Animals

I love animals. Most people I know know that about me.

So, look at this video ...

I just want to hug and squeeze this cat. He is so fluffy and seeing his legs and tail all sprawled out when he slides across the floor is so adorable! I love it.

So, the other night at Bible Study we got on the subject of animals. I won't go into all the details, but it had to do with should we kill animals. Is it biblical to kill animals?

This is what I learned ... God created the animals for fellowship. The animals lived in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Actually, it seems that God made the animals for Adam to have some company, but then made woman because let's face it, what would this world be without women right? ;)

So, it wasn't until Adam and Eve sinned that animals were killed to provide covering for them. Animals were then affected by the fall of man into sinfulness.

I also learned that the lambs that were slain for the Passover were in the people's house for 4 days before they were slain. This gave time for the family to bond with the animals before having to slaughter it to show the sadness of having to sacrifice for the sake of our sins. That would be devastating. Can you imagine?

I came home and discussed all of this with Dan. I told him this gave me a new perspective on animals to which he replied, "As if you need that." I really don't. I still cry over my poor little Liezl dog who we had to have put to sleep. Ugh. I hate reliving those days. I know. She was "just a dog," but really, they do become a part of your family. You can't deny that, and she was so sweet!

Now I have Daisy whom I just love like crazy. If I could clone her, I would. I want to have her forever!

Think about it. Animals were created for our fellowship. Studies have shown that people who own pets live longer. It is therapeutic for people to sit and pet an animal. That's why taking animals into hospitals and nursing homes is so beneficial for the patients.

I love coming home and being greeted by my excited dog. She is always so happy to see me. My cats love to sit on my lap any chance they can. I love it and they love it to.

Dan is right. I didn't need this new perspective. It's making me think twice about eating meat, and I want to get a rabbit for Madelyn. When I was looking for a dog to adopt she kept saying she wanted a rabbit, and she still says that. So far Dan is saying no which is probably good. I can just imagine what my mom is saying too if she is reading this.

That doesn't mean I won't keep trying for Madelyn :)

History

I love that our country just had such a huge day in our history. I love the fact that we have our first black president. I love that so many people were inspired to vote. I loved hearing about the 109 year old woman born in 1899 who never thought "colored people" would see this day.


I just wish his beliefs were a little (okay a lot) more in line with what I believe. I also wish I was able to vote in this election.



Elijah on the other hand will always be able to say that he voted in one of the most historic elections of our time. That's right. He pushed the vote button before I was even able to finish voting. Thankfully, I had already pushed the button for who I wanted for president. I was just going to push the button for Attorney General when I heard a long beep. I was done voting. (sigh) Why do they put the "vote" button right at eye level for little children?

That's my boy!

Dreams

I always have had very vivid crazy dreams that I can usually remember.

Last night was no different. I also fell asleep extremely early so it allowed for some extra dream footage.

I played a game of cards with Jack Nicholson, and one of the waitresses at the bar (I don't even hang out at bars) told me she would pay me $50 to introduce her to him (as if he and I were buddies). But, I did and she gave me $50.

I also hung out with Sarah Palin and her family at the house they were staying in. They were all very busy with campaign activities so I didn't get to know any of them particularly well, but it was fun to observe.

I dreamed that Obama won the election, but it seems he was celebrating a bit early because the day wasn't over yet and there were people set up all over the city doing election coverage.

This is the kicker. A Larry King type guy was set up on a street corner doing his tv show. The tv monitor he had was full of apples. I tried to sneak over and get one out to eat it. He yelled at me so I said I would just go home and eat one of the ones I picked the other day.

Now, I haven't gone apple picking, but apparantly this is something that's been on my mind because at Sarah Palin's house I was struck by the fact that they had a fresh bushel of apples that they had picked. I wondered how they were able to fit that in being they have been campaigning so much lately.

Anyway, later in my dream I walked back by Larry King's show and I thought it would be funny to try to toss my apple core into where the monitor was filled with apples. I totally missed, twice, but since he had received such a hard time from people who witnessed him get mad at me he just chuckled at the fact I was back throwing apple cores at him. Pretty funny.

Crazy, but I love dreams. Sometimes they are creepy. Most of the time for me they are funny.

A few weeks ago I dreamed that my neighbor was pregnant and then Sunday she came over and said she was pregnant! So fun!!

Yes, dreams are fun.

My Redeemer Lives ...

Do you ever go to church and feel like the Pastor is talking directly to you? Thankfully, this morning wasn't a conviction kind of deal. It was actually really really cool.

God has been teaching me a whole lot lately which is so great. I am doing a Bible Study on the book of John. I'm doing it both online and with a couple local groups here. It truly has been an amazing experience.

First of all, I love Jesus. Studying Him so thoroughly has been such a great experience. He is just amazing. Words just don't even do Him justice. The way He loves people, heals people, talks to people, and shows emotion is just very moving, truly striking in so many ways.

So, through this study I was led to a passage that speaks about our journey of sanctification. I don't believe Christians are mindful about that enough. Christianity is not just a "hey I prayed the prayer I'm goin' to heaven" kind of thing. It is a journey.

If you are a Believer, can't you look back on your life and see how far God has brought you? That is sanctification, the process of making one holy, being cleansed, made new. What a gift!

So, this morning in church the pastor was speaking about prayer and making a point to pray more for the kingdom instead of just praying for healing or safety. I think part of this is praying for ours and other's sanctification. He touched on that too.

Also, a friend recommended a book recently that she thought I should read. He referred to that book this morning!

Just yesterday I was in Philippians 1 reading these verses ...

21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
23But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;

I love these verses. I starred them in my Bible after reading them yesterday. For those of you who know me well, you probably know I am very much so looking forward to being in glory with Jesus (see verse at bottom of my blog). Now I don't have a death wish, but I know where I'm going and I can't wait to get there! At the same time I know there is work to be done here and typically God doesn't give us the easy way out so I do my best to keep plugging away with the tasks given me here on earth.

Well, guess what the passage was this morning in church ... That's right. Philippians 1.

Loved it! It was so fun!! I thought, "Wow God. You just never cease to amaze me." I was so thankful to God for using this man to just confirm and add to the things He has already been teaching me.

Studying God's Word and learning His truths are so filling. That's the only way to describe it. After sitting down and doing my inductive Bible study I walk away feeling filled. After discussion time with our weekly group I feel filled. After times like this morning in church I get the same feeling. It is the best feeling in the world knowing that my God is alive and well. He loves me, teaches me, and is ever faithful, even when I am not. Praise God for that.

O God,
Thou hast taught me that Christ has all fullness and so all plenitude of the Spirit, that all fullness I lack in myself is in him, for his people, not for himself alone, he having perfect knowledge, grace, righteousness,

to make me see, to make me righteous, to give me fullness;
that it is my duty, out of a sense of emptiness,

to go to Christ, possess, enjoy his fullness as mine,

as if I had it in myself, because it is for me in him;

that when I do this I am full of the Spirit,

as a fish that has got from the shore to the sea

and has all fullness of waters to move in,

for when faith fills me, then I am full;

that this is the way to be filled with the Spirit, like Stephen,

first faith, then fullness, for this way makes me most empty,

and so most fit for the Spirit to fill.
Thou has taught me that the finding of this treasure of all grace

in the field of Christ begets strength, joy, glory, and renders all graces alive.
Help me to delight more in what I receive from Christ,

more in that fullness which is in him, the fountain of all his glory.
Let me not think to receive the Spirit from him as a 'thing'

apart from finding, drinking, being filled with him.
To this end, O God, do thou establish me in Christ,

settle me, give me a being there, assure me with certainty that all this is mine, for this only will fill my heart with joy and peace."

~ FULLNESS IN CHRIST, The Valley of Vision

Halloween

I don't know if you can see him, but Elijah carried a Woody doll around with him all night.

Halloween is the perfect opportunity to tell how completely opposite my children are. Madelyn, my quiet and reserved girl, walks up to a house, picks out candy and quietly says, "thank you." Elijah goes up to a house saying, "TRICK OR TREAT! I'm Buzz Light Year! Madelyn is Princess Beauty (aka Sleeping Beauty)! THANK YOU!" After each house he would say, "We can keep going!" Whereas Madelyn would say, "Are we going home now?"




Madelyn was so excited after school to go trick-or-treating, but when it comes right down to it she really doesn't like all the interaction with strange neighbors. Dan feels exactly the same way. Madelyn wants the candy so she's willing to do it, but she's much happy staying at home (in her domain) and handing out candy. Elijah would probably still be going around to different houses if we let him.




Elijah did like passing out candy too though. When kids would start walking up to our door he would say, "People are coming! People are coming!" He would give them candy, but often times he would get distracted by the scary costumes. He would then just stare and blindly reach for their candy. Eventually the kids would get candy in their bags. He would then clap his hands and wave good-bye. It was pretty funny to watch. He cried when we ran out of candy to give out, but I told him he could eat some of his once he went inside. He got over it really quickly.





Madelyn on the other hand got cold in her dress so she ended up getting warm pjs on and wrapped up in a blanket to sit outside. It didn't help that at the beginning of the night she fell as skinned her knee pretty good. That put a damper on her evening. She's happy to have all the candy though.

All in all it was a fun evening.