cause others to stumble into it. Woe to the world, Jesus said. What do we need to do to escape the judgement, the woe?

"Become like little children." (Matthew 18: 2)

Innocent. Trusting. Loving. In need of a Father.

That is my prayer for you this week.
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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:
USA, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Philippines, Slovenia, Germany, South Africa, Australia, Georgia, Russia, China, United Arab Emirates, Turks and Caicos Islands