Gary responded to my last post about our poodle. “Ray, you have joined the fraternity of the insane. What else could explain this behavior? It will get worse—you will find yourself bonding with the varmint before you know it. You should have gotten a female: they bond with one servant but males will be fickle and take anything they can get from anyone. Your dog Lovely, will play you for all you are worth.
Oh, by the way, those brown deposits that you need to pick up daily, those are called nutrient nuggets among the more refined. You will develop many other euphemisms on your own.”
Gary elucidated on the many inconveniences and the joys of having dogs. They have 2 Maltese. He continued with “Have I mentioned expenses? Eleven hundred to purchase, vet exam and first set of shots at $600, neutering both at $800, replacement of carpet and pad at $1800, fencing the backyard at $3200…
Ray, now you are a real man. You now will know what it means to lay down your wants for a friend, your wife. And you will always have someone there to remind you how shallow you are. Pups are God’s agents for our sanctification. You may even experience true sinless perfection (smile).
I think it was C.S. Lewis who said, “a man is getting better when he sees more clearly the evil that is within him. A man is getting worse when he see his badness less and less.”
Lovey ( might call him “Tiger” because he is so ferocious – smile) has a role in my life, besides being a fun companion. He is a revealor of my badness. As the last post indicated - my selflilshness. Impatience. He knocks the stuffing out of any kind of schedule that can become rigid. As I’m writing this post he has just knocked over the container that holds my spent pistachio shells. All over the floor. What a mess. And now it is the kleenex box. Shredded kleenex. I better close this and start cleaning up and give him some eyeball time..Oops, before I could move he got into my horizontal filing systm - the floor.
See you later.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
G.C. God Connectivity.- Poodle Style
G.C. God Connectivity. Had plenty opportunity yesterday.
1.Chopping wood, fell on the upright axe handle. On the way down: “God, help.” On the ground: “Thanks Father. That could have been real serious.” GC
2. A friend needed some money. If I loaned or gave him that request, would that be good Christian charity or would it be enabling the person’s irrespsonsibility? Time for GC, for His wisdom.
3. Wife and I fussed. GC time: “Father, give both of us the wisdom we need to see and own our part in the conflict, then the desire to repent and make it right.” (A very profitable GC time.)
4. Constipation early this morning. We won’t go into the details about that. Plus many little and big things encouraging to GC with petition or praise.
Paul has an interesting perspective on connection with the Father, found in Colossians 3:1-2: 1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Commentaries are quite obscure about the meaning of this pasage.We know it doesn’t suggest we become so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good. No. I think God is saying through Paul. “I created you. I want the best for you. Set your mind on me, Place your trust in me.I’ll meet all your needs.”
“But God,” someone cries. “You say in Genesis that it is not good for man to be alone. I’ll create him a helpmate. My helpmate doesn’t want to meet my needs. He is so selfish.” That could be my wife Theresa pleading Him to meet needs, that out of selfishness, I’m not meeting.
This is fresh material. I’m currently sitting at my desk typing this post. At my feet is a cuddly ball of fur. A two pound, seven week old toy poodle. I don’t like animals in the house leaving their deposits for all to see and smell, so always told Theresa “no” to her request for a house cat.
Well, last week she received a call from a friend who said a friend of hers was looking for a home for a blind in one eye toy poodle – free. Was it the Lord who whispered in my ear, “All Theresa has done for you, taking care of you, that would be a memorable love and thankyou gift for her. Or was it just the idea of having a $500 dog – free? I’d like to think the former.
However, being the spiritual giant I am , I thought I should check what the Bible says about dogs. The first was 1 Kings 14:11: The members of Jeroboam’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures. I, the LORD, have spoken.’”
I don’t want a man eating dog. I don’t think the toy poodle would be in that category. So I look at the nex t reference of dogs mentioned in the Bible. Psalm 59:6 says: They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets.
I don’t think a toy poodle would prowl the streets. So I checked out Proverbs 26:17. It says: 17 Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
No application there. How about Luke 16:21? As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.
Now that one will preach! I don’t have any open sores that I know of. Some poison ivy is all. But having “Lovey,” as he is currently named, has certainly opened up some sores. A sore of self-centeredness.
Look with me at the early morning scene in our garage. I’ve taken him out to eliminate his body’s waste material. I waited and waited. He just stood at my feet wanting to be held. I waited. Finally he crawled under the golf cart. Did he do his job there? Got a flashlight. Stooped down to peer under the cart. Saw something but didn’t know what it was. Forty-five minutes later, I carry him back inside and rather gruffly say to Theresa, “There has to be a renegotiation of our contract. I happily got you the dog as an appreciation gift for all you do for me, but I didn’t sign up for piss and poop patrol. Early morning is when I have my GC time.” (Reading the Bible, praying, etc.)
Honestly, dear friend, as I read this, it just hit me. What could I have accomplished spiritually by 45 minutes in the Word as compared to the moments that dog exposed my selfishness, resulting in repentance. I had GC (God connection.) Sin – exposed and repented of brings growth and freedom. Helps marital relationships also!!! Beware the dog!
1.Chopping wood, fell on the upright axe handle. On the way down: “God, help.” On the ground: “Thanks Father. That could have been real serious.” GC
2. A friend needed some money. If I loaned or gave him that request, would that be good Christian charity or would it be enabling the person’s irrespsonsibility? Time for GC, for His wisdom.
3. Wife and I fussed. GC time: “Father, give both of us the wisdom we need to see and own our part in the conflict, then the desire to repent and make it right.” (A very profitable GC time.)
4. Constipation early this morning. We won’t go into the details about that. Plus many little and big things encouraging to GC with petition or praise.
Paul has an interesting perspective on connection with the Father, found in Colossians 3:1-2: 1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Commentaries are quite obscure about the meaning of this pasage.We know it doesn’t suggest we become so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good. No. I think God is saying through Paul. “I created you. I want the best for you. Set your mind on me, Place your trust in me.I’ll meet all your needs.”
“But God,” someone cries. “You say in Genesis that it is not good for man to be alone. I’ll create him a helpmate. My helpmate doesn’t want to meet my needs. He is so selfish.” That could be my wife Theresa pleading Him to meet needs, that out of selfishness, I’m not meeting.
This is fresh material. I’m currently sitting at my desk typing this post. At my feet is a cuddly ball of fur. A two pound, seven week old toy poodle. I don’t like animals in the house leaving their deposits for all to see and smell, so always told Theresa “no” to her request for a house cat.
Well, last week she received a call from a friend who said a friend of hers was looking for a home for a blind in one eye toy poodle – free. Was it the Lord who whispered in my ear, “All Theresa has done for you, taking care of you, that would be a memorable love and thankyou gift for her. Or was it just the idea of having a $500 dog – free? I’d like to think the former.
However, being the spiritual giant I am , I thought I should check what the Bible says about dogs. The first was 1 Kings 14:11: The members of Jeroboam’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures. I, the LORD, have spoken.’”
I don’t want a man eating dog. I don’t think the toy poodle would be in that category. So I look at the nex t reference of dogs mentioned in the Bible. Psalm 59:6 says: They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets.
I don’t think a toy poodle would prowl the streets. So I checked out Proverbs 26:17. It says: 17 Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
No application there. How about Luke 16:21? As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.
Now that one will preach! I don’t have any open sores that I know of. Some poison ivy is all. But having “Lovey,” as he is currently named, has certainly opened up some sores. A sore of self-centeredness.
Look with me at the early morning scene in our garage. I’ve taken him out to eliminate his body’s waste material. I waited and waited. He just stood at my feet wanting to be held. I waited. Finally he crawled under the golf cart. Did he do his job there? Got a flashlight. Stooped down to peer under the cart. Saw something but didn’t know what it was. Forty-five minutes later, I carry him back inside and rather gruffly say to Theresa, “There has to be a renegotiation of our contract. I happily got you the dog as an appreciation gift for all you do for me, but I didn’t sign up for piss and poop patrol. Early morning is when I have my GC time.” (Reading the Bible, praying, etc.)
Honestly, dear friend, as I read this, it just hit me. What could I have accomplished spiritually by 45 minutes in the Word as compared to the moments that dog exposed my selfishness, resulting in repentance. I had GC (God connection.) Sin – exposed and repented of brings growth and freedom. Helps marital relationships also!!! Beware the dog!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Q.T. vs.G.C.
This topic has been brewing for some time. Don't know how many posts there will be. But let's go
“Have you had your quite time today?” If asked that question, most believers in Jesus would translate that to mean, “have you set aside time to pray, read the Bible, or in some fashion connect formally with God?” They would answer accordingly.
For most of my 72 years I have been a very disciplined person. Have many faullts, but laziness isn’t one of them. Thus, for over 60 years I’ve begun most every day with a formal connection with God – prayer, study, memorize, etc. However, of late, I’ve had a new insight. Whether I’ve heard this from some other source or it has just come to me, I don’t know. But here it is:
As important as a formal connection with God is (quiet time), even more so is what Brother Lawrence calls practicing the presence of God, found in his book by that title. An ongoing awareness of God and a growing connectivity with Him. Paul, in Colossians 3:1-2 presents a slightly different slant and challenges us to fix our thoughts on things above, not on things on earth. In First Thessalonians his charge is “pray without ceasing.” In Romans it is “rejoice evermore:” Give thanks for and in all things.
Notice, the link with God is not a 15 to 30 minute session, but an on-going connectedness that employs a deep relational focus lifting us through and above our circumstances, however severe they may be.
The contrast between a formal quiet time and an ongoing connectvity with God came through loud and clear this week. I was having my “quiet time with God” early in the morning, reading James one focusing on the word “ patience.” That afternoon I was having a dickens of a time repairing a rabbit cage. Just couldn’ t get my fingers and the little wires to co-operate. Patience was waning. Frustration setting in…until I recalled the word I studied that morning. Patience.
Which setting provided the greatest opportunity for growth? The instruction of James one provided the insight or knowledge and the rabbit cage situation provided the occasion for shifting head knowledge into shoe leather. Both needed. However without the shoe leather, the knowledge just seems to lead to spiritual pride.
Would you allow me to exchange that antiquated term “quiet time“ with “GC”? Meaning, God Connectivity.Whether it‘s the formal, sit down with open Bible and notebook devotions as some would call it, or the bringing into consciojus awareness of God throughout the day, it is GC. God Connection. Intentional, mental “exercise.”
Christ indwells every besliever. So there is a connecion all the time with the Godhead – conscious or unconscious. However, I’m speaking of the time we bring God into our conscious thoughts.
Some set their watch or phone alarms to go off every hour on the hour as a reminder to ”think God thoughts.” Because God is sovereign – all powerful, who doesn’t allow anything to come His children’s way without His permission, I can trust Him. I’m beginning to see God in most everything. So instead of setting an alarm, I’m endeavoring to develop an ungoing, ever present grateful atitude. “Thanks, God,” is becoming the foremost word ii my life.
Parkinson’s disease; is in part responsible for growth in a grateful attitude, leading to GC.. I fall a lot – sometimes as much as 5 times a day. “Thanks Papa. That hurt but it could have been worse.Thanks that it wasn’t worse”….until one day two weeks ago...I fell hard on my left side. The rib cage took a bea ting. “ Thanks Lord. it hurts but it could have been much worse.”
Three hours later. For the second time, a fall. Hit the same spot one rib higher.
“Oophda, Abba Papa, that hurts times two, but it could have been worse.”
Two hours later, another fall. You guessed it – hit. the same spot. A cry of pain plus tears of agony preceeded the exercise of gratitude. “Father I don’t know if I can take this anymore. The pain is severe now but it’ll be worse when I cough or sneeze. How long will this go on until death? By faith I say thanks, because You promise to work everything that happens to me for my good, the good of others and for your glory.Teach me Father. How is this to be used for my good? What is the value. You certainly could prevent this falling and subsequent pain. Help me under stand according to James 1:5.”
The pain is faced. No unhealthy “Big boys don’t cry” repression of feelings. As the pain is processed with God, the focus changes f rom the adverse situation to seeking to learn the significance of it – its value. God’s purpose through it.
That is valuable, healthy and productive GC!
1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
“Have you had your quite time today?” If asked that question, most believers in Jesus would translate that to mean, “have you set aside time to pray, read the Bible, or in some fashion connect formally with God?” They would answer accordingly.
For most of my 72 years I have been a very disciplined person. Have many faullts, but laziness isn’t one of them. Thus, for over 60 years I’ve begun most every day with a formal connection with God – prayer, study, memorize, etc. However, of late, I’ve had a new insight. Whether I’ve heard this from some other source or it has just come to me, I don’t know. But here it is:
As important as a formal connection with God is (quiet time), even more so is what Brother Lawrence calls practicing the presence of God, found in his book by that title. An ongoing awareness of God and a growing connectivity with Him. Paul, in Colossians 3:1-2 presents a slightly different slant and challenges us to fix our thoughts on things above, not on things on earth. In First Thessalonians his charge is “pray without ceasing.” In Romans it is “rejoice evermore:” Give thanks for and in all things.
Notice, the link with God is not a 15 to 30 minute session, but an on-going connectedness that employs a deep relational focus lifting us through and above our circumstances, however severe they may be.
The contrast between a formal quiet time and an ongoing connectvity with God came through loud and clear this week. I was having my “quiet time with God” early in the morning, reading James one focusing on the word “ patience.” That afternoon I was having a dickens of a time repairing a rabbit cage. Just couldn’ t get my fingers and the little wires to co-operate. Patience was waning. Frustration setting in…until I recalled the word I studied that morning. Patience.
Which setting provided the greatest opportunity for growth? The instruction of James one provided the insight or knowledge and the rabbit cage situation provided the occasion for shifting head knowledge into shoe leather. Both needed. However without the shoe leather, the knowledge just seems to lead to spiritual pride.
Would you allow me to exchange that antiquated term “quiet time“ with “GC”? Meaning, God Connectivity.Whether it‘s the formal, sit down with open Bible and notebook devotions as some would call it, or the bringing into consciojus awareness of God throughout the day, it is GC. God Connection. Intentional, mental “exercise.”
Christ indwells every besliever. So there is a connecion all the time with the Godhead – conscious or unconscious. However, I’m speaking of the time we bring God into our conscious thoughts.
Some set their watch or phone alarms to go off every hour on the hour as a reminder to ”think God thoughts.” Because God is sovereign – all powerful, who doesn’t allow anything to come His children’s way without His permission, I can trust Him. I’m beginning to see God in most everything. So instead of setting an alarm, I’m endeavoring to develop an ungoing, ever present grateful atitude. “Thanks, God,” is becoming the foremost word ii my life.
Parkinson’s disease; is in part responsible for growth in a grateful attitude, leading to GC.. I fall a lot – sometimes as much as 5 times a day. “Thanks Papa. That hurt but it could have been worse.Thanks that it wasn’t worse”….until one day two weeks ago...I fell hard on my left side. The rib cage took a bea ting. “ Thanks Lord. it hurts but it could have been much worse.”
Three hours later. For the second time, a fall. Hit the same spot one rib higher.
“Oophda, Abba Papa, that hurts times two, but it could have been worse.”
Two hours later, another fall. You guessed it – hit. the same spot. A cry of pain plus tears of agony preceeded the exercise of gratitude. “Father I don’t know if I can take this anymore. The pain is severe now but it’ll be worse when I cough or sneeze. How long will this go on until death? By faith I say thanks, because You promise to work everything that happens to me for my good, the good of others and for your glory.Teach me Father. How is this to be used for my good? What is the value. You certainly could prevent this falling and subsequent pain. Help me under stand according to James 1:5.”
The pain is faced. No unhealthy “Big boys don’t cry” repression of feelings. As the pain is processed with God, the focus changes f rom the adverse situation to seeking to learn the significance of it – its value. God’s purpose through it.
That is valuable, healthy and productive GC!
1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Reflections from Gary Cottle
Yesterday my dermatologist removed a chunk of skin from my forearm. A couple months ago, I had noticed two freckles were getting larger, merging, darkening, reddening, lightening, changing. I made the appointment resulting in removal for biopsy of the aforementioned hide. Now I have a small wound (1/2” square) down to tissue with the outer skin removed.
I went to the doctor as a curative measure to change something that was damaged on my body. Over 60-plus years of exposure to sun has damaged my skin and I am prone to actinic keratosis (pre-cancerous lesions which left untreated can become melanomas). I visit the dermatologist twice a year and normally he freezes off a couple dozen spots each visit; I avoid exposing unprotected skin to sunlight and keep an eye out for anything unusual. I am vigilant about my skin. Today, my arm is tender but I chose to be wounded to stop a greater ill.
Wholeness is much like my wound—what we don’t prevent, we must cure. Our good Brother Ray has shared much of my story (Montana Gary) in this blog and in the last couple years has shared much of the pain of his own losses. This sharing isn’t to glorify what we experience but to encourage ourselves and others to recognize the pains of life and honestly, curatively live toward healing. Because I desire wholeness in my physical body, I am willing to recognize, be honest and treat the damage I find. I am willing to suffer the pain of the wound in order to stop the damage before it spreads.
Many of us have emotional wounds from years of exposure to life—friends, family, business, churches, the world. We can either ignore/deny the wounds or we can be honest about what we experience and use my doctor’s suggestions. After the procedure, I was given a handout on wound care which is summarized by three points:
1. KEEP IT CLEAN. The first step was to remove the damage, recognize it and cut it out, stop the spread. While it was painful and something I would prefer to avoid, healing cannot begin until the wound is exposed. Much of the pains of life is like this—we ignore, deny, hide, overlook the damage until it becomes threatening enough to cause too much pain to ignore. Then we take it to God. How much less we would suffer if we went earlier, recognizing the damage for what it is and depending upon Him for the curative process.
2. KEEP IT MOIST. After removal, I have a sore which needs care. What used to be on my forearm is gone but where it was there is a hole which needs to be filled. This will take time as the body regenerates. Emotional damage is similar in that it takes time beyond recognition to heal what has been lost. During this process, the Spirit of God can be the anointing salve that keeps the moistness so that the wound does not heal with a distortion. Current medical practice is to keep the dryness of the wound minimal so a scab doesn’t twist and pull the skin being formed. We are like that in emotional healing as it takes time to allow God’s Spirit to minister to us and reveal the process so we don’t become dry and twisted, being worse than the beginning. Hardness is not helpful.
3. KEEP IT COVERED. The wound on my arm does not need more of what caused the damage; it needs to be protected, sheltered, covered. Our emotions likewise need protection. When I first began recovery, my emotions were very sensitive to additional damage from others. It was a rawness that was easily irritated. While there were times I needed to face more damage than I was comfortable with at the time, there were also periods when I simply needed God’s covering upon my life and His care of my wounds without other disturbances. As I have a bandage on my forearm today, I know that there is healing taking place and eventually the cover must be removed but only in God’s good time.
I went to the doctor as a curative measure to change something that was damaged on my body. Over 60-plus years of exposure to sun has damaged my skin and I am prone to actinic keratosis (pre-cancerous lesions which left untreated can become melanomas). I visit the dermatologist twice a year and normally he freezes off a couple dozen spots each visit; I avoid exposing unprotected skin to sunlight and keep an eye out for anything unusual. I am vigilant about my skin. Today, my arm is tender but I chose to be wounded to stop a greater ill.
Wholeness is much like my wound—what we don’t prevent, we must cure. Our good Brother Ray has shared much of my story (Montana Gary) in this blog and in the last couple years has shared much of the pain of his own losses. This sharing isn’t to glorify what we experience but to encourage ourselves and others to recognize the pains of life and honestly, curatively live toward healing. Because I desire wholeness in my physical body, I am willing to recognize, be honest and treat the damage I find. I am willing to suffer the pain of the wound in order to stop the damage before it spreads.
Many of us have emotional wounds from years of exposure to life—friends, family, business, churches, the world. We can either ignore/deny the wounds or we can be honest about what we experience and use my doctor’s suggestions. After the procedure, I was given a handout on wound care which is summarized by three points:
1. KEEP IT CLEAN. The first step was to remove the damage, recognize it and cut it out, stop the spread. While it was painful and something I would prefer to avoid, healing cannot begin until the wound is exposed. Much of the pains of life is like this—we ignore, deny, hide, overlook the damage until it becomes threatening enough to cause too much pain to ignore. Then we take it to God. How much less we would suffer if we went earlier, recognizing the damage for what it is and depending upon Him for the curative process.
2. KEEP IT MOIST. After removal, I have a sore which needs care. What used to be on my forearm is gone but where it was there is a hole which needs to be filled. This will take time as the body regenerates. Emotional damage is similar in that it takes time beyond recognition to heal what has been lost. During this process, the Spirit of God can be the anointing salve that keeps the moistness so that the wound does not heal with a distortion. Current medical practice is to keep the dryness of the wound minimal so a scab doesn’t twist and pull the skin being formed. We are like that in emotional healing as it takes time to allow God’s Spirit to minister to us and reveal the process so we don’t become dry and twisted, being worse than the beginning. Hardness is not helpful.
3. KEEP IT COVERED. The wound on my arm does not need more of what caused the damage; it needs to be protected, sheltered, covered. Our emotions likewise need protection. When I first began recovery, my emotions were very sensitive to additional damage from others. It was a rawness that was easily irritated. While there were times I needed to face more damage than I was comfortable with at the time, there were also periods when I simply needed God’s covering upon my life and His care of my wounds without other disturbances. As I have a bandage on my forearm today, I know that there is healing taking place and eventually the cover must be removed but only in God’s good time.
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