Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Peace to you our sweet Puppe.... finally you are truly home


Tuesday, January 18, 2011, My husband and I had to put our sweet family Lab to sleep, Puppe. She was thirteen in March of 2010 and loved rolling in the grass, taking herself on walks to the nearby park and around the neighborhood, loved car rides and laying next to me. She was Branden's dog since he was 13 years old, so this is a very hard day for him as well.

Please keep us in your prayers. She has been struggling with cancer for the last couple of years, and could not beat it. Her hips were getting worse, she'd injured her back left thigh going on a walk-about with Boomer in the winter of 2009, and had a hard time getting up. She still managed to trot when she was told to head home after sneakily taking off, loved salami treats, soft food and basking in the sun. Puppe was not real close to any of our dogs but Cookie, and they laid around together often.

Now, Puppe is at peace. She is no longer hurting, suffering, uncomfortable or agitated over licking her wound that would never heal and had quadrupled in size in the past month. We got to have her here in Arizona, and enjoyed her for Christmas. It was time to think of Puppe and help her go onto heaven. Now she is healed, no doubt rolling in the grass like she loved, and her spirit is peaceful and body well.

Thank you Jesus for being with us in the room. Thank you for such a loving and caring vet and staff at our veterinarian's office. They were so peaceful themselves, loving, understanding, oh my gosh, and stroked Puppe like she was one of their own. They gave us time with her first, then came in and explained things to us, gave us more time with her, then sedated her, and after about ten minutes came in and I went to the car. Ken stayed with her as he and my daughter Chrissy felt it would be too hard on me to be with her when she drew her last breath, (I'm sure they were right) and then at 8:47 am she went home, peacefully like I and so many family and friends had been praying.

Today, as I got in the car to come home, without Puppe, my heart sank. Today, as I walked in my front door with leash in hand and Puppe not by my side, my spirit cried deeply. Today, as I sit and try to write this eulogy for Puppe, everything in me wishes her life had been longer, she had been healed and she were sitting at my feet. But it did not happen that way. And today, I am realizing, more than ever, God was with us even though our plans were into carried out. Jesus comforted us and still does. The Holy Spirit was with Puppe and kept her calm even going into the doctor's office. I believe Jesus told Puppe what today was. Because as I was getting things together to leave, Puppe went to the front door, which she seldom does. She walked with us, we helped her in the backseat where I sat beside her, and she didn't fight going in, nor did she act fearful. I think Puppe knew it was time to go home, to run in the pastures of heaven and finally be made whole in the presence of Jesus.

Jamuary 18, 2011 at 8:47 am, Puppe met Jesus... and before me. How blessed Puppe truly is. We miss you Puppe, so very much, but we will see you and love on you again.

During this horrible event, God was with us and with Puppe. What comfort this has brought us. Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you or forsake you."

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Salvation amongst the Chaos


There’s a certain chaos in the air these days, that of hatred, and ridicule, judgment and murder. Sometimes I ponder the condition of the world we live in and wonder how our next door neighbor can be the next serial rapist, child molester or deranged stalker. How with so much love one can share with others, why hate, anger, hostility and deception has seemed to dominate this planet. I have come to a sad conclusion, sin.

We live in a sin-filled world full of ill-minded people living unhealthy lifestyles and expecting succession, victory, acceptance and reward. It’s just not going to happen; plain and simple. It’s just not.

When we were created we were made to bring pleasure to our Creator, God Himself. We were chosen for a higher purpose than we could ever give ourselves and for richness no man could ever fathom. But humans comes sin, and so Jesus came to make things right with our Creator. To justify us if you will, so that we would not be punished eternally for our mistakes but instead be pardoned from them. This is where Jesus comes into the picture.

Without Jesus unconditional love for you and me, his shedding of blood on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, our eternal destination would be that of bloodshed, hatred, anguish and a violent punishment we could never imagine. Still there are so many that refuse to receive the free gift of salvation that Jesus humbly offers. Why?

Is it perhaps some do not believe they have done anything wrong to earn them a lifetime in hell? In the book of Romans, chapter and verse 3:23 of the Bible God tells us, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. No one is righteous, no, not one.”

Perhaps it is because we do not think we need saving? Luke 19:10 states, “For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” If we were not lost why do we need saved?

Maybe it is because we feel if we make good decisions, help the poor, give money to organizations, go to church twice a year or refrain from killing anyone we are a good person. Good enough to get into heaven, so we think.

Because we were born into sin through Adam’s decision to eat of the tree of good and evil, we became damned to an eternal life in hell. But in Romans it clearly tells us everyone has sinned and we fall short of the requirements to make it into heaven. In Luke we are told that Jesus, the Son of God, came to save us, the lost.

So now that we know we are sinners, lost and on the road to eternal damnation, are in need of a Savior to bridge the gap between us and our Creator, God, why not simply express this to God, ask for His forgiveness and accept His free gift of salvation?

It just doesn’t get any easier than this. If you realize you were born into sin, understand your life will end in eternal damnation in hell, see how you truly need a Savior and want to spend eternity in heaven and beyond, say this simple prayer.

Lord God, I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins so that I may spend eternity with You. I ask your forgiveness and accept your free gift of salvation. Change me Lord, help me make the most of my life. Create in me a clean heart willing to please You. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for me. Thank you Jesus, for choosing to take the punishment for my sins, for hanging on the cross and being resurrected back to life. Thank you for loving me, for choosing me, for saving me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Now, share the best decision you could ever make in your life, the decision you just made to give your life to Lord who promises never to leave you, forsake you or forget you (Hebrews 13:5). Find one other person who has made this decision and go church shopping. Look for a non-denominational church that you feel welcomed to, accepted and loved. Attend atleast three church services in a row at the same church in order to gain a rounded view of what the body of believers (the church) believes, has to offer to help you grow in your new-found faith.

May God bless you richly in your eternal relationship with the Creator of this world.

Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

Saturday, January 01, 2011

A New Committment for a New Year

As I welcome in 2011, a year of urgency and great expectation for better things to come, I have decided to sell myself out to Jesus, in every way. Those areas I thought I had surrendered I'm laying at the feet of Jesus, praying I can give my worries, cares and burdens to the Lord once and for all.

I have dedicated myself to live for God, to love others as he has loved me, to serve Jesus Christ wholeheartedly and completely living for Him. Now, I am committing to be a woman of prayer, every day. I want my life to reflect Jesus' love, His compassion, His patience, and strength, His will and His choices not only in the parts of my life that are easy to give up, but especially in those I have hung onto, knowingly or not.

As I pour myself out for His glory, His causes, His work, I know He will fill me with Himself so fully, an abundance of Him is what will flow out of me, and that is truly my heart's desire this year... to be completely surrendered to allowing Christ to live in me, through me, consuming every part of me. This is it, the life I once lived I lived for myself, but now, I live 100% for Jesus Christ. Loving others, caring for others, serving others to a greater capacity than I ever imagined.

Won't you commit to a higher cause, a more noble ideal, a lifestyle that glorifies God in every way, every single day? Become a woman, man, young adult, teen, adolescent, child of prayer. Re-commit today, or commit for the first time and watch what God makes of your life and those He puts in your path. Make a new commitment for the new year. Trust God to hold your life in His hands, so that He may mold and make you into a treasure of worth beyond compare. Place your faith in an everlasting God Who loves YOU unconditionally. (John 3:16-17) Prayer changes things, transforms people and blesses others. Pray like your life depends on it...because it truly does.