Dora has a few rules that she knows. She knows to go potty outside. She knows to eat her food in the kitchen. She knows she sleeps in her crate. She knows she can nap by my side or in her couch bed which is a blanket in a low cushion that I purchased to keep her off the rest of the furniture.
And she also knows she is not to get up on top of the couch’s cushions. When I made the mistake of buying this particular couch, I did not realize that she would find her way to the top of the cushions, schmooshing them down to perch high on top while she remained comfy. Let’s just say that this particular cushion is schmooshed beyond fixing without restuffing. And when I am at home, Dora knows that this cushion sleeping is out of bounds. Not allowed.
But. When I am not home, she indulges.
Today I came home to find her asleep in the cushion and dog-gone-it she had no embarassment at being caught as she posed for the photo.
I listened to a sermon online this past week that I am still mulling over in my mind. It wasn’t a deep theological, hard hitting message. But. It was one of those that got me to thinking in a way that helped to underscore the life I live (that we live!) as believers, followers of Christ.
God is for us. In the Old Testament the message is clear. Those who belong to him have no fear, he is on our side. He is our defender, our cheerleader, our provider. If God is for us, who can be against us?
God is with us. In the Gospels, the message is clear. God came near. In the flesh. In the form of man. He came to walk this earth. To walk with us. He asked us to follow Him. To walk with him.
And upon the cross, Jesus took on our sin. Forgiveness was ours.
And better still.
Better than being for us.
Better than being with us.
He sent the comforter, the Spirit. God is in us.
How better to understand the great exchange that God wanted in a relationship with us? With hard stuff in this life and in these flesh suits to deal with… who better to be for us…. to be with us and…. to be in us than Christ himself.
Not long ago a brochure arrived in the mail from Casa Manana’s Summer Musical Theater. I love musicals and always enjoy looking through the CM brochures to dream of a visit to Bass Music Hall or Fair Park. This time the brochure held the dates and showtimes of my favorite musical of all: The Wizard of Oz.
I checked the dates carefully and opening the brochure to the reservations number, stuck it to my refrigerator door as the place of ultimate reminders and a huge hint to Mr Fabulous Fifty. The only thing that would have made it more obvious is if I had wrapped christmas lights around it and arranged for them to blink when he walked in the door. The Wizard of Oz will be on stage during the week of our 31st wedding anniversary.
Yesterday in the mail arrived an envelope with Mr FF’s name peeking through the envelope’s window. The return address: Bass Hall.
Tickets!
I assume he’s taking me. Otherwise he’d better follow the yellow brick road.
I am a mom of two wonderful young adults, wife of 30 years, owner of two dachshunds (one purebred, one wannabe), owner of two websites for women, artist, and most importantly: daughter of the King of Kings.
