Abiding The Differences

This is Tony the cat (hi Tony!)

Of the many cats that I've boarded over the years, he is the most loving.  When the dogs are outside and I let him out to stretch and explore, he immediately rolls onto his side for some affection.

Tony also has a thing for water.  Basically, he likes to drink from any bowl (or bucket) that is not HIS water bowl.  He also is fascinated by the hose that fills the water pitcher.  Fascinated.

Some may call Tony weird.  After all, he has a water bowl.  Isn't that good enough for him?  Does Tony have boundary issues?  Tony is NOT following the normal order of things.

Maybe you know people like Tony. Maybe you are Tony.  One doesn't have to look far to notice others have their own way of doing things, and some of them are pretty weird.  There's a lot of uniqueness in the world, and it may make someone uneasy to experience differences.

It reminded me of our pastor's sermon from this past week.  He challenged us to seek people who think, look, and act differently from our norm.  Wait, what?  Leave my comfort zone?  Where did THAT come from?

Oh, you know.  Galatians.  Galatians 2:11 to be more specific.  If you don't know it, there's this guy named Paul going to see his friend Peter.  They have been busy telling people all about Jesus and giving them good news for freedom and forgiveness.  But Peter started to feel some peer pressure and went back to his old ways.  Somehow bearing another's differences suddenly felt unsafe.  Let's just say Paul set him straight.

It's easily done.  We talk a big game about being accepting and tolerating.  Then we encounter someone and love flies out the window.  Dealing with others can be messy.  And difficult.  And really uncomfortable.  

Which is great, because God really likes to work in those situations when we are not in control and all-knowing.  We can still stand on truth and all that good stuff.  But learning from others, and them learning from our own brokenness and imperfections, is the humble attitude where we can be naturally supernatural.

So don't be afraid.  Get out there and be challenged and may God go before you.

Keep Your Cool

To think one of the reasons the boarding kennel was closed this summer was over concerns the air conditioning unit wouldn't make it through the season.  Considering the only dates the a/c in the house has been run was mid-may and now September 4, it's fair to say that fear was unnecessary (as most fears are).

But right now, we've had over a week of high 80s and high humidity.  Finally, summer has arrived, right when the schools are back - just as we all knew it would.

 

 

Tilly has been hiking the state parks this summer (with me), and our criteria lately has been access to water so she can cool off.  (Note to self:  bring retractable leash so I am not left on shore doing awkward balance poses.)



 

Keeping cool is important, physically, mentally and spiritually.  In case  you didn't notice, our little old country is becoming more and more shrill.  We look at each other, shake our heads, and think "the other guy" most be at best ignorant, and at worst, a monster.

 

When we post snarky things and comments that run down "the others", we may have a few people slap our backs and congratulate us.  And I know.  I've done that.  I like being snarky and sometimes I am even good at it.  But when we read someone who we don't agree with doing the same, some how it hurts.  A witty response that cuts someone off at the knees feels good.  For a moment.  Then you realize you've left the person without their lower legs.  And that's bad.

 

I've really paid attention lately to how I physically react when I read something alarming, disappointing, or hurtful.  Sometimes it's like someone just wanted to stick their tongue out at me or stick their finger in my eye.  It is unpleasant, to say the least.  Do I want to do that to someone else?  What's the point of winning the argument and losing their heart?

 

I don't want to do that anymore.  Even if it's not fun.  Even if I will not appear clever.  Even if it feels like sometimes I am just one big divine kill joy.  Hurting others I care about (and even those I don't care about) is not worth the cost of a "go girl" attaboy (um, can those words go together?).

 

Let's keep our cool out there.  There is much to divide us, and little to unite us.  But, let's remember when we start to view each other as the enemy (which, make no mistake, many people of all stripes wish us to do), all of us lose.

 

We have to scratch the surface, and go deeper.  Fact check the sound byte.  Check the state of your heart.  Most importantly, don't buy the lie that the other person is your enemy.  We're not all going to agree and we don't have to.  That's the beauty of it, isn't?

 

"Love one another" isn't a squishy statement Jesus said while patting the heads of his disciples.  He knew it was going to get ugly out there.  With His power, we can disagree without being disagreeable.  Because that's what it looks like when real love wins.

We Are Not Enemies

From this picture, you may assume that Carbon (grey) and Captain (orange) are two cats who get along so well that they can nap within a few feet of each other. 

But, in fact, this is rare. 

Usually, they will not even pass through a doorway at the same time.  There is hissing, spitting, and fighting.  And, it's ridiculous.

But aren't we the same way?  It's not hard to find good examples of people who hiss, spit and fight with each other.  Maybe you even do it.  I know have (and do).  It's tempting to believe these people, who are different, believe differently, and act differently are Bad.  Evil.  Worthless.

It's a lie.

"When it is within your power to do so, be at peace with everyone."  Those are God's words to us.  Philosophically, we wonder why we can't get along with each other.  Then we just look at our own behavior (or our unspoken, yet uncharitable, thoughts) and it's abundantly clear we are great contributors to strife.

Like Carbon and Captain, we wander the same planet, eat the same food and breathe the same air.  Maybe we do think, believe and act differently.  Isn't that (for the most part)....okay?  Apart from the occasional sociopath, getting along is not really that hard, even if it may mean staying away from someone. 

Pray for the peace God gives to fill your own soul.  Pray for the transformation the Holy Spirit does within us, in His power, to extend it to others.  An honest assessment of ourselves may mean we do okay in our own efforts, but mostly they are failures.  Only God's power can create the change from contempt to love.

Then, the lion will lay down with the lamb.

Making an Undecision

In April, I decided that I needed to close the kennel for the summer, and possibly forever.

In the second week of June, with no dogs, I started thinking about reopening. 

And I thought about it more.  And more.  I thought about it pretty much all the time.  Why did I want to reopen when I was convinced that closing was the right thing to do?  What was the difference?

Feelings are fickle things.  They spring up on us involuntarily but sometimes they are terrible liars.  So I committed the matter to prayer.  And my conviction didn't change.

So I've undecided about never reopening.

Come Labor Day weekend (beginning September 3), the kennel will be reopened through the holidays.  I'd say that after New Year's, that's probably going to be it, because I don't want to be open in the seriously cold months.  And while I think that will be "it", I've changed my mind too many times.

It's a hard decision to make, and it's unfair to my kennel clients to keep opening/closing.  So I'm relying on word of mouth to spread the news (this means you), but also with the full knowledge that many clients have already found other arrangements, and that is fine!  I'm also not taking any new kennel clients, just those who wish to return.

So there you have it.  I wish I could explain it.  I'm glad God pressed upon me the overwhelming desire to close for the summer.  And while I'm mystified about reopening, I'm just going to go with it because following God's leading has taken a LOT of practice and what I've learned is....His ways are not our ways, but they are sooo much better!

When It's Not Your Fight

Maybe it was the full moon, or maybe it was some random reason, but Frank decided he needed to stay out all night with Carbon and Captain.  Frank is twelve years old, so this was a real stretch for the old man.

When he came in the next morning, he was dragging with exhaustion, along with a limp in his front foot.  During the night, yowling cats woke the rest of the household, so I suspect Frank was at least half that fight.

Doesn't he look comfy?  He slept alllll day.

Who knows what he was fighting about, but it likely wasn't worth the price he paid.

And isn't that true for us too?  How many arguments do we have that are truly worthwhile?  What dust-ups have caused distance and hard feelings, the origin of which are long forgotten?  What part have I played in making a situation much worse than it warrants?  Too many times I'm not as innocent a party as I'd like to think - much like Frank the cat.

When we are wronged, and I mean severely, big ticket item, wronged, we can't always protect ourselves or defend the truth.  While certainly there are times when a stand must be made, it can be done so with calm reason sans name calling and rock throwing.  "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord" (not 'insert your name here').  The Lord is one of justice, and when we can't stand, He stands for us and vindicates us. 

Examine yourself.  Sometimes it's no fun, but what the Holy Spirit may reveal is a gift because He can transform that ugly into beautiful.  And He makes beautiful things out of us.

The Totally Disappointing Summer

If you live in the Midwest, specifically, northwest Ohio, your summer has been filled with rain.  And it hasn't been a little bit, it's been three inches in an hour rain.  When it's not raining, it's intolerable to be outside due to mosquito.  But just when it seemed like our attitudes couldn't sour more, we got the heat of summer.  To the tune of one hundred degree heat index.  With thunderstorms.

When  you live in a part of the country known for its brutal winters, you need every bit of beautiful summer you can get!  Honestly, who else has cabin fever in July!  Since the kennel has closed for the summer so that it could be enjoyed, I'm fighting abject misery, and yes, bitterness.

But at least someone is enjoying the summer:

Perhaps I need to take a lesson from Matilda, whose enthusiasm is never affected by the weather.  Freezing cold wind chills?  No problem - we can still play ball!  Rain?  What rain?  Let's play!

However, I've never been able to cheer myself up by spouting cheery slogans a la Hallmark card.  Cold, hard reality is my default mode.  But that doesn't mean I have to stay there.  Because there is a truth that is greater than my attitude.  "The joy of the Lord is my strength."  In other words, being joyful can not be manufactured by a simple "turn that frown upside down."  If it does for you, well, you are a fortunate (though I doubt  your sanity)!

About two weeks ago, the weather truly busted my spirit and I pretty much had a full on meltdown.  Since then, I've adjusted as we do in winter.  Perhaps it takes some additional creativity and changing of expectations.  That can be done. 

We can't control the weather, but we can control our reaction to it.  We can control our expectations.  We can look beyond what is trying our patience and remember that nothing surprises the Lord of Creation.  We may not be pleased with what we've got, but life is more than a season.  Today perhaps you are like me and need to express to God some serious disappointments.  Life may not be going the way you want it.  There is still forgiveness and most of all amazing restoration.  Run to Him.  There is solace there, no matter if the sun shines or the heavens open.

The Power of Pining

Last Friday I went out of town for many hours and Tilly stayed at a friend's house.  A few hours after I'd left her, I got a text with this picture:

The text read:  She only looks out the window, waiting for you, 65% of the time.  As you can see (maybe) is she chose to be away from the group, where she would have been warmly welcomed.  Instead, she chose to spend her time pining.

Wishing for things to be different than they are is a useless place to be. Sure, we can look backwards fondly, or even sadly.  We can look forward, hoping for changes and making plans for them.  But pining in itself has no reward except a feeling of emptiness.

When people say that God is always with them, that doesn't always mean a lot, especially when you don't know Jesus.  Jesus spent time with people who nursed deep wounds.  While he performed many miracles, people still experienced heartbreak.  But the solace He alone gives is not just for a hope of eternal peace and understanding.  Knowing Jesus now lets us experience the actual comfort of God.  Asking for His power gives us the ability to overcome and live above our personal tragedies. 

In ways I still can't understand, our pain itself can be redeemed for the glory of God.  I don't know if you've experienced that radical grace, but I have.  I look back at the disappointments and trials and can see how God was with me when others were not.  Through the changes God has made in me, I can relate to the pain others have, even if it is not the same pain. That crushing blow of tragic news feels like a punch in the gut of everyone.  And there's hope that is deep and reliable.  The best part is that God can be with us always, no matter where we are.

While I can't always be with Tilly - even though she wishes I would be - I'm glad that the presence of Lord is always with me.  I'd be lost without Him.