ME, A DOG, AND AN AIR MATTRESS

Yup.

You read that right.

Lest you think that I'm writing a canine version of "The Princess and the Pea" – in which I share an air mattress with a dog and can't sleep because of an errant kernel of kibble underneath – let me explain.

My youngest son had to travel out of town for the last two weeks, and I volunteered to take care of my grandbeagle, Marty.

No one has to ask me twice to do that!

Sure, it saves money – but hey, it's MARTY!!!

I love my little furry guy.

Yes, I am biased, but he's pretty adorable.


Might I just regale you with some highlights of our time together?


1. Dog took middle-aged woman for walks three times a day.

2. Dog made middle-aged woman think about signing up for the Iditarod race.

(The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March from Settler's Bay to Nome [Alaska]…Mushers and a team of 21 dogs...cover the distance [over 1,000 miles] in 9–15 days or more).

3. The word "walk" is a misnomer – it should more accurately be called a tug, pull, roam, or wander.

4. Dog found the most awkward places and timing to do his "duty" – usually when people were walking by or retrieving the newspaper on their driveway.

5. Middle-aged woman snickered because dog sometimes chose to make his "deposit" in front of one of the two yacht clubs in the area.

6. Dog tried to eat a bouquet of roses.

7. Dog found random paper towels with delicious scents and dug them out of the trash.

8. Dog injured left arm – limped for two days ☹ – then recovered quickly ☺
– quickly enough to tug, pull, roam, and wander.

9. When dog saw someone approaching (anyone!), he came to a complete (and immovable) standstill – even if the person was a hundred feet away.

10. Middle-aged woman had to explain (often) that his stance was not a sign of his ferociousness, but only of his desire to jump up and lick and make new friends.

11. Dog is mistaken for being a puppy – which isn't too bad when you're 9½!!

12. Middle-aged woman was NOT mistaken for being a puppy…sigh.

13. Dog snored.

14. Middle-aged woman might have snored – dog didn't say.

15. Dog loved being chased around the room by middle-aged woman.  Woman panted, dog did not.

16. Dog loved string cheese *treats*.

17. Dog almost ate *string cheese fingers* of middle-aged woman as he bit ravenously into the string cheese.  (Note to self: do not hold string cheese in hand when feeding dog).

18. After countless hijinks, antics, and shenanigans, middle-aged woman is convinced that dog is not a dog, but a mischievous angel in disguise.


Yes, I do love dogs, and I especially love Marty.

My favorite thing of all is curling up next to him at bedtime.

Now mind you, on his *regular* nights, Marty sleeps in his own bed, all balled up, nice and cozy.

But when I am there, I like having him next to me.

Last year I tried sleeping next to him on some couch cushions, but that wasn't too comfortable.

Hence, the air mattress.

I figured that we could pretend that we were out in the wild, maybe Alaska, and *roughing it* together!

I rarely sleep as soundly as I do when Marty is curled up by me.

He usually starts the night at my feet, and then sometime around 4 AM, he wanders up closer.

If I've been sleeping especially deeply, I'll be surprised by a furry face right next to mine in the wee hours of the morning!  (The snoring is usually the first clue…!)

When my son returned home, he was most appreciative of my time taking care of Marty.

But perhaps he'll never know how much it means to me to spend time with my grandbeagle.

I have always maintained that when a human forms a bond with an animal, there is something primal about it, something *original* if you will – like an echo of Eden.


God intended people and animals to have a relationship.

And when we take care of them, we are fulfilling the original directive given in the Garden:

"Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" (Genesis 1:26, NIV)


How should this charge be interpreted?

First of all, I'd like to correct what I think is a misinterpretation.

Having dominion over something has a negative connotation in most people's minds.

I don't know about you, but I usually think of it as meaning domination, subjugation, or exploitation – like a dictator has over his kingdom.

I don't think of kindness – I think of cruelty and injustice, apathy and insensitivity.

But having dominion over the animals should entail a humane management of them, just as God intended.

I think it's very important to remember that God created animals in His original plan of creation.  He saved them in the Flood.  And they are mentioned in the future, too.

"God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind.  And God saw that it was good." 
(Genesis 1:25, NLT)

"'Bring a pair of every kind of animal – a male and a female – into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood.'" (Genesis 6:19, NLT)

"In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.  The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all." (Isaiah 11:6, NLT)


I'm not going to get into a discussion of whether or not individual animals will be part of the new creation, or debate the question of whether our pets go to heaven – (I personally hope so!) – but I trust God to do what is far better than what I can think or imagine! 

I love this quote from Billy Graham:

"God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there."

Yup.

But I digress.

The point is that we should consider the fact that mankind was given the task, privilege, and blessing of representing God in this world. 

We are appointed to be His caretakers.

And as His image-bearers, we have been charged with the serious responsibility to act as God would.


I like the analogy of a garden and a gardener.

The gardener has, in a sense, dominion over his garden – but this position of power is not to be taken lightly.

What gardener would intentionally harm or destroy his garden?

Rather, he tends it carefully – feeding and watering it, protecting it from weeds and invading pests, sheltering it, and promoting growth.  In short, the gardener does everything in his power to help the garden thrive.

I think it's the same with animals, specifically – and the same with all of creation, in general.

God gives us the weighty task of caretaking, of taking care of HIS creation.

We must always remember that creation does not belong to us.

It is not ours to use or abuse.

It is not ours to waste or squander.

It is not ours to trample or trash.

It is not ours to conquer or crush.

"The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours – you created it all." (Psalm 89:11, NLT)


OK, so you might not be an animal-lover, or a tree-hugger, or a swim-with-the-sharks kind of person.

But I'll just bet that you have had times when the beauty of creation has left you breathless and awed.

Why?

Because you felt God in that moment.

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made." (Romans 1:20, ESV)


So, once again I had the joyous task of taking care of one special little dog.

And once again, I was taught a lot about God in the process.

About responsibility and caretaking.

About kindness and compassion.

About appreciation and respect.

About being God's representative in a world that rarely reflects His character – and doing it well.


All this, while lying on an air mattress with a small beagle in the middle of the night!

Well done, Marty!!




What are your thoughts about taking care of God's creation?

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.


(Cecil Frances Alexander)


"You care for people and animals alike,
O LORD."

(Psalm 36:6)

"The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it…So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky.  He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.  He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals." (Genesis 2:15, 19-20, NLT)

"'With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal.'" (Jeremiah 27:5, NLT)

"O LORD, what a variety of things you have made!  In wisdom you have made them all.  The earth is full of your creatures." (Psalm 104:24, NLT)

"'You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.'" (Revelation 4:11, NIV)

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things were created through him and for him." 
(Colossians 1:16, ESV)

"'You alone are the LORD.  You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars.  You made the earth and the seas and everything in them.  You preserve them all…'" (Nehemiah 9:6, NLT)

"'Just ask the animals, and they will teach you.  Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.  Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you.  Let the fish in the sea speak to you.  For they all know…For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.'" (Job 12:7-10, NLT)

"For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.  Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse.  But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay." 
(Romans 8:19-21, NLT)

"'In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground.  Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.'" (Hosea 2:18, NIV)


"Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens!
Praise him from the skies!
Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all the armies of heaven!

Praise him, sun and moon!
Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
Praise him, skies above!
Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!

Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
for he issued his command, and they came into being.
He set them in place forever and ever.
His decree will never be revoked.

Praise the LORD from the earth,
you creatures of the ocean depths,

fire and hail, snow and clouds,
wind and weather that obey him,
mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars,

wild animals and all livestock,
small scurrying animals and birds,

kings of the earth and all people,
rulers and judges of the earth,

young men and young women,
old men and children.

Let them all praise the name of the LORD.

For his name is very great;
his glory towers over the earth and heaven!"


(From Psalm 148, NLT)



Linked with:

SMALL WONDER, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, MONDAY OF MANY BLESSINGS, THANK GOODNESS IT'S MONDAY, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY, MUSING MONDAYS, MODEST MONDAY, MOTIVATION MONDAY, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, LIVING PROVERBS, MOM-TO-MOM MONDAYS, MOMENTS OF HOPE, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE LINKUP, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, RA RA LINKUP, INTENTIONAL TUESDAY, GLIMPSES LINKUP, TUESDAY TALK, WISE WOMAN, THE HOMEMAKING PARTY, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, CHRISTIAN BLOGGER COMMUNITY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, WEDDED WEDNESDAY, GRACE MOMENTS, THANKFUL THURSDAYS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, SHINE BLOG HOP, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, COZY READING SPOT, NO RULES WEEKEND BLOG PARTY, FUNTASTIC FRIDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP & FAITH, TGI SATURDAYS, FRIDAY FEATURE PARTY, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

NOW LIVE IN FREEDOM!

It's the Fourth of July!

Sparklers for everyone!!

****************

Today is the 240th birthday of our United States of America!

It is a day of fun and celebration, but it's also a good day to reflect on the concept of freedom.


Freedom is: the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint; absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government; the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved; the state of being physically unrestricted and able to move easily; the state of not being subject to or affected by (a particular undesirable thing); the power of self-determination attributed to the will; the quality of being independent of fate or necessity; unrestricted use of something.

(Synonyms: independence, self-government, self-determination, self-rule, home rule, sovereignty, nonalignment, autonomy, democracy, liberty, liberation, release, deliverance, delivery, discharge, exemption, immunity, dispensation, impunity, right, entitlement, privilege).


Every war the United States has fought in has been over the issue of freedom – (at least in theory, let's not get stuck talking about political agendas here!).  

We seek to maintain it for ourselves, and we fight to secure it for others.

There is nothing frivolous about freedom – even when we sometimes take it for granted.

Today we should take the time to remember what it cost, and continues to cost, to maintain freedom in our country and in our lives.

We should remember, and be thankful.

But let's also expand on the idea of freedom, and ponder the concept as it applies to the believer's life.


Last week I talked a lot about battling in the spiritual realm.

I talked about *standing* after the battle.

About the importance of not only winning spiritual territory, but also in occupying it so the enemy can't take it over again.

This is what I want to focus on today.

I have a picture in my mind –

A war-torn, battle-weary soldier standing in a muddy battlefield.  He's dirty and scraped and bruised, maybe a bit bloodied by the fighting.  He stands, barely balanced, but he stands strong nonetheless.  In his right hand he holds a pole with a flag attached to it reading, "The LORD is my Banner!"  This he has firmly planted in the soil, claiming the new land of victory.

Then I see the General quietly approach him.

The General looks long and hard at the soldier.  

Finally, he gives him a firm handshake as he states, "Well done."  

Then he gives the soldier a hearty salute, and just before he turns to leave, he issues this command:

"Now live in freedom!"


You do see the spiritual parallel here, don't you?!

I think of how often the Lord and I win a spiritual battle, just for me to cede the territory again at a later date.

I talked last week about following up, about occupying the *just-won territory* with something other than what the enemy wants.

And part of this *occupation* must certainly be the idea of living in the newfound freedom that the battle won!

We all know what it looks like when it fails.

A battle won, a victory secured, freedom is established.

But then, occupying forces leave.

And all too often, the country and its people return to their old ways.  And sometimes this leaves them in a position to be overrun by enslaving powers once again.

Take politics out of it, and we can see the same principle occur in our spiritual lives, too.

That's why today I'm thinking about this *fight after the fight* idea.

I'm thinking of the General who tells us, "Now live in freedom!"

It's no use if we are set free, if we don't use that newfound freedom to live free!!


Thinking about this idea of being set free, and then not living free, I thought it might be interesting to see how many prisoners who are set free actually return to a life of crime.

I found a report from the U.S. Department of Justice (2005) that detailed the recidivism (relapse into criminal behavior) rate of federal prisoners upon release (about 400,000 prisoners in 30 states):

More than a third of released prisoners were arrested again within six months of their release.  That number rose to 56.7% by the end of the first year, 67.8% within three years, and 76.6% within five years.

I find that staggering, don't you?!

But are we any different?

How often do we win a battle against sin, only to be tempted to sin in the same area once again?

And how often do we succumb, once again falling into the same trap of enslavement?

Rhetorical questions, because we know the answer is – we do it all the time.

How come?

Why do we return to enslavement, imprisonment, reoccupation?

I can think of several reasons:

1. The outside world is too tempting
2. We don't think we deserve freedom
3. We don't know how to function in freedom
4. The old ways and old places are too familiar
5. We associate with the wrong people
6. We're afraid of new choices
7. We return to comfortable, instead of making change
8. We try to do it all alone


On the surface, we might think it foolish that anyone who, once having tasted freedom, would willingly return to a life of captivity and restriction.

It's easy to point fingers at people who fail in this area, who "relapse" into old habits and sins.

(My opinion?  We all tend to be a motley bunch of "log in the eye" pretenders who delight in bringing to attention the "motes" in others...)

Sometimes I think it's because we're so ingrained in our propensity to "rate" sins.

We like to reproach the alcoholic or addict who falls into addiction again.  Or the cheater who gives in to infidelity again.  Or the criminal who keeps committing crimes.

However, if we're honest, we do the same thing, because we turn a blind eye to our own shortcomings.

For how often do we return to gossiping, or lying, or self-righteousness, or criticizing, or complaining, or anger, or...the list goes on.

We don't judge our own "minor" sins as harshly as those we point out in others.

But there is no such thing as a *sin scale* in the eyes of God.

SIN. IS. SIN.

It's ALL falling short of His standard – no matter if it's practiced in big or little ways.

Therefore, *reoccupation of the land* can occur with a marauding army of invaders, or by one little voice that sows doubt and discontent.

This is why it's very important, very necessary, to attend to our hearts after a battle against the enemy.

Especially when we start feeling too secure in our victory.


So, how do we occupy the land?

Our pastor recently gave a message about God's peace, and about how He promises that it will guard us.  It was a study on the first part of the 4th chapter of Philippians.

Let's listen in to Paul’s words:

"…in this way stand firm in the Lord."


OK, Paul, tell us how to do that!

(Verses taken from The Amplified Bible)


1. "Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice!" (verse 4)

2. "Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people." (verse 5) 

3. "Do not be anxious or worried about anything…" (verse 6)

4. "…in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God." (verse 7)

5. "Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God's word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]." (verse 8)

6. "The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life]…" (verse 9)


Fantastic!

What's the payoff, Paul?

"The Lord is near…and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you…And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]." (verses 4, 7, 9)


I am beginning to see…


Go back to my image of the soldier on the battlefield.

The General has just said, "Now live in freedom!" – and he is turning away.

If the soldier lets him go, he's left alone to hold the territory, in his own power and strength.

This scenario most likely ends in reoccupation by the enemy.

End of story.

But wait!

What if there's a different ending?!

What if, as the General begins to walk away, the soldier shouts out:

"Wait!!  I cannot maintain this victory alone.  I need a guard, a trustworthy sentinel who will protect the borders of this territory.  I need someone who will keep watch, and warn me of impending danger."

The General turns back...

The soldier speaks once more, "Please send help."

At this the General smiles.

"Yes, it is the wise soldier who understands the importance of a watchman."

At this, he motions forward another person.

"I present to you the one who will guard and protect you.  Always listen to him."

You do know who the *watchman* is, don't you?

The Holy Spirit.

Might these words from Paul also be the parting words of the General?

"Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me – a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you." (2 Timothy 1:13-14, NLT)

Oh yes, amen.


In that all-important aftermath of battle, in that *fight after the fight,* in that time of victory, might we recognize our deep need of The Watchman – or as my pastor called Him, the "Silent Sentry."

And might we depend on Him to guard and protect us.

For the enemy will approach once again – loudly and softly, with an army or a whisper.

Tempting us to cede territory, and to return once again to a state of occupation.

We must not listen.


Focus on these things (from my pastor's sermon, reflecting Philippians 4:8):

What's real vs. what's phony
What matters vs. what's frivolous
What's right vs. what's convenient
What's clean vs. what's dirty
What's unifying vs. what's divisive
What's helpful vs. what's harmful
What's best vs. what's inferior
What's positive vs. what's negative


Happy Fourth of July, my friends!

May you have a wonderful day doing what you do to celebrate!

Barbecues, pool parties, fireworks.

Maybe even a main street parade like our little town!

But might we take a moment or two (or many) to reflect upon the idea that this is a day when the cause of freedom in our country became a reality.  

Therefore, let this be a day when we ponder the meaning of freedom.

It's a day that's also called Independence Day.

And in every real sense of the word, our own *Independence Day* occurred when we believed in the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Having won His victory on the cross, He now encourages us to fight on as conquerors.

To battle for the faith, to stand our ground, and to claim our territory.


I hear His parting words…

"Now live in freedom!"


Yes.



Are you living in freedom, or are you ceding territory to the enemy?

Here in the power of Christ
I stand.



(From "In Christ Alone" by Stuart Townsend) 

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NIV)

"So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.  What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me…Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" 
(Romans 7:21-25, NIV)

"Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning?  Of course not!  Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?  You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.  Thank God!  Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.  Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living." (Romans 6:15-18, NLT)

"When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us,…evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power.  Now we can serve God…in the new way of living in the Spirit." (Romans 7:5-6, NLT)

"'For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe – until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.'" 
(Luke 11:21-22, NLT)

"'…if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out!  Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you.  But you must subdue it and be its master.'" 
(Genesis 4:7, NLT)

"…you are not controlled by your sinful nature.  You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you." (Romans 8:9, NLT)

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, NASB)

"'…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.'" (John 8:32, 36, ESV)

"For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17, NLT)

"'And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.'" 
(John 14:16-17, NLT)

"…for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth." 
(1 John 2:20, NLT)

"I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost.  There I will wait to see what the LORD says…" (Habakkuk 2:1, NLT)

"Be on guard.  Stand firm in the faith.  Be courageous.  Be strong." 
(1 Corinthians 16:13, NLT)




Linked with:

SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, THANK GOODNESS IT'S MONDAY, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY, MODEST MONDAY, MOTIVATION MONDAY, MOM-TO-MOM MONDAYS, MOMENTS OF HOPE, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, MONDAY OF MANY BLESSINGS, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY, UNITE LINKUP, TELL HIS STORY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, WEDDED WEDNESDAY, THE LOFT LINKUP, GRACE MOMENTS, GROWING IN GRACE, THANKFUL THURSDAYS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, PARTY AT MY PLACE, SHINE BLOG HOP, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, COZY READING SPOT, NO RULES WEEKEND BLOG PARTY, 100 HAPPY DAYS, FUNTASTIC FRIDAY, BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT PARTY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, GRACE & TRUTH, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, DANCE WITH JESUS, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP & FAITH, FRIDAY FEATURE PARTY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, TGI SATURDAYS, WEEKEND WIND DOWN PARTY, LET US GROW, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, GIVE ME GRACE, SOCIAL BUTTERFLY SUNDAY



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

I FELL OFF MY BIKE

Oh yes, I did.

Wiped out, pancaked, crashed and burned.

Me and asphalt – new friends.

Would you like to hear the painful story?

(If you're saying yes, shame on you!  However, I would also say yes…)


I celebrated my birthday several days ago.

I turned 62.

"The Hub" and I decided it would be fun to go out of town for a couple of days to celebrate.  And, when you’re celebrating, you might do some out-of-the-ordinary things.

One day we went antiquing.  (I am very lucky that my husband enjoys doing this with me!  A birthday gift in itself!)

We had so much fun!

Sometimes we saw things that we remembered our mothers or grandmothers having, sometimes we saw toys from our childhood, sometimes we saw things that reminded us of our high school years.

It was a great day.

We spent over six hours traversing all the stores, perusing and pursuing potential treasure.

The next day I wanted to go on another sort of adventure – I wanted to go on a bike ride – even though my antique-aching legs were protesting.

We don't go bike riding too much.  

For one thing, living in the mountains makes it more difficult.  Nothing is flat, and the hills are steep.  And, I am "incline-challenged."  Anything more than a 0% rise in elevation and I am toast.

So, it's been several months since I hopped on my bicycle seat.

But, where we were planning to ride our bikes was ALL FLAT.

You can go for miles, and that was our plan.


Things went well for quite a long time.

I enjoyed the fresh air, the cool breeze, and the wonderful sights and sounds.

I enjoyed feeling like a kid again…and since it was the eve of my birthday, this was important.

"Ha, ha, 62 years old – take that!"

(Pride cometh before a fall…)

It was just after we had turned around, maybe a good three miles into the journey, that I made a fatal error in judgment.

We re-encountered a small circular area where bikers and skaters and walkers came to a meeting place.

On our way through the first time (on the going-out phase of our trip), I stopped and got off my bike.

"What are you doing?" my husband asked.

I pointed to the sign that said something to the effect, "Bikers must walk their bikes in this area."

"See," I said.  "And I'm a rule-obeyer."

Yes, well, consider that statement foreshadowing.

When we returned to this area, I didn't feel like stopping.  I was feeling pretty cocky about my skills at that point.  Feeling kinda *fit* in spite of my long bike-riding moratorium.

I saw that there were hardly any pedestrians in the circular area.

And, I noticed a little "driveway" next to a parking area where I could quickly ride through without getting off my bike.

So much for rule-obeying.

Thing is, this little driveway had a bit of a lip in it.  Not much – maybe only an inch or so.  But not completely flat.

No worries.

I remembered distinctly that it was important to approach and ride through this type of obstacle head-on.

You see, years and years (and years) ago, my dad and I used to take long bike rides together from our house to his parents' apartment in the next town.  It took about four hours to make the trip.  Which, in my humble opinion, was pretty impressive as I made the journey on my *one speed, me speed* Schwinn!

But, there was this one trip when he attempted to cross some railroad tracks.

A little too parallel, not enough perpendicular…and BOOM!

He crashed.

Things probably would have been OK if he'd been on a mountain bike.  Those big tires would have saved him.  But alas, he had tiny little skinny *racing bicycle* tires...

Enough said.

(For the record, this incident is not to be confused with the time that he fell when traversing a pothole hidden by blowing sand.  Or the time he crashed into a bridge over a small canal at the beach – a place where for years, every time we went over the bridge, my sons would say, "Look!  There's Papa's paint!"  

In my dad's defense, this incident is also not to be confused with the time that he told me to ride really fast to get up a hill, and not to worry about whether he was behind me.  Well, I did, and turned my head to look back.  My handlebars followed my lead.  And no, my dad wasn't behind me – he was beside me.  Yeah, that.

Nor should this incident be confused with the time that my dad had me hop on his handlebars to ride around a bit.  This, after admonishing me to keep my feet up.  Well, my legs grew tired, I dropped my feet, right into the spokes of the front wheel.  Ahem...)


So, lesson learned, right?!

Maybe not.


Fast forward 50 years, and I remembered this incident, but perhaps not completely enough.

I approached the little driveway at about a 45-degree angle, which I (inaccurately) figured was "enough of an angle" to negotiate it just fine.

Nope.

While I did get up and over the lip, it sent my handlebars gyrating in an out-of-control manner, and headed me straight for the curb only a couple of feet away.

"Houston, we have a problem."

In the next nanosecond that passed like an eternity, my mind raced through possible rescue scenarios.

If I turned sharply to the right, I'd avoid the curb – but the turn would have to be very sharp, and I'd crash.

If I applied my brakes, I might avoid the curb – but the stop would have to be instantaneous, and I'd crash.

I distinctly remember my next thought, "I am going to crash.  How badly am I going to get hurt?"

And then I did.

Taking a sudden fall is a weird thing.  

One second you're up, and the next second you're down.

Your brain is like a stunned computer – unable to initially process what just happened.  I had a couple of seconds of preparation, but the moment you find yourself on the ground, something just "does not compute."

I remember looking at the sidewalk – up close and personal.

I remember thinking that "The Hub" was going to be so sad to see me like this.

I remember feeling all the pain, especially my right knee.

I tried to get up, but couldn't move.

And then, my hero was there.

With tears in his eyes he plaintively asked me, "What happened?  Are you all right?"

Well, yes and no.

Thankfully, I knew that I had not hit my head, had not broken any bones, had not sliced anything open, had not knocked out any teeth.

But I knew I was hurt.

My loving husband helped me up, and we slowly – oh, so sloooowly – walked over to a place where I could sit down.

I remember feeling kinda dizzy and very nauseous.

And I remember the pain.

My body – and my injured pride.

That might have been the worst – the knowledge that I had made a mistake, even though I knew better.  That I had chosen not to obey the rules and do the safe thing.  That I could have prevented all of it.

I thought about my dad.

My dad, the one who had given me such sage advice about bikes.

And yet, the one who had a reputation for being accident-prone himself.

I could almost hear him saying, "Sharon, what a knothead."

(Takes one to know one…??)


Well, how does the story end?

I had to ride my bike the three miles back to our car.  I returned to the hotel room, took some ibuprofen and iced my knee.

The next day was my birthday.

And instead of counting candles, I counted all the places that hurt…

"One, two, three…sixty-two…and one to grow on."


What spiritual lessons could I draw from this?

Well, there's the obvious –

Be sober-minded and alert.

Be careful to avoid false pride.

Be obedient to the rules.

But, the other day as I was driving in the car and listening to a local Christian radio station, I heard something that hit me right between the eyes.

They had a man sharing his story.

He said that he always listened to the radio station every day on his way to work.

But on one particular day, he listened and his heart was moved.  He decided to turn his life over to the Lord, not just as his Savior, but as the Lord of his life.

Later that same day, on the job, he fell 26 feet into a pit…landed on his stomach…and lived.

He recounted how several of the workers in the bottom of the pit said that they saw angels soften his fall.

He ended his story with this line:

"Angels kept me from falling as hard as I should have."


I ponder this.

After my fall, I was hurting.  

But I was also grateful.  

Things could have been so much worse.  My injuries could have been terrible.  And though my pride took a blow, in the end, I was still relatively intact.

I wonder now – did God send an angel to protect me?

Years ago I read Frank Peretti's two classic books, "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness."

And I vividly remember one scene when a car careens down a mountainside, narrowly missing a head-on collision at one point.  Later we get to see behind-the-scenes, and find out that an angel kept the car from crashing.

A timely angelic shove to safety.

Fiction, yes.

But I wonder…

Could this have happened to me?

Maybe, maybe not.

I have no need or desire to enter into a theological discussion or debate over the individual work of angels in the life of a believer.  I don't know enough to say for sure that we are each assigned our own personal guardian angel.

It matters not, perhaps.

What matters is this – I do believe that sometimes God allows bad things to happen to us, but they are kept from being as bad as they could be.

Think of Job.

Twice God limited the scope of what He allowed Satan to do.

"'All right, you may test him,' the LORD said to Satan.  'Do whatever you want…BUT…'" (Job 1:12, NLT)

"'All right, do with him as you please,' the LORD said to Satan.  'BUT…'" 
(Job 2:6, NLT)


We may never know this side of eternity how many times we are protected in our circumstances.  How many times we are spared, saved, rescued, shielded, preserved, delivered.

How many times the worst-case scenario could be so much worse.

But isn't.

How many times we don't fall as hard as we should.


This is the spiritual lesson that I have drawn from my bike accident.

That God is my Protector, and I thank Him for the many unknown times when He just may have saved me from injury or disaster, from pain and sorrow, from certain death.

He alone knows the times appointed for me.

And nothing happens too early or too late.

Nothing happens outside of His watchful eye.  

Nothing happens beyond what His hand allows.

Nothing happens that is not for my ultimate good.

I have learned another step of faith and trust – which ironically happened when my steps were hindered by the pain of an accident.


God has ways of teaching His most precious lessons.

Thanks, Father, for teaching me…



Do you have a story when God protected you from *something worse*?

Be thankful the photo choice
is this...
It could have been
my knee.


"These bruises make for
better conversation...
Everybody loses, we all got bruises
We all got bruises."

("Bruises" by Train)

"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14, NIV)

"For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.  They will hold you up with their hands…" (Psalm 91:11-12, NLT)

"He will guard the feet of his faithful servants…" (1 Samuel 2:9, NIV)

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." (Psalm 34:7, NIV)

"In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.  In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them…" (Isaiah 63:9, NIV)

"'See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.'" (Exodus 23:20, NLT)

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13, NIV)

"Having hope will give you courage.  You will be protected and will rest in safety." (Job 11:18, NLT)

"…let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." (Psalm 5:11, NIV)



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