Wed, Sep 28th - 5:25PM

An unusual teacher

I have a little dog, a Chihuahua, named Benny.

I've learned a lot from him. Yes, he's not just a dog, but he's a teacher of the highest caliber. For example, when I come home, he greets me with such joy, such wild enthusiasm that I'm afraid he might have a heart-attack. When my husband comes home, even if it's two minutes later, he repeats the whole thing. We jokingly call him our "reception committee" or "fan club".

I know that all dogs do this, but Benny has modified it by, every time, bringing his raggedy, orange and black toy tiger.

Whatever happy occasion may occur, whether it be getting ready to go out or anticipating dinner, Benny always comes with his tiger. For months we couldn't figure it out. "What's with this tiger? Why does he always bring this thing?" We just didn't get it until one morning we seriously discussed it. Then it dawned on us. Benny has nothing else to give us and this his little way of saying, "Here, you can have my favorite toy." It's an "offering" so to speak, a trade. And as soon as he gets the tummy rub or a doggie munchie, or the leash comes out, he drops the tiger and is in 7th heaven.

So, here's the point. I was thinking how all of us are like Benny. We can only offer to God what he has already given us, but the difference, the thing that makes the sacrifice pleasing to Him, is not the size of the gift, but the way that we bring it. Do we bring it with joy and thankfulness? Do we bring it with humility; appreciation? Do we bring it with faith? So, I learned after 3 years that it's not "what" it's "how".

Yes, my Benny has taught me a lot.

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Fri, Sep 16th - 9:19AM

Putting our hearts through the car wash. :)

Thu, Sep 15th - 3:16AM

An Email to one of God's special ones

This email is to a writer who is bed-ridden and living alone in a foreign country. Please pray for her as she is very sad.

Dear Billie,

I think that the Lord could really use your writing. It takes some work (as you already know) but there's always a way through the wilderness. Even this one that you're in and maybe together we can find a solution.

Whenever I hear or read about someone that has or is going through a special test, I just think, "Wow. God must see them as very special people." For example, I saw this docu when I was in England in June. It was about this couple who had had 2 very healthy children, but when the third little girl was born, she was born, basically without a face. She had eyes, but they hung down where her little chubby cheeks should have been. Her mouth was totally distorted because she had no lower jaw-bone. I think that's enough freaky info for you. But I'm telling you this because of the reaction it created in me. I can't explain it, but my heart just melted for her. Every other part of her little body was perfect except for her poor face. I'm crying right now as I type this.

The docu people followed her progress over about 3 years. They performed plastic surgery and on and on. While I watched this my heart was breaking. As a toddler, she would climb up in her mother's lap and tuck her little arms in and put her head on her mommy's chest and, to me, the most beautiful thing that this child's affliction revealed, was this mother's love. It radiated all around her. You could clearly see that this mother dearly dearly loved her little girl. This ugly, deformed, almost monster looking child, was absolutely adored and cherished. It was so strong that I, too, began to just love her. I wanted to go there and put my arms around her and hold her and shield her from harm.

Well, the point is, that's how the Lord feels about you. You have this terrible affliction and there is no one around to comfort you, so He is comforting you. He has you in a place where at least some humans care for you, but in his eyes, you are one of His most special and dearly beloved children. You are the apple of His eye and He is going to shield you and shelter you from all harm.

I believe that with all of my heart.

In the meantime, we'll see what we can do to get your book published. Whaddyasay?

A warm hug,

Linda

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Fri, Sep 9th - 5:01AM

A MIRACLE

(excerpt from my email to a friend)

Let me tell you about a miracle that happened to me just today.

I had a sore throat last night and so started my emergency tactics. Gargling with salt water, eating garlic, and praying, of course. I went to bed early as I was just wiped out and I was looking forward to a long luxurious sleep-in as my husband and son are in Romania till Saturday.

Well, God had other plans. At 8:30 a.m. my phone rang. It was Lucia, a 92 year old lady that "adopted" me a few years ago. She lives with her...get this.....102 year old husband in an attic apartment waaaaaaaaaaayyyy up on the 5th floor in a 500 year old building. She's lived there since 1956, if you can imagine that.

Anyway, I try to take care of her as she's quite ill and seldom sleeps through the night as she has to care for her husband.

So when my phone rang at 8:30, I heard her voice, "Linda, are you awake?" Linda, my daughter is sick and can't come and today it‘s a holiday and everything is closed......" she told me a big looong story about the awful care-givers that came that morning and then finally asked me if I'd bring her some food.

Well, there was no question about it. Only a monster would not bring a helpless old lady some food, so I layed in the bed in exhaustion for another half hour, got up, ate something, took the doggies out and headed for the store and for Lucia.

So there I was feeling totally weak. Very run-down. My back-bone felt like gelatine. My throat hurt, but poor Lucia was in desperate need. I'm not giving these details for sympathy, but just so you can understand why God did the miracle.

I knew of one store that was always open even on holidays, but it was clear across town. So I strapped on my back pack and put some food in it from home (just in case) and then headed for the store. Thank God it was open and I could fill Lucia’s list.

By this time the pack was quite heavy so I I trudge, trudge, trudged down the street stopping every once in awhile to catch my breath.

When I got to Lucia’s street, I started walking up the hill, but when I neared her building I groaned remembering that her apartment is at the top of five very steep floors. No elevator, of course.

As I neared the building I was psyching myself up, "If Lucia can climb that for 45 years, I can climb it."

I kept mentally chanting this as I started up the steep flight of stairs, but as I rounded that first flight, my backpack somehow had gained 50 more pounds. I plunked down gasping for air.

After resting a minute or two, I braced myself to make it up to the second floor. As I got to the top of the 2nd landing and went around the corner to go up to the third....to my astounded amazement I was standing in front of Lucia's door on the FIFTH FLOOR!!! I did not climb all of those floors! God transported me! I was flipped right out of my wig.

Just for the record, this kind of miracle doesn’t happen to me that often. I knew it was a "Thank you" from the Lord for helping Lucia. I cry almost every time I think about it. God is great.

Then to confirm His miracle-working power, after I’d talked with Lucia a few minutes I cautiously told her what had happened. She didn’t act surprised in the least, in fact, she said very matter of fact, that the same thing had happened to her on a few occassions when she was too weak to go up or down. Isn't God wonderful? Psalm 139:14 says, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

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Sun, Sep 4th - 3:48PM

Benny the Teacher

When I wake up in the morning, with my first yawn, a little brown eye pops open. If I stretch, a little tail starts wagging and when I finally manage to sit up, Benny's morning routine goes into effect. He stretches, yawns, drags his tummy across the carpet and with a Herculean hop, he's on the bed, tiger in tow. The day has begun.

Whatever happy occasion may occur, whether it be getting ready to go out or anticipating dinner, Benny always comes to you with his tiger. For months we couldn't figure it out. "What's with this tiger? Why does he always bring this thing?" It wasn't clear till we really seriously thought it over one morning. Then it dawned on us, "He has nothing else to offer us." And so that's his little way of saying, "Here, you can have my favorite toy." It's an "offering" so to speak, a trade. And as soon as he gets the tummy rub or a doggie munchie, or the leash comes out, he drops the tiger and is in 7th heaven.

So, I was thinking how all of us are like Benny. We can only offer to God what he has already given us, but the difference, the thing that makes the sacrifice desireable to Him, is not the size of the gift, but the way that we bring it. Do we bring it with joy and thankfulness? Do we bring it with humility; appreciation? Do we bring it with faith? So, I learned after 3 years that it's not "what" it's "how". Yes, Benny has taught me a lot.

by Linda, copyright 1998

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