Gus and Girly

We've all heard the idiom, "She (or he) has a face only a mother could love." Well, sometimes that's putting it mildly. My friend's pug, Girly, has that type of face. She's so ugly she's cute. I mean, just look at her! This photo doesn't show her toothless smile, and how her tongue hangs out of her mouth.This poor old girl was adopted a year ago after being sorely neglected. Thankfully, she's since been showered with attention, love and lots of nurturing. Despite her seemingly sad facial expression, deep down, she's actually quite happy and content. 

Recently, she had to have some surgery that ran up my friend's Visa bill. Even though it was a steep financial sacrifice, my animal-loving friend willingly took the bullet for her silly-faced little dog.

Girly's brother, Gus, is also very lucky to be part of the family. Apparently, the shelter warned any potential new owner that Gus could be a bit of a brat.  He might get cranky or even nip, they'd said. But after my friend met Gus, she kept thinking about him. So much so that she actually went back and adopted him - despite the warnings. Turns out he's been a pretty good little dog, but she didn't know it would all turn out that way. 

My friend's loving heart towards her dogs is so amazingly unconditional. When I think about Gus and Girly, it makes me think of God's unconditional God's love for us. Romans 5:8 says, "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (NLT) While we were still sinners -  what amazing words! God sent Jesus Christ to die for you and me. Why? Certainly not because we are or ever can be good enough. Heaven's no. He did it just because he loves us. Whenever I start to question God's love for me, I have to read this verse repeatedly until it sinks in. I'm just so amazed that he knows all my flaws, my issues, my cranky, selfish moments (or hours, or days, or longer), my fears and my mountains of insecurities, and he said, "I want to adopt you into my family."

Unbelievable! The God of the universe  wanted to adopt me - and YOU - knowing every unappealing thing about us.  And what do we have to do to earn this love? Not one thing! Ephesians 2:8 tells us, " For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." 

Thank you, Lord, for your unconditional love.  You accept us just like Gus and Girly. Flaws and ugly faces and all.   

My One Word: HOPE

I just love a good book!  Especially when it offers encouragement and helps me draw closer to God.  The first book I read this year was My One Word: Change Your Life With Just One Word, by Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen.  The "My One Word" project is something that Ashcraft has been doing at his church for several years.  The concept is quite simple: do something for the year about just one thing - instead of nothing about everything. So, my homework assignment was to choose just one word that represents what I want God to do in my life and in my heart, then focus on it for an entire year. So, to start 2015, I chose the word HOPE.  (I figured it was the perfect choice, since 2014 ended in a puddle of hopelessness).

I'm amazed at how many scriptures there are about hope.  There are nearly 200!  My key verse is Psalm 33:22: "Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone."

Every time I pick up my Bible, I come across more and more words filled with hope.  When I start to wonder why I should even get out of bed - "what's the point of all this anyway?" - I'm encouraged to press on to reach the end of the race, to receive that heavenly prize for which God, through Christ, is calling me (Phil 3:13-14). 

I need that reminder because many days I'm just plain exhausted.  I know I'm not alone.  Several  of my friends are hanging on by an emotional thread and ready to fall into the abyss any minute.  It's the curse of menopause, and the curse of Adam.  "All your life you will struggle to scratch a living...[the ground] will grow thorns and thistles for you...by the sweat of your brow ..."  Yeah.  Thanks a lot, Adam.  We've all been working for so many years, and we're dang tired.  We need to see a ray of light at the end of the tunnel (is retirement ANYWHERE in sight?). 

But, then I'm reminded.  I can't put my hope in anything but God.  Not my husband, my kids, my bank account, my job, my future retirement, my health, my friends, my house ... it's all just quicksand.  So, repeat after me: God, alone, is my refuge and my hope.  Amen