For the Love of Shiloh

“Show mercy to everything God created." ~ Psalm 145:9

Shiloh knew something was wrong.  And when Master dropped her off at the strange place with cold floors and small cages, she knew she was right.

An aging Golden, Shiloh lay down in her unfamiliar pen and dreamed of days gone by.  She recalled the warm autumn days when she tromped for miles, pushing through thick underbrush, splashing across a shallow creek.  Master always shared half of his sandwich when they’d hunted.

After the command to “Fetch,” she’d raced across the meadow, her fur wafting in the breeze, to retrieve the dead bird for Master.  Her body wiggled at his praise, “Good job, Shiloh! Good girl.”

She couldn’t recall when her legs started aching or when things began to look blurry.  She couldn’t chase the ball at the park any more.  Her eyes no longer bore the sparkle of a dog loved and pampered from puppyhood.

Everything changed when Barney arrived.  The little beast ate from her bowl, rolled in her bed and chewed her favorite toys.  Shiloh had tried to reclaim her rightful place, but she couldn’t keep pace with the cuter, more playful, energetic pup.  Master didn’t seem to notice Shiloh anymore.

It had been many days since Master left her in this place and the sound of his rattling muffler had faded in the distance.  Her hope of his return dimmed with each new sunrise.

Today an old guy came looking for a new dog.  Sam stood in front of Shiloh’s kennel for a few minutes without saying a word.  He seemed to be looking for just the right companion.  He reached down and scratched the old dog’s ears before moving on to assess the other dogs.  Shiloh wagged her tail excitedly as Sam slowly ambled away. 

The old man must’ve visited every dog in the kennel.  Shiloh wished she hadn’t looked into the kind older man’s eyes when he’d given her a smidgeon of hope.  There were so many ‘Barney’s’ here – younger, prettier, healthier pets.  Her days were numbered.  Soon she’d go to the ‘Room’ - the one that smelled like the sad souls who never returned.

Two days passed before a familiar voice echoed down the hallway.   Shiloh jumped up forcing her nose through the metal gate.  There old Sam stood accompanied by the kennel attendant with a pleasant smile on his face.  Thinking she was getting fresh food and water the attendant attached a leash to her collar and handed it to Sam.  “Let’s go home old friend,” Sam coaxed.

Turns out, the old guy was no stranger to the shelter.  Every time he came, he adopted the oldest dog in the place.  When that dog dies – he comes again.  Because he wants them “to feel loved during the last days of their lives.”  Bless the beasts . . . and those who love them.

“Dear Father, Hear and bless Thy beasts and singing birds: And guard with tenderness, small things that have no words.”  Amen

Empower Yourself

“Be determined and confident; your God will never fail or abandon you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

Oliver's last day of freedom had held all of the monotony that belongs to a 15 year old.  A day of classes, a trek to the video store for games and a movie, a bike ride to a friend’s house.

On his return home, peddling faster now because it was getting dark, snow began falling.  Oliver pumped with vigor past trees staring at him like silent sentries.  But a section of roadway still under construction awaited his path.  Without warning, his “routine " ended abruptly, forever.

As he flew over the handlebars he felt his neck snap.  His body slammed against unforgiving granite forcing air from his lungs, leaving his body twisted at a bizarre angle.  What evil had so cruelly expelled him from the animated life of a teenager into the alien lifestyle of a quadriplegic?

For two hours he lay in the grave-like confines of an irrigation ditch . . . wondering . . . waiting.  His head seemed disconnected from his motionless body.  As family members retraced his route, Oliver remained locked within the prison of his own flesh.  He tried to scream but physical injuries foiled any attempt.

As the temperature continued to drop Oliver felt neither the water from the bottom of the irrigation ditch soaking his clothes, nor the pressure from blood pooling in his legs.  “Why can't I get up?” he agonized as panic joined the battle of life vs. death that raced through him.

Then a single thought emerged; a favored bible verse: “Your God will never abandon you.” Suddenly a blissful feeling swept over him - the state when you stop dying, and begin to live. 

“It’s going to be alright; there’s a purpose in this.”  It was as if all the love in the world embraced him - a love that would sustain him until medical help arrived.

Oliver wasn't expected to live.  His spinal cord injury, high in the cervical vertebrae, had left him paralyzed from the neck down.  He’d need constant care the rest of his life.  But the love which had visited him in the culvert had implanted itself within him, welcoming each new day.  Amazingly, it disarmed the anger, frustration and despair that ordinarily accompanies such a devastating injury.

He’d conquer one challenge after another; from college graduation to eventually landing his dream job.  Oliver never slowed for self-pity.  “I just made everything work with what God gave me,” he proclaims.

Where had it come from? 

Faith became his power tool.  Knowing God is with you all the time seriously boosts your ability to empower yourself.  Faith in whatever higher being you believe in helps you have the courage to do what scares you and to believe in your ability to get things done.

Most merciful God, I know everything that happens is for my greater good.  During my darkest hour I lean on you.   You’re still in control.  That’s all I need.  Amen

The Healing Touch

“There’s more to life than increasing its speed.” ~ Gandhi

Jackie, a Type-A workaholic didn’t see it coming.  Why would she?  Career-addicted, her life consisted largely of work and sleep.  Electronic messages, ring tones and overcommitted schedules ruled her existence.

She turned up the radio’s volume to catch a Saturday morning talk show on the way to the office.   A golden-voiced chap was offering some advice to a caller named Bob – something about marbles.  Sounded interesting!  She listened more intently.

"Bob, I'm sure you’re well paid, but it's a shame you have to be away from your family so much.  Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work seventy hours a week to make ends meet,” he offered sympathetically.

       "Let me explain something that’s helped keep my priorities straight,” he continued.

"The average person lives about 75 years – or roughly 3,900 Saturdays.  By my 55^th birthday, I figured I’d already lived over 2,800 Saturdays.  I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy."

"So I bought some marbles - actually 1,000 of them.  I placed them inside of a large, glass jar right by my front door.   Every Saturday since then, I removed one marble and threw it away."

"Watching the marbles disappear caused me focus on the vital things in life.  There’s nothing like watching your earthly time expire to “right-size” your priorities."

"Oh, and one last thing,” he proffered.  “Today I removed the jar’s very last marble; God’s blessed me with some “overtime” to share with my loved ones."

Jackie squeezed her eyes shut, just until they stopped tearing.  Her car seemed to turn itself in the opposite direction.  She visualized with clarity the damage her harried existence was doing to her family.  “The truth hurts,” she thought to herself, “but the truth also heals.  Take your time, you don't have to rush.”

When she reentered her home, her 4 year old daughter looked up at her curiously.  “What’d you forget, Mommy?” she asked.

Jackie’s voice trembled as she looked into the small child's eyes.  “I forgot how much a love spending time with you!”  The preschooler looked surprised by the painful admission, but her face brightened with acceptance.

“Let’s make some chocolate chip pancakes and maybe later hike through the park?” Jackie offered.  “I know how much you like to pet all the dogs we meet.”

Jackie could wallow in self-pity thinking about the number of times she rushed aimlessly through life.  Or she could celebrate trying to do things differently starting today.  She chose snow cone eating, flower picking, seashell hunting, and puppy petting.  Pausing to enjoy the simple pleasures of everyday life is the only way to truly live.

Lord, help me to look deeply at the things I have and look ahead toward the things I hope for.  Words can’t adequately express my love for You.  Listen, instead, to the beating of my heart.  Thank You!

Unlikely Pals

“Be completely gentle and patient, bearing with one another in love." ~ Ephesians 4:2

Anika looked out in disbelief as her 89-year-neighbor man pulled a rusty old bicycle from his garage and pumped up the tires.  With its ripped seat, bald tires, and oddly twisted handlebars, there’s no way he's gonna get on that thing, she thought.  But just a few minutes later, the old man rode his bike down the street . . . with her 3-year old by his side!

What a blessing she thought, remembering the unlikely pair's first encounter last spring.  For nearly a decade she and her husband lived next to Erling, a WWII veteran, exchanging only occasional pleasantries.  Their two-year-old son Emmett changed all of that.  

The toddler, who had an uncommon craving for tomatoes, noticed Erling tending to a few of the plants in his garden and decided to pay him a visit.  “Whatchadoin Mister?” the curious boy inquired.

“See these yellow flowers?” Erling said.  “They’re going to be tomatoes.”  What followed was a blooming friendship.  From then on, every time Emmett saw Erling, he impulsively raced to the garden hoping to score some of his favorite fruit.  And what living person could refuse when he asked sweetly: “Erling, got any 'matoes?”

The two bonded quickly; Erling teaching the preschooler how to fix a bike, throw a baseball and other simple pleasures of life.  They went fishing, the senior citizen gaining stamina with the little tyke by his side.  They even raced matching green John Deere tractors: Erling’s for real, Emmett’s a toy replica.  And it works both ways – for it was Emmett who inspired the old man to hop on his bicycle again.

Emmett’s parents worried that their budding friendship would never survive the frigid cold of Farmington, Minnesota.  Anika had stood at the kitchen sink last winter when she heard the growling sound a snowblower fretfully close to their back porch.  She opened the door and chuckled to herself.  Erling was plowing a path from his back door to theirs.  He wanted to make sure that the two friends could keep visiting each other.

Funny, ours is a world where younger generations often dismisses seniors as being out of touch whilst older people critique the young as frivolous and superficial.  Church families are comprised of both – each trying to encourage or suppress change to suit their own interests.  An older crowd may find some changes hard whilst the younger generation will probably find the pace of change too slow. 

But a healthy church must not appeal to one generation alone. 

While many may not understand their friendship, Emmett and Erling made it work.  They discovered a perfect balance.  Each had something to share: Erling became a friend and mentor; Emmett inspired activity and an inquisitive spirit.  God loves them both.

Lord Jesus, we are many generations, each with an abundance of special gifts and experiences.  Help us to learn from each other, through patience, humility, and the great wisdom of God.  Amen

Don’t Stop Believin’

“The Lord rescues those whose spirits are crushed." ~ Psalm 34:18

At his core, Jack was a cynic.  It didn’t mean he was pessimistic; simply that he doubted human nature as a whole.  

It may have been the way he was raised, having parents who taught him that no one is ever truly who they seemed to be.  Or maybe it was because it seemed wherever he looked, people were, for the most part, unhappy with their lot in life whether it be their job, their health, or with their current relationship.   Actually – optimism was harder; it took much more energy.

So it was with this outlook, Jack found himself in the Hallmark Store searching for just the right card for his 14^th anniversary.  All he could find were the mushy ones.  His marriage was fine, two adorable children, a decent job, and a relationship of shared responsibilities.  But it wasn’t perfect . . . because in the eyes of a cynic, there’s no such thing!

Jack spied a cartoonish one with the punchline: “You Complete Me.  Happy Anniversary!” 

What crap, he thought.  The $4.50 price tag seemed rather high for an elementary school drawing on mass-produced paper followed by five simple words, at least two of which required no thinking at all.  When did cards get so expensive . . . and insincere?

As he continued scanning racks of mindless cards, an elderly man with a guide dog shuffled in and eventually found the greeting card aisle.  He randomly picked out a card, held it extremely close to his face and struggled to read it.

Just as Jack was about to settle for a passable card, a teenaged girl walked over to the visually impaired gentleman.  “Excuse me sir, I’m Allison, may I help you read some of these?” she said with a considerate tone.

“Oh that would be very nice dear, thank you,” he said.

She then proceeded to read him almost every single greeting card out loud until the elderly man smiled and said, “That’s perfect!  My wife will love that one!”

Jack stuffed his pitifully bland card back in the rack, and picked out one tenderly heartfelt.  With a loving hand he began, “Amore Mio! (Italian for My Love!)  He had learned two valuable lessons today – one from each end of the age range.  Her kindness - his enthusiasm, inspired Jack in a way that even a cynic couldn’t resist.

Optimism helps maintain both our enthusiasm and forward momentum even in the face of disappointments and setbacks.  Like measles, mumps and the common cold, optimism is highly contagious.  Infect others with your positivity and when you’ve filled your heart with hope and gladness, share your optimism with others.  They'll be better for it and so will you.  But not necessarily in that order.

My God, You are the ultimate optimist.  Help us catch the disease of optimism by always exposing ourselves to the right ‘germs’ of thought.  Remind us that we have every reason to be optimistic about life here on earth and life eternal. Amen

Hell on Wheels

“You glorify God when you offer each other a helping hand." ~ Galatians 6:2

Getting her morning coffee from Starbucks was the highlight of Lilly’s day.  Pulling her Lexus into the drive-thru line, she wondered why it was a dozen cars deep.  It wasn’t raining, yet everyone seemed to be driving through today.

Coffee addicts arrived from two directions, requiring the kind of courtesy encountered at 4-way stops.  Lilly noticed another car waiting for her turn to enter the Starbucks line.  She smiled, and gestured: “Are you next, or am I?”  Lilly was fine either way.

The other driver was NOT. 

Thinking Lilly was trying to cut in line, the other driver gunned her Suburban, rolled down the window, and flung a barrage of expletives that would have made a sailor blush.

Lilly’s dander went on high alert.  How dare she!

Then something odd happened.  She eyed the other driver again but this time Lilly saw someone different.  Someone whose eyes were red and swollen, whose hair was pulled back in a scruffy ponytail.  She was piloting a ‘land barge’ of a Suburban, Lilly’s own car of choice when she’d had three kids at home and skippered a carpool. 

My God . . . she was looking at herself ten years ago.  Same car, same ponytail, same sleep deprived frustration.

We’ve all been there.  Car battery died.  Both kids have strep throat.  Dog peed on the sofa.  Dry cleaning’s not ready and husband’s going on a business trip.  Sound familiar?

Lilly left her a wide berth and smiled kindly at the livid lady only to hear a replay of the offensive refrain again.

Pulling up to the loudspeaker, Lilly said “I’ll pay for whatever the woman in front of me ordered.  And please tell her I hope her day gets better.”  She meant every word.

The angry woman idled at the pick-up window longer than normal, chatting with the barista.  She shook her head then paid by credit card before slowly driving away.  Hmmm?

“No takers, huh?” Lilly asked the barista when it was her turn at the window.

“Nope!  The barista replied.  “She couldn’t believe you wanted to pay for her drink after all the names she just called you.  She paid for yours instead, and said to tell you she was sorry.  She felt really bad.  And she wanted you to know that she’s already having a better day!”

As Lilly drove away, she began to cry.  Not because she had just been verbally abused, but because God had answered her prayer - to see others as He sees them.  And maybe a few tears of gratitude and amazement that He always shows up with an answer at the right time.

Sweet Jesus, open my eyes.  Let me see those in need of my compassion; that I might see the hurting inside instead of their hurtful exterior.  Give me the heart to be interested in their troubles and provide for me the means to help them.  Amen

Teddy

“Endurance brings God's approval, and His approval creates hope." ~ Romans 5:4

After a serious car accident put Jamey in the hospital, his anger fumed at the way his life was turning out.  The doctors repaired the major body damages (fractured fibula and tibia; ruptured spleen, and a spinal compression fracture).  He’d walk again – but probably not without a noticeable limp.  Quite a blow to the school’s star lacrosse captain and leading scorer.

Truly sorry for himself, Jamey demanded that his door remained closed to all visitors.  That all changed when he awoke one morning in a particularly foul mood.  As he pushed the button to call the nurse, Jamey noticed a little boy in the hallway.  Fresh bandages protected the burns that covered much of his body.  He clutched a scruffy bear tightly to his chest.

As Jamey silently cursed the nurses for leaving his door open, the small boy beamed a playful grin.  Without warning, he slipped into Jamey’s room uninvited.  

“Hi, I’m Connor!” he announced as his smile broadened.  “And this here is Teddy.”

Teddy wasn’t much to look at.  He was missing an eye and its light brown fur was severely charred, probably a victim of the same fire that wounded Connor.  Jamey laid there waiting to hear what the boy wanted.

“Teddy’s still sick.  He needs to stay in the hospital.  Could you keep him here till he gets better?" Connor asked.

Jamey reached out and took the burnt bear, promising to nurse Teddy back to health and keep him from harm forever.

Just then the little boy's mother called him.  He looked back at Jamey and said, "Bye mister, bye Teddy" and ran out of the room. His mother smiled down at him and the nurse wheeled him away. 

Jamey hugged Teddy for the longest time.  The nurse responding to his earlier call entered just in time to catch the tears rolling down Jamey’s cheeks. 

“Cute kid,” he told the nurse trying to recapture his mojo. 

“Connor was 7 when he turned into a “fireball” by an explosion in the family’s outdoor barbeque grill,” the nurse offered.  “He came here by helicopter about 15 months ago, having suffered third-degree burns over 87 percent of his body.  We gave him less than 1 percent chance of surviving.  He and Teddy have been an inspiration to us all.”

The smile that had seemed to abandon Jamey’s face returned with the brilliance of a summer sunrise.  Teddy had a new home, and Connor would live forever in Jamey’s heart.  His gift could never be repaid . . . only paid forward.

When we stop to appreciate the good things in our lives, it leads to a sense of well-being.  No matter our struggles, there’s always someone in the world who struggles harder . . .  and better.

Loving Father, You grow and stretch our maturity through circumstances that don’t always reflect our choosing.  Help us to be patient as we search Your Scripture and seek to understand Your plan as it unfolds in our lives.  Amen