What's in your dish?

What’s on your "Blessing of the Day" menu?

Every morning I feed my little dog, Gizmo. Usually he has his dry dog food mixed with some baked fresh chicken breast fragments. I give him a little taste of the chicken as I am placing them in the dish. He likes to pretend he doesn’t want it, lets me drop it between his paws as he lies on the floor watching me. He eats it as I return to the task.

Placing his dish & fresh water on his mat, I retire to the living room, coffee in hand, ready to have my morning quiet time. In my home I have a wall fireplace in the living room that looks through to the dining area also. I can see him as he lays there waiting to see if this is it or should there be more food to be offered. He doesn’t see me, but as he stares at the hallway & back at his dish eventually something registers with him that that is all. Mosey over to the dish, & enjoy. When he is done, I can hear the little slurp sounds of the wash it down water, and then he proceeds to stroll to the living room, and purposely brush against my hand to say thanks, as I reach down to touch his head as he passes by me. Japanese chins make little gurgle sounds & this one likes to lick his lips, nose, & paws as he takes his resting place upon a small homemade landing at the edge of his sofa. The morning is young. The blinds are still pulled. No one is up in the house except us.

It is quiet, peaceful, & an anticipated moment of the day. So, we share the morning routine- Gizmo with his interesting reviews of the cuisine he enjoys ending in a power nap, content with his world. And me...my coffee, my quiet moment alone with the Lord...and Gizmo, I pray that we may learn to take a lesson from our pets we are entrusted with to love & care for ... accept and enjoy what we are given - For the Lord provides our daily bread, just what we need & when- the blessings of each day. We can rest confidently on His provisions.

We are fed by the Word of God...Are you tuned in? Or waiting for more of...what? Yubw8n? Dig in! It's good for you...

Routine

Everyone has their own unique morning routine. And if you are a pet owner, this includes taking them through theirs also. My pup Gizmo is very routine oriented & has actually taken on the duty of my alarm clock. Every day we get up at the same time, go outside, he will stand still while he is dried, loved on & then the leash is removed & on to the next event. We proceed to the coffee pot for the human ‘morning in a cup’ all the while he takes his place upon the area rug under the dining room table to watch. Fresh water & food are on the menu; dog food with a little fresh baked chicken breast mixed in. After placing it in his feed area & walking away to enjoy the coffee, I watch as he does the same routine. He will go over to the dish, sniff, & look at me. Then return to his spot. You see today I tried to sneak past part of his routine. Usually I give him just a tiny fragment of the chicken breast to taste. I know should he not take it, he most likely won’t want the meal. Usually, he does. Today he ate it.

Yet when investigating the food served, he returned to the living room, & walked over to his leash. He had not gone outside. He followed me first thing to the coffee pot, & as a human, I figured we would go out after breakfast. Gizmo had other plans. After the outing, he returned to his dish, enjoyed his breakfast, & soon was sound asleep resting on the back of the loveseat...his world. As I write this, I look over to see contentment & love all in one little 10 pound, 4 legged, brown eyed, little nose friend. As I listen to the promptings of the Spirit of God, I am amazed at how Gizmo teaches me every day about God. Today was no different. You see, too often, our routine often leaves God out.

We get up, get going, & go past the most important part- God. We fail to spend time with the One who watched over us while we slept; keeping an ear out for our heart beat, & watching us smile as we dream. In the morning we awaken refreshed (if wisdom the night before has us disciplined to go to bed at the right hour that is) & we are ready for the day. I know that when I spend the first part of our morning with God, the rest of my day goes more in step. Look at Gizmo. He slept knowing he was safe, no cares. When it was time for breakfast, he knew that to enjoy his food- he would ‘taste & see that it was good’. Yet only after his outside moment routine would he return to enjoy the chicken morsels that would nourish his day. Then he could rest & guard the house. (Ok, so he could stare out the window at the squirrels, but he has big dreams & I try not to discourage him...)

We should be so wise. Upon awaking, I wait a moment before getting up, to say good morning to God & Gizmo. I then begin my routine. Just as Gizmo would receive a ‘sample taste’ of the chicken he would later discover in amongst his food, so will I as I feed upon God’s Word, tasting the morsels of wisdom He has within the pages for me to enjoy.

He has prepared exactly what I need to know for the moment, for the day, for all the situations I may encounter- today. As I seek Him, as I study His Word, He shows me the nutrition within the knowledge of those who walked with Him, wrote the words that are now placed before me to absorb. Just like Gizmo, God revealed to me today that routine is important. Satan knows we are creatures of habit. Yes, a Sin is a habit. Sin is ‘missing the mark’ & that mark can be the moment of opportunity to learn how to become more like Christ, & then miss the moment to share that blessing with someone in your day who needs to hear. All because of a habit; a routine missed or left unfulfilled. So since Satan is always trying to get us off track in one simple everyday habit of ‘good’ he surely wants to knock us completely off the path of our walk with the Lord. This quiet alone moment in time is part of God’s Divine Plan- for you & for others you encounter.

So, today’s lesson learned is simply this: Taste & see that the Lord is good. Sample His Grace all day; plan the first part of your morning to be with the One who will hold your hand on the rest of the walk.

Make this a routine, don’t skip the parts like going outside for the important moments that happen- look around you, breath in the fresh air that we take for granted to sustain us; watch the colors of the sun as it routinely slips over the horizon to take its place for this brand new day. And when God places His plate of wisdom before you, take time to dine. Look for the morsels of miracles that lie beneath the surface of the mundane & enjoy each moment in His presence. Then, take your place in the day. Gizmo is watching the squirrels prepare for the winter months...And just like God is providing for the critters of nature what they will need; Gizmo knows that dinner although it may be the same as breakfast, will be there for him. Simple trust!

Because Gizmo knows I love him, he also knows I will take care of his needs, & will walk beside him when he goes out in the world to explore the wonders that wait. God provides. We know that what He provides for me is what I need right when I need it. And I know He loves me, He will take care of my needs & walk beside me when I go out in the world to explore the wonders that wait. Routines... Do you have one? Yes, God does.

Although everything else may change...He never changes!!...Now THAT is a routine!”

Rearranging Your Views ~ Gizmo Style

Rearrangements of even the most common of things can be traumatizing to some. When I rearranged my living room recently, it appeared to be livable. Well, maybe for me, but not for my Japanese Chin Gizmo. He had gone to the groomer, so I took the opportunity to do a little cleaning & rearranging.

Afterwards, when he was introduced to the new digs, it seemed that maybe with a little time, he would adjust. Wanting to be cuddled & held is his thing, so I figured maybe after a good night’s rest, he would take to the new 'in front of the window' look-out-perch I had created for him.

The next morning, he clearly had other ideas. When he wasn't doing a little pace around the coffee table, he just wanted held. And if not held, to be looking up at me from the floor-you know, with those big brown eyes that make you simply put down the coffee & pick him up. Yep- that’s the look. All of this was more than confirmation. My idea of change was not welcomed. So, we compromised.

I lifted him up & loved on him. As I watched, he glanced over at the window.Maybe he was remembering how nice it was to look out while on the back of the sofa, in between naps, that is. He did a little glance at the blanket, pillows, & steps as if to say: ’Mom,this is not home~would you put it back, please.’(insert little sigh here)

Here we go. We made a few modifications back to the way it was. His steps to the sofa were placed where he could get easy access. And what he knew as home reappeared. As I write this, there is a very contented little dog, that in between look out duty for squirrels & the occassional bird watching, is catching a few moments of Sunday afternoon shut eye on the back of 'his' sofa. This to him is one of life's many joys.

So, what did the 'human' learn from all this? (Besides that I need to remember to buy lighter furniture next time~) Everyday, God teaches me something through my little dog, Gizmo. Today's lesson: One's 'viewpoint of life' although it may be rearranged ~ with a little humility, determination & persistence~you can rise above what is between you & your happiness. This provides the opportunity to once again be a home within your heart

Gizmo…knows that a 'living room' is for just that~living comfortably. Sometimes, even if change is not comfortable, simply asking for help, or rearranging the room & circumstances may get you back to the living part. After all, there’s a whole world of nifty things & critters out there that needs watching over.
Today~Gizmo has that covered.

Thanks for the heart lesson.
I love you too.