Worship Melodies: Dogs

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What My Dog’s Surgery Taught Me About God!

1 Corinthians 7:17 (MSG) ~~ And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life. Don’t think I’m being harder on you than on the others. I give this same counsel in all the churches.

by Carley Cooper

My dog had surgery this week, and it helped me re-learn an important message about faith.

I have a shih-tzu dog named Maggie. She will have her first birthday on April 6th. I already have a special gift bought for the occasion. She is my baby.

Maggie went to the Ontario SPCA here in Barrie this week to be spayed and to have a microchip inserted in the scruff of her neck. (Side note: I went there because they have a low-cost spay/neuter program, that costs much less than going to my regular vet to have the surgery done – check it out with your local SPCA).

Panic Set In

I was being a responsible pet-parent I thought. Later it occurred to me just what I had done. I left her with complete strangers… to allow them to do major surgery on her no less! Not only that but I paid them to do it! I trusted they would take care of her, that they would not hurt her, and that they knew what they were doing.

“Am I crazy or something?”, was my initial thought. What if she didn’t come out OK? What if they did something to hurt her (accidentally or on purpose). What if she didn’t survive the surgery?

God Defines Your Life

Well, Maggie survived the surgery. And, amazingly enough, so did I! She’s stuck wearing this cone shaped collar around her head for the next seven to ten days, which I’m not sure is harder on her or me. But we will both survive it, I’m sure.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I have no reason not to trust these wonderful people at the SPCA. I know, realistically, that they would never intentionally hurt my Maggie any more than I would. It hit me later that so often I don’t trust God as much as I trust some people. Sometimes, I don't have enough faith in God to take care of me and my needs. Why is that?

I look to other people every day for so many things. I take medications daily for Bipolar Disorder. I never question if they’re truly OK for me or not. I trust my parents to drive me places I need to go. I trust my church family to support me through hard times, and help me on my spiritual walk toward God. I trust our pastors to preach biblically-sound messages. I trust other people to grow, prepare, and package the food I eat every day. The list can go on and on with the things that I have to depend on other people to do for me to make my life better. Yet, there are things that I want to trust God for, but so often I wonder if it’s really in His plan for me. What if I never get married again? Should I leave it in His hands or not? Maybe I should just go out and find a man on my own. Why do I have to go through this when others don’t?

I think about this a lot. Then, the other day, I saw this bible verse. 1 Corinthians 7:17 (MSG) ~~ And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life. Don’t think I’m being harder on you than on the others. I give this same counsel in all the churches.

God is in Control

The truth is, God tries all the time to make sure I know this. At least a few times per week, I see this message somewhere; “Don’t worry. I’m saving you for someone special.” Just the same way that I take care of Maggie because I love her, God will take care of me because He loves me. If Maggie could talk, would she have chosen to go ahead with the surgery? Probably not. I chose for her, because it’s what’s best for her. She will have a healthier life because of it. Plus, if she gets lost, the microchip will help me find her again. I am where I am at this moment in time because God wants me to be here. Whatever my future holds depends on it. Everything that happens in my life is under God’s control. He has only my best interests at heart.

Joel Osteen said “You may not be where you want to be, but you can look back and thank God you’re not where you used to be.”

Can I trust God with my future, and what’s best for me? Absolutely!

I saw this photo on Facebook the other day. I think it’s something we would all do well to keep in mind.

Let’s Pray

Dear God ~~ Wonderful, loving, ever-faithful Father so often I want to go off on my own and take control of my own life. Please forgive me for the lack of faith. Thank You for never giving up on me and the lesson’s You need me to learn. Help me to always remember that You are in control always, and that You only have my best interests at heart. I know whatever my future holds, will contain blessings beyond anything my imagination can come up with. Thank You for those blessings. I pray in Jesus name, AMEN

Now It’s Your Turn

Thoughts? Questions? Want to share your story? Ask for prayer? Please share in the comments section.

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas

~~ John 14:27 (NIV84)~~ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

by Carley Cooper

Carley - Christmas 2011
Photo by M. Cooper

The new year is here Worshipers. Have you made any resolutions? Are you sticking to them? Have you cheated on that diet, skipped a workout, or watched just one more episode of that TV show for old times’ sake? I’ve been sticking to mine so far, but I’m pretty stubborn most of the time. When I really set my mind to something I tend to hold on to it like a dog with a bone. The fact that I made any resolutions is probably a step forward. The only resolution I ever made before was that I would never make any resolutions! I try to think of it more as ‘Goals’ instead of ‘Resolutions’. It seems a little more solid somehow.

Don’t you just hate it when you try so hard to hold on to something, only to get so weak because of the fight that you have no choice but to let go; only to come to the realization “Wow, I really wish I didn’t hold on so long!” Sometimes it’s even hard to remember why you were holding on so long in the first place. It feels a little like someone told you that you’re wrong, or having to admit you were wrong. Just based on that alone, I feel like I should hold on longer. Now that Christmas is over that’s how I’ve been thinking... wishing that I hadn’t held on for so long. If you read my last blog “Sliding on the Ice”, you’ll know that holidays are always very difficult for me; with Christmas being the worst. It’s been almost two decades since I had a truly happy Christmas. That is, until this year. I was telling my doctor about this the other day. He said “so what was different about this Christmas”. Honestly, I had to say, “nothing”. It was the same Christmas that my family has had every year since... well, always.

Tigger Christmas-Tree
(The topper was accidentally cut off
in the shot... it was an angel Tigger)
Photo by Carley

We carted all our Christmas gifts and stockings to my brothers house. After we piled them all around their Tigger Christmas-Tree, we practically filled up his living room. Yea... the tree. Well, my nephew, who’s 26 now (the baby of the family) has collected Tigger’s his whole life, so they decided to do a whole tree dedicated to Tigger and put all his little stuffed Tigger’s on the tree as the ornaments. Well, except for a 6 foot inflatable one wearing a Santa hat, which had to sit outside the front door. It’s a very happy tree actually. I mean, have you ever seen a sad Tigger? Anyway, I’m getting side tracked. We have Christmas at my brother’s house because he has the biggest place. His home can actually fit us all, along with all the stuff. Well, I went to church on Christmas morning and had a wonderful time with my Church Family. Then, I went to spend the rest of the day with my ‘other’ family at my brothers house. By the time we got around to starting our gift-opening it was noon. It’s a good thing we don’t have any little kids anymore... ‘cause it took us four hours to get them all open! My first thought after it was done was “Wow, we really are in a society with way too much stuff”. Anyway, we finally got around to eating my Mom’s Christmas Quiche for breakfast in the middle of the afternoon. It was really yummy! Then we finished off the feast with an awesome turkey dinner, a glass of wine, and way too many treats. Also, really yummy! I gained 10 lbs through December because of Christmas baking and Christmas eating (refer back to the resolutions section!) The family spent the day laughing together, loving the family-time, listening to Christmas music, and watching a fake fireplace burning on my brothers big screen TV (which sits on top of the real fireplace). Oh, yea, I almost forgot. We also spent some time watching the 3 doggies learn to use their new little staircase that my dad built so they could get up on the bed by themselves! Some Chihuahua’s are fast learners; others, not so much. Anyway, I was on top of the world all day, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that we were celebrating Jesus’ birthday. I had a truly happy Christmas.

So why was this year so different, when the past 18 years were so overwhelmingly painful? Well, in a “nut shell”, the difference was that this year I let God join me for Christmas. The very slightly longer version is this... I prayed for God’s peace to be with me for Christmas; then, there was a very timely sermon about God’s peace by Pastor Jenn, and I topped it off with a talk with Pastor Henry about it. All this helped me learn to be open to the idea of having a good Christmas. I allowed my heart to be open to let the Holy Spirit do His work within me. Boy, that was a long time to learn that lesson!

But wait, my lesson wasn’t over yet! In the lobby of my apartment building there is an awesome Nativity set as part of the seasonal decorations. I have one of my own that I sit on top of my fireplace and it’s very charming, but I love looking at the one in the lobby because it really is an incredible scene. It makes me feel good when I look at it and think about the awesome gift that God gave us in Jesus. Sometime during Christmas week, following Christmas Day, some Grinch stole the baby Jesus figurine from our lobby Nativity set. Since then, I’ve thought about that fact many times. I think, it’s obvious that someone wanted to show some sort of symbolization that Jesus doesn’t belong to Christmas. The only thing that I can get out of my brain about the idea of this Grinch attempting to steal Christmas is “sad”. That is, it’s just so very sad that someone could steal the baby Jesus. Over and over this kept running through my mind.

Then, it hit me. That’s exactly what I did to my own Christmas’ for such a long time. I wouldn’t let go of the misery that I needed in order to keep the focus on myself instead of Jesus. I stole my own happiness, and refused to let God give me His peace. So who’s the bigger Grinch? Now, I just have to think “Wow, I really wish I didn’t hold on so long!”

~~ Dear God ~~ Thank You for the awesome Christmas celebration of Jesus’ birthday. Thank You, also; for the gifts, family time, fun, food and laughter. Mostly Thank You for the most incredible gift of all when You gave us Your Son so that we may be saved from ourselves. Please don’t ever let me hold on to any more pain that will steal Your peace from my heart on any holiday; or any day of the year. Father, please let the person who stole the baby Jesus figuring also be open to seeing and receiving Your peace. Please make them an awesome servant for Jesus. Oh, and Lord; Thank You also for Tiggers and Chihuahuas. In Jesus name, AMEN.

The Master’s Voice

~~ John 10:27 (NIV84) ~~ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

by Carley Cooper

Casey
Photo by Carley

There is so very much that we can learn from the love of a dog. There’s an old saying that I have heard many times that says “Until one has loved a dog part of the heart remains unopened”. As anyone who has ever loved a dog will tell you, this is so very true.

THE MASTER’S VOICE
~Author Unknown

Dogs just seem to take in stride

the passing of each day,

content to let the hours pass

whatever comes their way.

They seem to know a secret

which offers peach of mind

a secret dogs just seem to know

and humans seldom find.

They lead an unassuming life

and know their masters voice

a simple touch of their masters hand

will cause them to rejoice.

They listen for his footsteps

and wait beside the door

content to let the world go by

to serve him evermore.

And when they’re taken from us

the pain is hard to bear

but happy memories linger on

to keep them ever near.

THINGS TO LEARN FROM A DOG

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.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
Take naps and stretch before rising.
Run, romp and play daily.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
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.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout... run right back and make friends.
Bond with your pack.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

DOG RULES

The dog is not allowed in the house.
OK, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
The dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.
The dog can get on the old furniture only.
Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.
OK, the dog is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.
The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but not under the covers.
The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation only.
The dog can sleep under the covers every night.
Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.

Are you waiting for your Master's voice? Do you wait for Him at the door? Do you love others the way your dog loves you?

~~ Dear God ~~ Thank You for all creatures that You have placed on this earth with us. Thank You, especially, for dogs. Wagging tails, puppy kisses, and the unconditional love that You gave to dogs help me to see You in them every day. Please change my heart to become as loyal, loving, forgiving, and non-judgemental as that of my dogs! In Jesus name, AMEN.

Here is another blog I wrote about how much we can learn from our beloved K9 babies. If we take our cues from dogs, we could get so much closer to God. It is called “All Dogs Go to Heaven”.

I dedicate the poem above to all the dogs I have loved; Casey, Brandy, Shadow, Chipper, Pipocas, Molly, Gertie, Cracker, Taco

Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

~~ Romans 10:13 ~~ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Casey & Taco
"What did we do wrong, Mommy?"
Photo by Carley

You know those moments when you think “what in the world was I thinking?” Everyone has those at some point or another. I was thinking about some of these things earlier. There are just way too many times when I spoke without thinking first, or when I jumped without looking, pressed ‘send’ on my email without thinking about what the result would be. Sometimes I have to wonder if I have the common sense that God gave a gold fish. Would you believe that I was absent from class that day when they covered the ‘rational’ chapter?! Never mind... I didn’t think so. I guess you would need the common sense of a gold fish to believe that!

Anyway, this post is a little more ‘light hearted’ than the others. I thought I would share with you some silly things that I’ve done in my life and the lessons I have learned from them. I have:

put rice cakes in the toaster. Note to self: Rice cakes can be flammable.
filled the washer with laundry and put the water level on minimum instead of maximum (twice). Note to self: Too many clothes with not enough water will burn out the motor (every time!)
vacuumed hot embers from the fireplace hearth. Note to self: Hot embers inside a vacuum filled with dust are also flammable... and can damage the vacuum cleaner too!
set a plate of food on the coffee table. Note to self: The coffee table is within doggie reach.
set a wet paint project on the floor to dry. Note to self: Don’t get mad at the dog when wet-paint puppy prints end up all over the project and the floor! It’s a good thing it was in the garage!
drank too much vodka. Note to self: Bad stuff happens when you drink vodka... ‘nuff said!
took photos at wrong times. Note to self: When the lay-z-boy chair tips over backwards, stop laughing and taking photos, and help BF up off the floor. (For those who are not 100% computer literate, BF means Boyfriend)
tried to be the ‘perfect housewife’. Note to self: With issues such as; flooding the kitchen, not being able to figure out how to turn on the vacuum cleaner, and fires on the stove (once or twice... well, ok, ok... quite a few times) it means you are not Martha Stewart and you likely never will be. Accept it!
tried to make oatmeal – the old fashioned way. Note to self: Oatmeal is not that hard to do!!... but when the dog refuses to eat it, something did not go right.
rescued a kitten from inside a heating duct. Note to self: Even 8 week old kittens have claws sharp enough to shred an arm. Reminder to self: Next time you rescue a kitten, wear thick clothing for protection.

OK... I hope you had a good laugh at some of those things; but, seriously, I bet you also did some silly things. Please share them with me in the comment section below.

~~ Dear God ~~ Please forgive me for all the times I have ‘jumped before I looked’, ‘spoke without thinking’, ‘acted without using the intelligence you gave me’. Thank You for being there to protect me and rescue me each time I end up in a mess. Oh, and one more thing, Lord. I am so happy that You do not keep a count, because I am sure that the number of times I have fowled things up are at a very high number. In Jesus name, AMEN.

All Dogs Go to Heaven

~~ Isaiah 65:25 ~~ ...“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.

Carley with Casey, Taco, & Chicklet.
Photo by M. Cooper

Well, according to the weather man on our local news we are in the “Dog Days of Summer”. Ever wonder why they call it that? When the heat and humidity are high, energy and appetite are low, and you just cannot cool down or get enough water; ‘they’ want to call it “Dog Days”, like it is some sort of insult or bad thing. I think there is something very wrong with this kind of logic!

I am a seriously big doggie fan. I do not think it is a coincidence that ‘dog’ is God spelled backwards! Of course, as a Christian I do not believe in coincidences any way, but that is a technicality in this point. Every child should have a dog during their upbringing. I think it is one of childhood’s greatest treasures. There is something super special about the relationship between a child and a dog. Everyone who has ever owned a dog will tell you that they are as much family as the people who live with them. I believe there is a place in every person’s heart that God meant only to be filled with the love of a dog. A quote by Ben Williams says it best, "There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face."

In a word, dogs are awesome! Here’s why. This is a list of things I have learned about dogs during all my years of being a pet parent...

Dogs need to be talked to... to create the bond. Yep, just like God, if you want to create that special bond you got to talk to Him every day! ~Luke 18:1
Dogs are loyal without failure. Just like God, a dog will be loyal to his dying breath! He won’t EVER fail you! ~Deuteronomy 4:31
A dog will love you no matter what, even when you’re angry with him. Even when he is angry with you, it is very short lived and he will always run to greet you when you get home like there was never a problem in the first place. So, again, just like God, who will love you and want to be close to you, and He’ll never leave your side no matter what! ~Psalm 89:33
Your Dog will always protect you! Granted that is difficult for some small dogs to do just by nature of their size, but some little dogs have no clue that they are little! They think they can take on a big dog with no problem! I had a Pomeranian like that... he picked a fight with a German Sheppard next door once! My dad had to go over there and rescue him. Anyway, in the end, your doggie will try to protect you when you need it! Again, just like God, He will do everything in His power to protect you! ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:3
To make your dog completely happy all you have to do is come home! Again, just like God, all you have to do to make Him happy is just be there, love Him, want to see Him, and believe in Him. Anyone who’s ever owned a dog will tell you that one of the most heart-felt things in life is to open that door at the end of a long day and see that little tail wagging at its fastest! ~Deuteronomy 7:9
Dogs are truthful. Yep, just like God, who will always let you know when you’ve messed up! He’ll try to set you straight and show you who the master is! ~1 Samuel 2:2 Well, in the dog’s case, who he thinks the master is!
Dogs are beautiful! Just like God, who is absolutely beautiful! ~Psalm 27:4 Yes, even wrinkly dogs!
Dogs are dependable... just like God. He will never let you down. ~Psalm 9:10
Dogs are forgiving. Just like God, there will never be a problem that He won’t forgive you for! ~ 1 John 1:9
Dogs are faithful. Again, just like God who is faithful to you always as long as you are faithful to Him. ~Psalm 36:5
Your Dog is your friend. Just like God who is your best friend. He will listen to you when you talk. He will let you cry and not complain about having to listen to you. He will let you scream and yell, and He will not dump you from His life as a result. He will listen to your laughter; and He will sit with you and not say a word, yet still have a great time doing it! ~James 2:23
Dogs are good... just like God who is truly good by nature. ~Psalm 107:1
Dogs are jealous. Just like God who is a jealous God. ~ Deuteronomy 4:24
Dogs are loving... just like God who is all love. All He wants is love and to be loved by you. ~ 1 John 4:8
Dogs are reliable... just like God, who will NEVER let you down. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:9
Dogs are trustworthy... just like God, you can trust Him completely. ~ Proverbs 30:5
Dogs are wholehearted... just like God, who does everything for you with His whole heart! ~ Matthew 22:37–38

When God created the world, He created all things and creatures! God loves all his creation and everything in it, including the animals. ~Genesis 1:24-25. With all the beautiful things that a dogs heart demonstrates to us every day, these hot, humid days we are living in right now do not seem, to me, to be very ‘dog-like’. Dogs are obviously very unique creatures which have a special place in God’s heart and surely have a place in God’s master plan. Anything that significant will surely have a place in Heaven. Isaiah 65:25 tells us how animals will get along with each other in the new Heaven and the new Earth. To have all my canine babies with me for eternity sounds pretty heavenly to me.

Here are some photos of the dogs that I have had the blessing of being a pet-parent to in my life. (All photos by Carley)


Casey


Molly

Shadow

Chipper


Brandy

Taco
Taco went to live with another wonderful family during a time when my health and my living situation didn't allow me to care for so many pets.

Gertie
(owned by my cousin, but lived with my family when I was a kid because my cousin lived in a place that didn't allow dogs). Just look at those beautiful eyes! How can you turn that away?! LOL Oh, by the way, just a couple of small tips if you plan on getting an Old English Sheep dog... First, don't bath her in the house. Do it outside where it won't matter if she gives herself a shake while she's still soaking wet and covered in soap. Second, a big dog at even 6 month old is stronger than 2 young kids. Gertie had a great time walking me and my brother together! LOL


Cracker Jack (Cracker for short) Owned by my Sister-in-law, but Cracker lived with me for a long time so I could babysit her. Cracker's Mommy is a trucker and was on the road working. With a change to a new company, Cracker is now a 'trucker doggie' traveling North America with her Mommy.


Pipocas (Pronounced 'Pee-pock-ish'... is Portuguese for Popcorn) Owned by my (ex)boyfriends parents but little Pipocas would come and live with me for several months each year while they were in Portugal.

A Great Adventure

~~ Luke 15: 24 (NIV84) ~~ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Casey. Photo property of Carla Cooper. All copyrights claimed

Photo by Carley

The phone rang and I answered it. A voice from City Hall said “Is this the owner of Casey?”.

“Yes”, I said.

“Are you missing him?”

The question threw me. “What do you mean by ‘missing him’?” I asked.

“Well, someone found him and they gave us his dog license tag number.”

I instantly felt numb. My heart stopped and dropped to the bottom of my stomach, at the thought that my baby wasn’t where he should be. The voice said, “I can give you the contact information to call the lady who has him”.

I wrote down the information, called the phone number and went to rescue my baby without a moment’s hesitation. It could have been half way to the moon, and I would have moved the planet to one side if it was necessary in order to get him back. I got to the address and he was on the porch of the home with a guy that looked to be in his late teens or early 20’s. He was tall, skinny with dark hair; wearing jeans, a tan color jacket and a blue ball cap. Casey was having a great time with him. My baby is old, for a shih-tzu. He is 12 now, with almost no vision left, not many teeth, a heart murmur; and a few extra pounds. Little Casey had no idea that he was in a situation that could have been bad. It turns out that Casey learned a new trick from the cat. Kitty has taught him to jump through the hole in the screen door. So Casey got out, and went on an adventure... alone!

When we go off into the world alone, without God; this is how He feels. He longs for us to come home and He’s willing to do whatever it takes to get our attention to lead us back to Him. He doesn’t want us getting into ugly situations alone. If He’s not there, than we will end up in a situation where we will never get to go home again. Just because we are having fun, feeling happy, do not know we are lost, or we do not see any danger; does not make it so. Without God next to our side with each and every step of our lives we are not where we are supposed to be and we are in danger.

Thankfully Casey did not go far. He went only a few houses away. I was thankful for that. Later, I also found myself actually feeling thankful for the annual expense of a dog license! It is good to see the system working. There is no price too big for me to pay for the privilege of getting my doggie back.

God feels the same way about us. He paid the ultimate price of sacrificing His Son, Jesus, in order to save us. There is no greater price or love than that.

When I took Casey home, I told him “No more adventures... at least until after Christmas!”

~~Dear God ~~ Thank You for never giving up on me when I run away or get lost. Please do not ever let me go on an adventure without You. In Jesus name, AMEN.

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