I’m not sure that there is anything much cuter than a baby animal… well, not a baby narwhal but that is another story. So, my friend sent me an email saying that she had found a puppy on the internet that she wanted. A cute little girl whose photo was attached to the email. I know when Moses P. Diddy Hall was a little ball of fur he was SO cute so I was excited to see this little fluff that she was so smitten with. I popped open the picture with excitement to see a cute little fluffy, sweet puppy only to find a picture of a hairless little puppy with a comb over on her head…..okay, comb over is a bit dramatic but more like a frustrated genius scientist look… I will say that she wasn’t ugly and
seeing her little round, puppy belly even made her a cuter than I would have guessed, but it sure wasn’t the picture that I thought I was going to see. It was a photo of a Chinese Crested Puppy… .the hairless dog. Now, some people may think that Moe wasn’t such a cute puppy because of his pug nose and big eyes and in comparison to this puppy I would say they might balance the scale. So, my reply to my friend’s email was a quick, “Cute but…..
Sam
They grow up” and I sent her back a picture of Sam, the Champion Ugliest Dog… (a Chinese Crested adult dog who happened to win the ugliest dog contest several years in a row….And Moe… he tops that one… Well, it isn’t even a competition) I guess appreciation for some things is a matter of how you look at it. I suppose Sam’s owners must have appreciated his uniqueness. So, when Moe is now doing something that I think is annoying or bothersome I can remember the photo of the ugliest dog and be thankful that at times, even when he smells, Moe is kinda cute… I can appreciate his cuteness.
It seems that I’m finding myself appreciating other things a bit more too. The other night I was able to spend some time at the home where I spent the majority of my childhood. My parents don’t live there anymore but fortunately it is still in the family. I only spent a few hours there the other night but I could have stayed there forever. It was an appreciation of that place that I had somewhat forgotten. The house is approximately 100 years old and has been renovated with the comforts of air conditioning and central heat while being able to sit in the glassed in room and enjoy the beauty of a vegetable, fruit or flower garden. I can sit on the deck and smell fresh cut grass, hear the birds sing or crickets chirp while looking at acres and acres of rolling hills just as a family member may have done on the porch 70 years ago. I can remember sticking my feet in creeks, catching crawdads (or at least trying),
running in a yard so big that it would take up the whole cul-de-sac I live on now. It is beautiful.. and though I’ve always loved it there, I can’t say that I have appreciated it like I did the other night. There was just something different. Not sure exactly what it was that made me feel so blessed to walk through the grass or look at the trees I used to climb except maybe the fact that my daughters haven’t had that full experience. They have played outdoors but not in the same manner. Their outdoor life has been at a park or a small yard or a blacktop area where they have to watch for cars. So, eventhough I never wanted to move from there when my family did in my young teen years, maybe my deep appreciation comes from having moved away and then coming back.
I guess that is the way it is with life in general. We can’t always appreciate until we recognize the obstacle, hardship or the opposite. I think, had I stayed on the farm my whole life, I might be aching to get away.
I talked to the kids yesterday at church about Jesus feeding the 5000 with 2 fish and 5 little loaves of bread. Something that I found interesting is that Jesus asked Phillip how they were going to buy bread for everyone. I never really thought much about that question because the Bible says that Jesus was testing Phillip. Maybe he wanted Phillip to say, “Jesus, do your thing…you have healed the sick and even done the whole food thing. Remember? You made water turn into wine..what are you waiting for?” .. But after studying it a bit I’m thinking that Jesus wanted Phillip to recognize the obstacle and the difficulty in meeting the need so that when he did do his thing it wouldn’t be taken for granted and it would be remembered as great. Lots of people, little food… look what Jesus did.
My dog- sometimes annoying- take a look at the hairless dog and remember…. Yes, Moses P. Diddy Hall you are appreciated
The farm-moved away- look at what my kids haven’t had- and remember the beauty of God’s creation and where I grew up- appreciated
So what else can I appreciate? A spouse, a parent, a sibling, a child or a friend? Maybe a house, a car, a yard or a bed? Take time today to recognize the obstacle or the opposite of things in your life and appreciate today.
And by the way, my friend appreciated that little puppy enough to take her home…. Tasha is a new member of their family.
John 6
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4The Jewish Passover Feast was near.
5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
See what I mean? Those things aren’t costly… 
at least not costly in monetary terms and Mother’s Day would seem so trouble free. So now who do we take them to? What should this mascot be? A goose, maybe? (very motherly like) How about a kangaroo? (Another motherly figure) Possibly even some rough looking muscle guy? Or how about a little bird? ( “A little bird told me….”) I don’t know. And what about the name? Maybe “Mother’s Day Mother Goose” or “Mama Flyer” or “Mother’s Day Sparrow”… Or better yet.. It would be someone who could really get the job done…. Super Nanny Jo!
The Prodygal Life 