WHY DRINK?

Why Drink?

I often take my dogs to the park where they are able to run free and play with others of their species.  It can get pretty rowdy at times.  There are always plenty to choose from.  Unlike most dogs, mine would rather chase squirrels then a ball.  Occasionally, they will spot one and the grueling chase is on.  This of course, can lead to some pretty thirsty pups.  

However, the problem is that one of mine, Dixie, refuses to drink water from the doggy fountain that all the dogs share.  She will run in the sizzling heat of summer with a grotesque mound of foam around her mouth displaying what looks to be a rabid dog.  

I can call her, nudge her, push her to the fountain, but she literally will fight me...pulling away.  Doesn’t she understand that she can get some relief from the heat, if she would just succumb to the water fountain?  I’ve never seen anything like it.  I don’t know if she thinks she is such a princess that she need not to share, 

or is she a germ-a-phobic like me.  

Does the water taste bad?  

Is she afraid of water?  

I don’t know, but I often have to force feed her bottled water to keep her hydrated.  I keep thinking of the old saying ‘you can lead a horse to water, but ya can’t make them drink’.  

How often is this true in our spiritual life?  We are being wooed, ushered in, invited, and sometimes dragged to the throne of Christ by loved ones, perhaps our children, or even our spouses...yet some refuse to truly ingest the healing waters of the living fountain.  

We war within ourselves and others, avoiding the cleansing hope of freedom with drinking at the everlasting fount (Jesus Christ).  You can be baptized a hundred times, say prayer over every meal you consume, give away all your wealth to the poor, sit in a church pew every time the doors are open, but it will not bring you to the emptying of your soul.  

It will not cleanse the daily garbage that forms in our minds, and hearts in a society of immorality.  Before you know it without the often cleansing of God’s word, and renewing of your mind, you are rabid with thoughts of hate, dishonor, self-pity, greed, prejudice, insecurity, complacency, and pride (which can also be-the thinking too much of ‘what’s wrong with me?’ syndrome or false humility) never growing spiritually or using what time is given to live out God’s purpose due to living solely on emotions. 

You can get so stuck in a negative rut, that not only do folks see a rabid behavior, but the very words that spew out of someone’s mouth of this spiritual mentality is extremely venomous.  It's toxic talk that creates dissension, or constant complaining, never finding anything good in any situation. It gets old hearing it chronically.   It causes one to back away. 

Just like the folks who were scared to approach my precious, harmless Dixie, her appearance of foam around her mouth brought negative feelings and fear on the very ones she wanted to be petted and loved by.  When folk start running the opposite direction of you, it can most certainly cause additional insecurity.  When this happens, you might want to check your speech dialogue button 

and flip the channel from the constant negative, critical, ill words to something a little lighter on the brighter side.  You might find yourself so surrounded by folks you can’t get a word in edge-wise, it’s a good feeling to be loved like that.

The word “rabid” in Hebrew:  

lahahh law-hah' -means to burn, (figuratively, insane); also (from the exhaustion of frenzy) to languish:--faint, mad. 

Staying in a constant state of frenzy is exhausting!  

To stay in a mindset of anxiety is debilitating.  It robs you of your joy, peace, strength, and most certainly takes away from working out God’s plan for your life.  You can’t move in the path God wants you to go, if you refuse to trust him.

 

We cannot trust Him if we don’t know Him.  And to know Him, is to know His word, and when you know His word, you know that.... to know Him... is to love Him and you can’t help but crave more of Him.  It's like that bag of potato chips, one just won't do, you'll want to eat the whole thing!

Nothing in this world can ever compare to the filling of His living waters.  There is nothing that can quench a soul thirst, not money, not relationships, not titles, friends, material things, children, spouses, power, not even ministry.  

The only one who can fill a thirsty soul, is Jesus Christ (the living water).   The water that flows continually.  Grab a big Gulp cup and drink it up, there's no limit on refills!

Revelation 7:17 

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

I’m not saying there won’t be times when we aren’t afraid, oh my goodness there were many incidences in the Bible when mighty men and women of God were used that walked through many circumstances in doubt and fear, but they didn’t stay there.  Gideon for example, had asked God for a sign three times about the mission God was sending him on because he was so repressed with fear.

Judges 6:11-18

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” 15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” 17 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.” And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.”

We can still choose to drink from the living fountain while dealing with a world of flooding destruction.  We don’t have to allow the throngs of mass massacres, FaceBookers posting political hatred, and YouTube, Twitter, and media vengeance seekers to turn our hearts cold and live rabidly.  

We can still have peace in the midst of the storms in this life.  The only way to do that is to keep our eyes on Jesus.  There is nothing in this world that will bring peace, not the perfect president, mayor, government, nor police.  We have to learn to walk in peace, be in peace, speak peacefully, and quiet our souls with daily doses of living waters.  That is food for the soul.

John 14:27

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.

Brenda A. Graff

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THE DOLL HOUSE

The Doll House
 

One afternoon while setting out to prepare a feast for my family, I had an epiphany.  It had been a while since I had cooked a large home-cooked meal.  I haven’t had much appetite these days since I began really watching what I eat, and so I have kept the meals very simple.  My husband had commented one eve that I rarely bust out the pots and pans in the kitchen anymore.  True, as I had sort of gone on strike.  I was tired of doing all the cooking and the cleaning.  I would wake to mounds of dishes in the morning which would start my day off not so pleasant.  

I made sure my family had plenty to eat each night whether it be a frozen meal to heat up, or pizza.  Despite my use of preservatives, and additives stance...though I did try my best to stick with the natural frozen stuff.

I can’t digest those type of meals, so I usually went to bed without dinner...too tired to even cook for myself.  

The past three months had been excruciating, long and tiring.  There was always some major issue going on with someone, something or vehicles breaking down. Septic sorrows, a/c repairs, or appliances calling it quits, and with Hubby not around since he was usually parked at his job during the chaos 12-14 hours a day 6 days a week and then thrown on call on days off…by the end of the day...every day for me was spent. Hubby was spent, the children were spent...no body had the energy or desire to do anything!  

However, the day arrived when I had just had enough stress and needed a break away from all the seriousness of life.  One of the best ways for me to de-stress is cooking as long as someone else does the dishes.  I totally get into the scene.  I put on my favorite music, light a few candles for ambiance, throw on the old apron, spread out my utensils, and spices, pour a glass of wine, and hit it!  I start chopping like crazy.

The herbs start penetrating the air with such an aromatic bliss, they instantly sooth a restless soul, (of course the wine helps too).    I’m singing away as I stir the pots of liquid gold if making Alfredo sauce, clam chowder or perhaps my infamous ruby red marinara.  As I was preparing this meal for my family, I suddenly realized how happy I was feeling.  I was full of joy which had been absent for some days...and no I wasn't drunk!  Then, almost immediately I began to feel guilty for feeling happy.  Huh?  What was wrong with me?  My mind started thinking about all the things I didn’t get accomplished that week.  

Suddenly, I was back in stress mode, thinking of closets that needed cleaning, clothing to be washed, dust bunnies under sofa, paperwork needing sorting, laundry needing folding, cards needing mailing, auto registrations, inspections, book reviews, schoolwork needing grading...and taking care of all the secretarial stuff for Hubby, appointments at school, as well as a magazine to design…UGH!  My mind was in a whirlwind of to-do’s.   

Until, my loving, compassionate, indisputable, merciful Father in heaven spoke to my heart.  

He said, “Remember when you used to watch your daughter’s play with their doll houses?"  I remembered they would set up the furniture oh so diligently, organize the kitchen area, place the clothing on those microscopic hangers, and pretend with such an imagination.  

They would make roaring sounds of a car carting the babies to their playground.  They would mimic mommy and daddy conversations, and discipline their little dolls for misbehaving. They would sit the dolls around the tiny chairs and pretend to feast.   

It would bring such joy and laughter as I would watch them play…enjoying themselves.  They were so carefree, so innocent, so happy.  I was so happy to see them happy. Nothing makes me happier then to hear the laughter of a child.  The squeals of sheer glee beaming out of a toddlers heart.  Being reminded of this instantly brought me to tears. I stopped for a moment to think of how our Father in heaven must look upon us when we are happy.  

It must warm His heart to see His children finally at play, carefree, and enjoying what He has provided, and allowed for us to experience.  Too often we are so busy trying to keep up with schedules that we put on ourselves we become overwhelmed and lose our sense of humor and joy.  

God never intended for us to be so busy, even in His business, that we lose our joy.  Happiness, and joy are a gift from God.  Why on earth would He mention it 165 times in His word, if it were not something He wanted us to have?

Psalm 28:7

 The Lord is my strength and my shield;

    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

    and with my song I praise him.

Throughout the Bible... there are many examples of the kind of joy God wants us to experience.  We won’t find our joy in stuff.  Materiel things rot away, you can’t take them to your grave, and they sure won’t give you a hug in the midnight hour.  (1 John 2:17) They won’t dry your eyes after the loss of a loved one, and they certainly can’t comfort a broken heart.  

You won't find joy in worshiping an individual.  People will never fully meet your expectations.  You won't find joy in sensationalism, the hype of media, reality television, or social media.  However, God wants us to experience joy unspeakable (1 Peter 1:8) through worshiping Him, and in turn we receive the unmerited favor of fun, laughter, happiness, and JOY!

Maybe it’s time to put down the stack of bills, the negative reports from doctors, turn off the tube of terror, and media blown madness in this world…and just sit awhile and play with an imaginary doll house.  

This is where you get to choose how your family is going to act, your neighbors, and even your pets.  You can pretend the world is still a nice place to reside in.  

Maybe even pretend to be June or Ward Cleaver for a day when life was simpler.  

Whatever you choose to do, choose joy!

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 ESV

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases Him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Brenda A. Graff
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Why Not a Dog?

Why Not a Dog?

Dogs anyone?  I don’t know too many people who don't own a pet.  If so, it is usually they are allergic, too busy to care for, or have no desire to obtain or raise this kind of gift.  I say gift, because though animals can be at times difficult to care for, costly, or messy…they bring a certain kind of love, and joy that no human can duplicate.  Especially, dogs.  Have you ever noticed how a dog has always been known as one of the most loyal pets to a human?  After all, they are like little mind readers.  They know our needs sometimes before we do.  They even try to convince us to take action.  Read further to get my drift about man's best friend.

Dogs Know When You Are Sad 

When you feel sad, your dog will feel it too.  He may become more subdued than usual, lose interest in his toys or even refuse his food.  Most often they will lay near you refusing to move until your sadness ends.  Many dogs will even try to lick away tears as they fall. 

In a study published in the journal “Animal Cognition,” researchers found that a dog was more likely to approach someone who was crying than someone who was humming or talking.  Furthermore, they found that dogs respond to weeping with a submissive caring behavior.

Dogs Can Sense Your Intentions

A dog’s almost psychic ability senses when something unpleasant is about to happen.  Along with barking as a signal, they will pace back and forth.  Their breathing becomes more intense.  They know when you’re about to bathe them even before you turn the water on.  I don’t know about yours, but mine high-tail it to another room to hide.

At least one study has shown that dogs read intentions by reading behavior. A 2011 study published in “Learning & Behavior” found that domestic dogs are roughly as intelligent as a 2-year-old human. That means that they are capable of understanding the meaning of roughly 165 words and that they can make sense of body language.  I believe ours understand more at times, they act almost too human in this household.  If I even spell the word (park), they immediately start panting.  Lately, the biggest fad with our precious pooches, is playing with a laser light.  They will chase it for hours if we could keep up the fun, and it's funny to watch them follow our son around the house knowing he has it tucked away in his pocket.  If we ask the dogs to find the laser, they immediately start looking for it. Also, If I put my tennis shoes on, they know momma is taking them somewhere and they are already waiting by the front door.

Dogs use eye contact and gaze to figure out what people are thinking. 

Dogs can Sense Diseases You May Have

If your dog has been paying particular attention to a certain area of your body, you may want to get checked out.  Various studies have confirmed that dogs have the ability to detect cancer and diabetes through their profound sense of smell. Some dogs are trained to warn epilepsy sufferers when they are about to have a seizure. A dog’s ability to sense disease comes down to an ability to detect chemicals known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs. VOCs are what allows us to sense odor and though some are toxic, the term generally applies to any chemical that can get into your nose because it is a gas. While humans can detect certain potent VOCs, our limited sense of smell is no match for what dogs can do.

Depending on the breed, a dog’s sense of smell can be anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than a human’s. That means that a dog can pick up a scent that is up to 100,000 times weaker than any scent a human can detect.  A dog can detect a teaspoon of sugar in a million gallons of water.

Dogs Understand When You Feel Scared

If you feel scared, your dog will know about it in an instant. A dog’s sensitive nose can pick up on subtle scents, such as adrenaline, that he associates with fear and danger. Dogs, like humans, have a customary reaction to fear. Their hair stands up, their pupils dilate, their lips curl, and their stance changes. When they associate their fear posturing with human fear posturing, they gain an understanding of what humans look like when they are afraid. 

Dogs Sense When You Are Angry

If you come home and find your dog surround by garbage can debris or a sofa shredded, placing your hands on your hips and issuing a disapproving stare is often enough to convey your anger.  

You will know they know they are in trouble...when they stand with tail between their legs, and crouching to the ground.  A recent study found that dogs will display this behavior when reprimanded even if they haven’t actually done anything wrong. It is clear that dogs can sense anger, but it is also clear that they can’t always understand its source.

Dogs Know If You Are A Generous Person

Just as we judge other people based on their actions, dogs will also pay attention to how you act toward others.  An experiment organized by the University of Milan allowed dogs to observe humans in social situations.  The dogs watched one set of actors sharing their food with a homeless man and another group telling the man to leave in an aggressive manner. Afterward, the two sets of actors attempted to call the dogs at the same time.  Almost all of the dogs would respond to the generous actors when called and avoided the hostile group.

Dogs Understand If You Are A Pushover

Some of the more energetic breeds of dog, such as Labradors and Pit bulls, require a firm disciplinarian to reign in their wild behavior. Larger breeds sometimes don’t understand their own strength and can be dangerous if they suddenly decide to surprise a child or an old person with a hug.  Dogs rely heavily on social chain of command to determine what they are and are not allowed to do in a setting. If you want your dog to behave, then he or she needs to see you as the alpha in the relationship.

Dogs Understand When You Are Grieving

How much dogs can understand about death is still not fully understood.  There have been many stories of pets grieving for their dead owners, and many have kept up vigils next to their owner’s grave or previous home.  Losing a loved one brings a deep sadness that is very unlike other kinds that result from the breakup of a relationship or disappointment at work.  Your dog will understand when you are mourning a loved one and will most likely go through a grieving process of his own. He may become clingier or more attentive. Some dogs have been known to howl when experiencing bereavement.

Dogs Know If You Are A Good Person

Good, honest, trustworthy people have an aura of good energy around them.  New science suggests that, contrary to what neurologists previously believed, the heart actually has a stronger electromagnetic field than the brain.  It also sends messages to the brain, through neurotransmitters, that influence thoughts and behavior.  When we describe someone as being “goodhearted,” it means that the person literally has a force field of good energy radiating from their heart. Dogs have been aware of this magnetic field for centuries and will naturally gravitate toward those who emit good energy.

Dogs will also know if you are a good person based on your body language and how you treat others. If your dealings with others are just and fair, your dog will pick up on that based on how people react to you. Just as the dogs above were drawn to the more generous individuals, dogs are also drawn to those they perceive as more fair or trustworthy.

Dogs Understand When You Do Not Like Someone

When we gaze at something or someone we love, a chemical reaction takes place within our body.

Dopamine and serotonin are released into our system and cause a chemical reaction that leads to feelings of happiness, joy, infatuation and ecstasy.  The same thing happens when you look at a person you do not like. Except in this case the body releases a completely different set of hormones that are associated with hate, resentment and fear.  Your dog can detect these changes in you, and will most likely begin to dislike the person that caused your reaction.  

Of course, body language plays a role in whether your pet thinks you like someone or not. Keep in mind that any dog, even a gentle dog, may try to protect you from people it perceives as a threat.

I own two dogs.  Two girls with unique personalities.  One thinks she is a princess and dare not get her paws damp on rainy days, and the other would dance in the rain if I’d let her. 

One thinks she should get all the goods in the feeding bowls while the other unselfishly stands back awaiting her turn or on some days hoards her food by hiding it under furniture.

One is excitable, the other could care less, only gets worked up upon the others action.  Yet, both I have noticed are unconditionally loving.  I remember, when one our cats were pregnant and cranky.  Dixie, our oldest female Sharpie-Shepherd mix unfortunately experienced a run in with a few scratches to the face from Bella our eldest female feline. 

Yet, when Bella stopped feeding her litter, Dixie...a DOG mind you, stepped in and became a surrogate mother to these precious little ones, all five of them.  Dixie would gently corral them around her by their tails pulling them into her core nursing area.  It was simply amazing to watch!  A dog that was tackled by a cat to be so loving and tender towards her enemy's litter.

Our other dog, Millie who is a Border Collie-Lab mix also displayed such kindness towards our other pets.  The cats didn’t care for Millie at first, and yet now they affectionately rub up against her.  Millie always approached them playfully. When we had our finches and parakeets, Millie was fascinated like a child standing for hours at their cages, and never once harmed them as they flew through the house or walked on the floors.  Just amazing, especially after one of the parakeets terrorized her once..causing Millie to stand frozen in place...terrified to move.  We could leave the house for hours and let the parakeets lose and know that Millie nor Dixie would harm them.  Millie especially has such a special affection towards all the other animals.  If she caught a cat getting near the mice or bird cage she would chase it away. She is not only loving but protective.  

I stand amazed at God’s creation all the time.  My husband had questioned if dog was God spelled backwards since only a dog has been known to show unconditional love.  I couldn’t find any Biblical reference to it, and as a matter of fact only found that the Bible mentions a dog in very negative terms. 

However, the dog is a part of God’s creation and I believe they are a gift to humanity.  I don’t believe in bad dogs, I believe that dogs can be trained to be bad.  However, I do believe that dogs do have the ability to love unconditionally, and how would they know to do that but through what God has instilled in their making?  

I personally have experienced the loyalty of dogs who wouldn’t leave my side for days when I was sick, or grieving. They refused to eat, or even go to the bathroom.  On some days when it was difficult to get out of bed, my dogs would prompt me by standing over me and staring in my face saying, “Come on momma, get up!” or actually grabbing my arm with their paw pulling at me.  All I can say, is that if a dog can love unconditionally, then it has to be because God created them to be: 

Devoted + Obedient + Genuine 

If you are lonely a dog will be happy to keep you company.  

If you need someone to love there aren’t many other beings that can love you the way a dog can.

If you seek loyalty unto death, look no further than a dog.

If you need a laugh, the dog knows just when to offer comic relief.

And if you give your heart to a dog he will not break it.

No, I don’t think that dog is God spelled backwards, but I do believe that God who loves His children so much...created this wonderful being…a gift to humanity that carries the characteristics in which He desires from us.  God desires from us devotion, obedience, and a genuine heart that loves him with our whole being.  

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

I believe that a dog could teach us a trick or too about character, how to love unconditionally, extending grace when another hurts us, laying down our life for another, comforting in times of mourning, illness, or sorrow...watching out for folk by detecting a defective heart that is broken, and encouraging it to keep it beating.  Yes, a dog.  Why not?

  

If God could use a donkey to get a point across to keep someone on track (Numbers 22:21-39), then why not a dog? 

-Brenda A. Graff

Publisher

Food For Soul Magazine