Dokes (or “starvin’ for love”)

 

 

 

Well my dear ones,

 

 

If you recall, back in April of 2014

I spoke about my friend, Joe,

having to have his dog, Caesar, put down:

 

http://theeverencouragingword.blogspot.com/2014/04/pets-in-heaven-in-memory-of-caesar.html

 

It’s always sad to have to part with

a beloved pet,

and Caesar was a cool dog.

 

Some months ago,

I came up with a new way to get to work.

And on one of the back roads

that goes through a residential section

there is a nice little German Shepard,

looking like a young version of Caesar,

that is always happily barking

and wagging his tail

as the school kids walk by

on the outside of his page fence.

 

I started opening my window

and talking to him as I drove by;

but I got tired of calling him

“doggie,”

so one night on the way home,

I knocked on the door, met the owner,

and found out the dog’s name is Dokes,

a year-old German Shepard

who is young enough that he still

acts like a puppy.

 

So now, on the way to work,

and on the way home, too,

I stop and walk over to the fence

to pet the little spud.

 

Usually, he is already there

waiting for me;

but sometimes he’s asleep

across the yard;

when that happens,

I just call out “Dokes” one time,

and then he’s right there,

wagging his tail,

excited that someone is going to

pet him and scratch his little head.

 

When I say “bye-bye” and go to leave,

he wraps both paws around my arm

because he doesn’t want me to go.

 

He loves attention.

He loves to play.

He loves to be around people.

He craves affection.

 

Like all people,

and like all those of God’s creatures

who’ve been entrusted to us as pets,

he is “starvin’ for love.”

 

I’m not saying to go and

get your arm munched off

trying to pet some dog

who doesn’t even know you! =D

(I had the owner introduce me to Dokes

 Before I ever tried to pet him)

 

However, as we get ready

to enter the holiday season

with the feast of Thanksgiving,

and give thanks to God

for all our blessings

and for the helpful people

who have been put into our lives,

let’s not forget our furry friends.

 

Perhaps you know a dog or cat

whose owner, well, let’s just say,

is somewhat neglectful

(I can think of 3 on my street alone).

If they are familiar with you,

and will allow you to,

why not give them a pat on the head,

or a little scratch behind the ears?

 

And a few kind words in a loving voice

mean just as much to a neglected pet

as they do to a neglected person

(so let’s not forget to save up

 a few kind words for them, too =>).

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

Have a great week!

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

 

how we react

 

 

 

Well my dear ones,

 

 

As you well know,

we cannot control all the things

that may occur in our lives;

but we can control how we react to them.

 

For example, despite your best efforts,

you might get hacked by an identity thief.

 

And if so, how will you react?

 

You can get ticked off.

 

Or, you can have a little fun with it.

 

I mean, deal with the issue,

but don’t let it destroy your attitude.

 

When I saw I had been hacked

by cyber-hacker Steve,

who posing as me,

had bought some clothes in the UK,

I tried to halt the transaction;

however,

since I’m not too computer-savvy,

it took me a few hours to fix things

after the fact.

 

Actually, I might have let him slide,

except for what he bought...

 

Oh wait, how rude of me;

there is one other person

whom I forgot to address...

 

*addressing the hacker*

 

 

Dear Cyber-Hacker Steve,

 

Dude!!! 

Since you hacked my email once,

you’ll likely try to again,

in which case there are a few things

I’d like to clear up with you.

 

I don’t know too much

about life across the pond,

but over here fraud & identity theft,

well, it’s just not how we roll

(God rocks!  And that’s how we roll!)

Sorry about calling the guys

with the big hats and Billy clubs on you,

but apparently cyber-crime is just as illegal

over there as it is here.

 

And speaking of cyber-crime,

let’s face it...you’re just not too good at it.

I mean, if a dummy like me

can get your real name and address,

rescind your transaction,

and report you to the constables,

well, let’s just say

there’s a sharp learning curve ahead for you,

little buddy!

 

I think you need to

turn from your life of crime,

read the book “Mere Christianity”

by your countryman C.S. Lewis,

get yourself right with God,

and get into a good Bible-based church,

so Jesus can transform your life. =D

 

Oh, one last thing:

while I sincerely hope it never happens again,

should you EVER again try to

buy clothes in MY name,

at least buy something classy!

...like one of those British tweed sport coats

with the suede patches on the elbows

...and NOT a pair of Spiderman pajamas!!!

 

I wouldn’t be caught dead

in a pair of Spiderman jammies! 

(What am I?  10-years-old?  Neither are you!)

 

(And judging by the size, they were for YOU,

 not your kid! @_@).

 

THAT’S what made me turn you in to the law. 

 

(Hint: they are never going to make an episode

of CSI Cyber about a guy who uses computers

to steal Spiderman jammies!!! 

Dude, you really need to find a new career. =>)

 

If you (as me) had bought something cool,

like a Sherlock Holmes hat,

I might have let you slide!

 

Blessings to you,

 

dave

 

*reaction complete*

 

See what I mean?

 

The problem is resolved,

with no need to lose my temper,

and I even feel sorry for the guy.

 

I have chosen to maintain

a positive attitude about

the entire situation.

 

Except I am surprised

about one other thing:

I converted the UK pounds

into US dollars,

and the guy paid $45.67

for one pair of pajamas.

 

I don’t clothes shop too often;

hence, I’ll have to ask my wife,

but that sounds like a lot

for one pair of jammies!

 

*shrugs*

 

However, they were

OFFICIAL Spiderman jammies,

so I guess that justifies

the cost. =D

 

 

Have a great week!

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

 

 

dealing with serious heartache

 

Well my dear ones,

 

 

What would you do if your beloved

died in a tragic accident 

right before your wedding?

 

And then, years later,

your new love died of an illness,

2 weeks before your second-planned wedding?

 

Freak out? (I think I would)

 

Get ticked off at the world?

 

Get ticked off at God?

 

 

Or, live a life of gratitude

and service to God and others

in spite of all that happened

(totally beyond the comprehension

 of most of us today)

and author a hymn to God

that is one of the best known

and most heart-felt ever written?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjUoE2fack

 

 

Joseph Scriven, I stand humbled by you…

 

...blessings to you...

 

...actually...

 

I’m sure you have more than I can calculate.

 

I’ll see you in heaven;

I’m looking forward to a chat;

in the meantime, thanks for the hymn.

I never knew the story behind it before;

but now that I do,

it will mean a lot more to me

whenever I hear it; thanks again.

 

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

clutter

***

 

 

 

Well my dear ones,

 

 

A long time ago,

one of my engineering bosses,

who was all about the power look

(he later quit our company,

 became a district judge,

 started his own political party,

 and ran for president of the USA

 ...for real; no kidding;

 I don’t make this stuff up =>)

gave me a book to read called,

...no big surprise here,

“The Power Look.”

 

I actually did read the book

before returning it to him.

It was pretty much about how to

dress for success in the business world,

and it did have some good basic

practical advice on that.

 

But my main take-away from the book

was something the author said

about cleaning out your closet:

he said to look through your stuff,

and anything you hadn’t worn

in the last year,

you weren’t likely to wear this year;

hence, it should be dispensed with,

like given to Good Will.

 

Over the years,

I’ve found that to be good advice

that applies in situations

other than just closets.

 

Like most people,

my wife and I had an attic full of

...God alone knows what...

mostly cardboard boxes with cryptic markings

like “extra Christmas stuff”

or “bottles, plates, and lamps.”

 

A couple weeks ago,

my wife had me empty the entire attic;

a few sentimental things were retained;

but most everything went to Good Will

(which conveniently has a drop off

 center right down the road =>).

 

Now we have the emptiest attic around;

and it’s way cool to have all that

clutter gone from out lives.

 

Yet that got me to thinking:

how much clutter was I carrying,

like lugging around on the inside?

 

How many mistakes, regrets,

past things I can’t change,

junk, downright sins,

was I carrying around?

 

Actually, I had a huge pile

of that clutter,

and I was tired of it;

so I did the “let go, let God” thing;

I left it at the foot of the cross,

praying,

“let the blood of Jesus

 was all of this away.”

 

From personal experience I can tell you:

it’s not good to try and carry burdens

that God alone can handle.

 

How about you?

 

Got any clutter in your life

that you’re getting tired of carrying?

 

It might be time to let it go. =)

 

Have a great week!

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

 

“There is a God, and it's not you.
 Objective reality exists,

 and you don't control it.
 Truth exists, and it can be known.
 You are unique in all Creation;
 your life has meaning;
 and there is always hope.”

 

   --- The Ever Encouraging Word

 

 

"I have come that they may have life,

and that they may have it more abundantly."

 

                  --- Jesus