A Timeless Poem For Children

A few years ago when the kids were little, I made up a tune to this poem. I went around singing it until the kids had it memorized. Just for fun, I started humming the tune at the breakfast table, and my daughter immediately started singing the words.(Yeah! She still knows it.) It’s a nice little poem with a simple message.

Let dogs delight to bark and bite,
          For God hath made them so;
        Let bears and lions growl and fight,
          For ’tis their nature too.

        But, children, you should never let
          Such angry passions rise;
        Your little hands were never made
          To tear each other’s eyes.

Isaac Watts

 

I’m Thankful Four – Day 3

1.

 

 

 

My mother – Mom turned 70 in August, and I am thankful that she is still around. I truly have been blessed with a wonderful mother and am thankful for the sacrifices she made for all of her kids over the years.  She taught me a lot just by having a good attitude about situations in life that were not pleasant and would have made others complain. I love you mom, and I’m glad you’re coming over for Thanksgiving!

2.

 

 

 

Our dog – Misty is a great little pooch. When I am at home, she is my shadow. She follows me down the stairs each morning and likes to sit in the recliner and be close by while I’m praying.  She is hilarious at Christmas time, for she loves to open gifts and has been caught snooping around the tree a time or two. All we have to do is put a gift on the floor in front of her, and she will savagely tear at it until it is open.  We certainly love our Misty pooch.

3. Good health – The only times that I have stayed overnight in a hospital were when I was born and when I gave birth to my two children. I’m very thankful for that, because I don’t enjoy hospitals. I’ve heard the saying that “when you have your health, you have just about everything”. It should be “when you have a relationship with God and have your health, you have just about everything.  I’m thankful right now that I have both. (even though I am battling a cold as I write)

4. Laughter – The Bible says that “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” I’m thankful I have some “good medicine” in my life , and  lot of it comes via my husband, son and daughter.(mostly my son) I don’t think it’s good to be too serious, and I have had times in my life where I start to spiral downward, because I’m consumed with life’s situations and not taking time to laugh and enjoy life. Thank you Lord, for the gift of laughter!

Okay, I’m going to tell you something that may surprise you. A couple of years ago, my husband and I were spending some leisure time with another pastor and his wife. The pastor’s wife and I were looking around in a quaint litte shop, when she came across a book which she picked up and began reading. She was laughing, so I came over to see what she was laughing about. The book she had picked up was entitled Walter The Farting Dog. I started reading it with her, and we were both standing there laughing hysterically. Flatulence can be inappropriate at times, but other times it is just plain funny. That book was a real gas.

 

Prelude To The Science Fair

This coming Friday, my kids, along with some other homeschooling families are going to be participating in a science fair. They still have a way to go on their projects, but I’m confident that they will be ready in time. I’m glad we’re all working on it together, because it’s actually kind of fun, and I am learning a few things myself in the process. As I was thinking about this upcoming event, I wrote this silly poem. After it’s all over, I’ll be more specific about their projects, and hopefully I’ll have some pictures to share too.

There’s Something Scientific Goin’ On

Oh my daughter she’s a spraying at our little pooch a bottle of perfume,
and that dog of ours is sniffing hard and rolling on the carpet in the room.
And I can’t be more specific
but there’s something scientific
Goin’ on.

My son sits at the table, to a mother’s heart this is all well and good
Quickly he’s assembling some gliders that are made with balsa wood.
And I can’t be more specific
but there’s something scientific
Goin’ on.

The metal tube that Papa built so capably, I’m sure it is the best
To ever be constructed for a child to perform the tunnel test.
And I can’t be more specific
but there’s something scientific
Goin’ on.

And Mama’s got the digital, it’s pointed at each canine volunteer
As they sniff of pheromonal scents that to their sensing sniffers linger near
And I can’t be more specific
but there’s something scientific
Goin’ on.

 

Clash of the Canines

          

I’d like to dedicate the following quotes to 2 very special canines that have jealousy issues.  The dog on the left is Princess, a beautiful Sheltie owned by our friends Paul and Eva.  The dog with the ball is Misty, our Lhasa Apso who thinks she is the center of the universe.  We have been watching Princess this week while our friends are on vacation.  Our dog is so jealous that if she is upstairs and I’m downstairs and just speak the name of “Princess” that she will come running to where I am, in fear that Princess is going to get attention, a treat, etc. that Misty might miss  if she’s not right there.   If they are both in the same room, you can’t give one of them attention without the other one waltzing over for a pat on the head or a belly rub.  Sometimes I wish I could take both of them down to the altar and “pray ‘em through”, but they’re dogs, and they just wouldn’t get it.  I’d love to give them a Bible study on this destructive vice, but they would not comprehend that either.  So, for the time being, I just laugh, and we all do what we can to give both of them the TLC they desire.

I hope you like the quotes.

“Jealousy is the tie that binds, and binds, and binds”  Helen Rowland

 

 

“Nothing is more capable of troubling our reason, and consuming our health, than secret notions of jealousy in solitude.”  Aphra Behn

 

 

“It is not love that is blind, but jealousy.”  Lawrence Durrell

 

 

“Jealousy is a tiger that tears not only its prey but also its own raging heart”  Anonymous

 

 

“Jealousy is all the fun you think they had.”  Erica Jong

 

 

“To cure jealousy is to see it for what it is, a dissatisfaction with self”  Joan Didion

 

 

“The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves”  William Penn

 

 

God’s Vulnerability

Vulnerable, My God Became  

Vulnerable, my God became

Born as a babe, He took on the name

Of Jesus, lowly, meek and mild

God in the flesh, Bethlehem’s child.

 

His condescension was no game

Vulnerable, my God became

Had temptations common to man

All to work redemption’s great plan.

 

Longed with man to be connected

Yet, He was despised, rejected

Vulnerable, my God became

To earthly honor, had no claim

 

For my salvation, paid the price

His life for mine, what sacrifice

As on the cross, He bore my shame

Vulnerable, my God became.

 

Written 7-13-07

  Philippians 2:6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 2:7  but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 2:8  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.   Isaiah 53:3  He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Hebrews 4:15  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.     

 

Canine Celebration

           

On Monday, February 5, our dog Misty celebrated her 4th birthday.  There are 2 days of the year when Misty is absolutely delirious with excitement.  They are her birthday and Christmas.  Our dog is like a little kid in that she just loves to open presents.  If I show her a wrapped gift and say “poochie present”, immediately her tail starts beating the air, and she can’t hardly keep still.  This year we bought her a plastic beefsteak toy which she just absolutely loves.  After she opened it, she carried it around with her the rest of the evening.  She’s usually very playful, and it doesn’t take much to get her going.  I love throwing her rubber ball and watching her skid across the kitchen floor to retrieve it.  Lest you think her to be the consummate pet, I must mention that she does have a weakness with which she struggles.  She is extremely jealous for attention.  We have some friends that have a dog named Princess, and all we have to do is say that name loud enough for her to hear, and she will come running.  ”God forbid that Princess should get any attention from my human family.”  I just know that is what she’s thinking, but alas, I don’t know how to get this jealousy out of her heart or the false concept she harbors that the world revolves around her.  Somehow though, we manage to put up with her and love her, and she in turn puts up with us and has resigned herself to the fact that we can’t always cater to her every whim.  What more could we want out of this canine-human relationship?

Happy Birthday Misty!      

 

Off On The Wrong Foot,Back On The Right Track

After my morning routine of prayer and Bible reading, I was planning on posting a couple of pictures that I took of my mom last night at her birthday celebration.  For some reason, I couldn’t get my pictures to upload, even though I tried 3 times.  I finally decided that maybe it wasn’t meant to be for now, so I went to wake up Jen and Paul.  As I started to walk into Paul’s room, I felt my foot step on something that felt wet and mushy.  To my surprise, I had stepped in dog vomit that I did not see.   It blended in with the little throw rug in front of Paul’s door.  Feeling disgusted, I limped to our bathtub to wash off my foot.  I cleaned up my foot, cleaned up the dog’s upchuck and made breakfast for the kids.  We were having pancakes, and at the breakfast table, my son accidentally dumped a bunch of powdered sugar on the table, his chair and his clothes.  Throughout the day, it seemed like there were a lot of distractions.  We didn’t finish everything I had planned on doing, but still we ended up having a good day in spite of our mishaps.  Paul took his first math test today and aced it.  We’re doing a new math program this year, and both kids seem to be understanding math a lot better.  This is an answer to prayer.  Anyway, the thing that stands out most to me about this day is that even when unpleasant and unexpected things happen, God is still good, and there is always something for which to be thankful.  After all, it could have been my face rather than my foot that landed in Misty’s mish mash!

 

Here Come The Butterflies

 I don’t know how they are going to do it, but come Friday morning about 9 a.m. these insects called butterflies are going to be inside Jennifer’s stomach.  I really can’t explain how they do it, but I know that they do get inside your insides, because they have been doing it to me for years.  Jen’s senior finals for Bible quizzing are beginning this day, and I know she will be a little nervous.  The butterflies always come to me when I’m nervous too.  It’s really an incredible phenomenon.  However, I know that Jen will do just fine. 

On the other hand, our going away the weekend for senior finals will mean that once again, Misty will have to do time in her “poochie penitentiary.”  (also known as the slammer) She’ll see the suitcases come Thursday, and once again, she’ll get that dejected look in her eyes of a dog that’s about to face solitary confinement.  If only she knew that we plan to make it up to her at the end of July by taking her with us when we go to campmeeting.  But alas, she lives only in the here and now and cannot anticipate the future. (except for her next meal, of course) If I could, I would assure Misty that just as Jen’s butterflies will eventually flee, so her weekend lockdown is only temporary.  Bible quizzing season is almost over!

 

Pooch Particulars

This is just a brief update on Misty in case anyone was concerned about her.  She appears to have gotten on famously while we were away.  Even though we were able to anchor 2 sides of her gate into grooves in the garage floor, she was still able to move the other 2 sides.  However, as much as I'm sure she tried, there appeared to be no "Houdini episodes."  Misty, this is your last weekend of bachelorettehood when we leave for Sr. Bible Quiz finals.  Your hardships will soon cease………….well, at least until quizzing season starts again in November. 

 

An Open Letter to our dog, who dislikes Bible quizzing

Dear Misty,

I deeply regret to inform you, my dear dog, that it is going to happen today.  Once again, your family will hit the road to travel to another Bible quizzing tournament.  Of course, you know, my precious pooch, that Marilyn will be stopping by several times in our absence to make sure you're fed and take you for walks. We are aware that you do not like to be left alone.  Remember how you proved it to us during the 2nd tournament we attended?  We came back home to find that you had jumped up on the "no no couch" and used your teeth to rearrange our blinds.  That, of course, led us to the decision that the garage would be a better place for you to stay in our absence. But do you recall the new nickname Marilyn gave you the last time you stayed in the garage? Somehow, you had managed to move the gated area in which you were kept(by constant jumping, I suppose), and then, wonder of all wonders, you were outside of your little dwelling when Marilyn showed up.  Thus, she gave you the nickname of Houdini.  I shudder to think of what you might try this time in our absence, but let me explain, my charming canine, that it is expedient for us to go away.  Bible quizzing has been a very positive thing for Jen and Paul(your human sister and brother).  They've spent a lot of time memorizing and reviewing several chapters in the book of Matthew.  They are going to compete against other young people that have done the same thing.  Do you realize that through Bible quizzing they have met many exceptional young people across our great state "of like precious faith"?  The fellowship that they have had with other God fearing young people has been tremendous.  Can you understand that Bible quizzing has given them an identity, goals to reach and something for which to strive?  How could you possibly known what David said in Bible about the value of knowing God's Word?

Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

You see, my lovely Lhasa, this is something that will benefit the kids for many years to come.  Heaven and earth are going to pass away, but God's Word will never pass away.(Matthew 24:35) This is something of eternal value.  God's Word is an anchor for our souls, and it is something that will keep us through the storms of life.  But how could you possibly known this? You are just a dog.  I know you can't fully comprehend that the world doesn't revolve around you.  I just ask that in our absence you do your best to be a capital canine, and please…………………….don't chew down the garage door. 

With love,

From the hand that feeds you