Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Pet Sitting

I’ve been pet sitting for the last two weeks for my neighbors and good friends, Tom and Terry, while they are vacationing in Puerto Rico. I have been watching their 3 cats: Peanut, Butter and Tank, and their elderly dog, Solomon. I’ve also been caring for two Pomeranians in my home for the past week that belong to my daughter, Christy, and her boyfriend, Brian, while they are on vacation in Disney World. This evening all owners return and my pet sitting stint is over… for now.

The most difficult part of pet sitting was taking care of Solomon. I’m not quite sure how old he is, but he’s somewhere between 13 and 16, which is pretty old for a chocolate Lab, which is what I think Solomon is. Figuring that the age of a dog Solomon’s size translates into 10.5 dog years per human year for the first 2 years and after that about 4 dog years per human year, Solomon is somewhere between 65 and 77 in human years. He is a super sweet dog, but his back legs are very weak and he has an extremely difficult time walking, not to mention getting up from a lying down position. He also has trouble controlling his bowels, so my neighbors banished him to the garage over the summer, where he seems perfectly happy to be with his big, soft beds to lie on. The only time he is allowed in the house is to eat.

Tom’s grown daughter, Hailey, and I are jointly taking care of Solomon. I am in charge of his evening feeding, so at 7 p.m., I go next door to give him his food. When I open the garage door, I first try to get him up so that he can walk out into the yard to do his business. However, he either doesn’t have the strength or else he is being extremely obstinate (not being a doggy psychologist, I don’t know which it is), but he will not – I repeat, WILL NOT – get up for me. I have even tried picking him up – and he is VERY heavy – to lift him onto his feet, but he just collapses back down. At this point, this dog – with what must be the biggest bladder ever – almost always pees all over himself and his bed. So, I prepare his food and bring his bowl to him in the garage. After he gobbles it down (he definitely likes his kibble!), I give him his joint chew and a pain pill (if it’s Monday, Wednesday or Friday). I feel so bad for Solomon as he must be extremely uncomfortable being wet, sticky and stinky covered in his own urine, unable to get up. (I know, however, that he is moving around, because the water level in his large water bowl is lower every time I go to see him and he is never in the same spot (he has two beds on which to lie). One day last week, I attempted to give him a bath, but he would not get up so I had to drag him out of the garage and all I could do was spray him with the hose. Hailey has also given him two baths, but she has the same problems with him as I do. I am so glad that Terry and Tom are coming home tonight because Solomon listens to Tom and I am hoping Solomon will get back to “normal” once they return.

Solomon

Solomon

Peanut and Butter are no problem at all. I feed both of them also at 7. I don’t really have any contact with Tank. He is a Persian Longhair cat and is kept in Tom and Terry’s mudroom most of the time, mainly because he and the other cats don’t get along too well. Normally, Tank is absolutely psycho! One other time when my husband, Dennis, was watching the neighbor’s pets, he couldn’t get Tank in his room, so he called me over to help. We finally got Tank in the mudroom, but he then started to run up the wall and flip himself in the air. He did this over and over again. He seems to only go to Tom, Terry or Hailey, and would act crazy around everyone else. However, suddenly Tank seems to really like me and will come to me and sit on my lap and purr. Very strange… In any case, Tank is a beautiful cat, but like most Persians, his super long fur gets matted very easily. So, before my neighbors left for their vacation they got Tank shaved, except for his head, his legs and the end of his tail. When I first saw him, I burst out laughing, he looked so ridiculously funny!

This is either Peanut or Butter, not sure which one!

Again, not sure if this is Peanut or Butter.

Peanut and Butter look so much alike, I can't tell which is which!

Pretty green eyes!

Tank's beautiful face.

Tank with his new hair cut. If he only knew how funny he looks!

No comment needed!

Sebastian Cabot face!

Watching Zoey and Onyx has been a lot of fun! They are super cute Poms with tons of personality. Onyx, who is almost 2, is a male; Zoey is a female and just turned a year last month. Onyx is super hyper and always on the go. He will not sit still for a minute, until he “crashes,” then he will rest. Zoey, on the other hand, is very laid back and follows me everywhere. She loves to sit on my lap or snuggle under my bed covers. When I take them for walks, they love to chase acorns, which are falling like crazy from the trees, and carry them around in their mouths. Too cute… What has not been so cute is when they get hold of something they shouldn’t. Yesterday, they both ate a pencil and today Zoey chewed up an old Bluetooth phone accessory. Zoey also found a bra of mine that I am throwing away and was carrying it around. I took it away from her, but 15 minutes later she had it again!

Zoey and Onyx

Taking a walk.

Struttin' their stuff! They love their walks.

It was hard getting a photo of Onyx. He never stays still long enough to get a good shot!

Onyx

Onyx

Sweet, sweet Zoey.

Zoey took a break from chewing her bone to get her picture taken.

Update: I am sad to report that Solomon was euthanized in early December 2010. He had been eating very little since the Thanksgiving holiday. He also was having an extremely difficult time getting up and walking, and most of the time he was unable to move. When my friends took Solomon to the vet to have him checked, the vet was shocked to see how quickly he had deteriorated. The vet told Tom and Terry that Solomon was suffering and it was time. I hope dogs go to Heaven and that Solomon is there now running through the clouds and chewing on a big juicy bone...

Monday, September 14, 2010

Virtual Trip to Wales, England and Scotland

My favorite traveling companions are all in Europe right now on a walking tour of Wales, England and Scotland. My sister, Susan, and good family friend, Debbie, left a week and a half ago for 7 days of Moody Blues concerts (overdoing it just a little, I’d say!) in England and Wales, with country hikes in between. My sister, Betty, her husband, Rick, and another good family friend, Kelly, arrived in England and met up with Susan and Debbie this past weekend for two weeks of countryside ambling through England and Scotland. I was supposed to go with them, but had to pull out for lack of funds due to lack of a job!

However, my buddies were thinking of me and missing me, so Susan and Debbie bought a stuffed monkey when they arrived in London and named her “Jan Jan” after me. They have been taking photographs of her at the various places they have been on the trip, and then Debbie has been posting them on Facebook. It is so sweet that they have been doing this. Here is my virtual journey so far:

"Janice, we miss you." Susan and Debbie were so thoughtful. They got me my

very favorite Starbucks drink, a Caramel Macchiato.

.

Here I am at Snowdinia National Park in Wales.

Visting Watership Down, the area of England made famous by author Richard Adams.

In Plymouth, England, at the Moody Blues concert. Boy, these guys are lookin' old!

Hitching a ride in Susan's backpack in Dartmoor.

Guess where I'll be tonight! (Hint: St. David's Hall in Cardiff.)

Another Moody's concert. This one in Birmingham.

I hope this is the last one as my ears are ringing!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Way of the Righteous

Today we continued our short break from 1 Peter to hear an excellent message by Jeff Purswell, the Dean of Sovereign Grace Ministries' Pastors College who also preaches at Covenant Life Church. He is an excellent teacher, and this morning his sermon was on Psalm 1.

Introduction

We live in a “connected” technology world that has its benefits and dangers. One of the many dangers is the countless ways technology can distract us and compete for our attention. What is dangerous about these distractions is that they come with a promise of entertainment, knowledge or inclusion.

“The compulsive search for diversion is often an attempt to escape the wretchedness of life. We have great difficulty being quiet in our rooms, when the television or computer screen offers a riot of possible stimulation. Post-modern people are perpetually restless; they frequently seek solace in diversion instead of satisfaction in truth. As Pascal said, 'Our nature consists in movement; absolute rest is death.' The postmodern condition is one of over-saturation and over-stimulation, and this caters to our propensity to divert ourselves from pursuing higher realities." —Douglas Groothius

Psalm 1 provides a divine interruption to our distractions. It breaks into the clutter of our minds and the clamor of competing voices with a penetrating presentation of reality. Psalm 1 presents an uncompromising claim and a hope-filled promise: the exclusive path to enduring joy is devotion to God’s Word.

The Way of the Righteous (verses 1-3)

Psalm 1 opens with an exclamation, “Blessed.” This word carries a congratulatory meaning—this righteous man is celebrated, admired and approved. He is the one who has the richest, fullest experience of life. The psalm begins by saying what the righteous DOES NOT do (verse 1).

a. He does not: “Walk in the counsel of the wicked”—he doesn’t accept the world’s advice nor is he influenced by the world’s perspective on life.

b. “Stand in the way of sinners”—he doesn’t linger in their paths; this man doesn’t engage in the world’s sinful ways.

c. “Sit in the seat of scoffers”—he doesn’t settle in to the world’s way of thinking, adopting its attitudes as they scoff at holiness, belittle the righteous, and mock the pursuit of godliness.

Verse 2 explains what the righteous DOES. The righteous devotes himself to the word of God—this is what captivates and preoccupies him. The righteous delights in God’s word—“delight” is deeper than emotion: it’s a combination of “delight” and “attention.” In other words, there’s a “joyful immersion,” a diligent, satisfying application of Scripture to his life. It is his chief desire. The righteous meditates on God’s word—he murmurs, recites, rolls it over in his mind, thinks out
loud, processes it, and memorizes God word.

The devotion of the righteous produces delight, and delight, in turn, produces devotion. In our reading of Scripture, we can often desire or expect some immediate, ecstatic experience, or we become disappointed. This psalm doesn’t have in mind momentary bursts of bliss. It is advocating a lifestyle—a lifetime of reflection and meditation and application. This is true Biblical spirituality—not momentary experiences that dissipate, but gradual transformation by the Spirit, through the Word, that’s solid; that’s durable; that lasts.

The righteous’ devotion and delight in God’s word produces RESULTS (verse 3). The tree sent its roots deep into the streams of living water. Even in drought or adversity, the tree will receive all the care and nourishment it needs to be fruitful, to be productive, and to bring blessing to others. And so this man experiences prosperity in his soul and life in everything he does, despite harsh or unfavorable conditions.

The Way of the Wicked (verse 4-5)

The wicked are like chaff (the outside husk of the grain) which blows away in the wind. The psalmist uses this imagery to say that the wicked are useless, worth nothing, and transitory. As well, the wicked have no future. They will face eternal judgment and condemnation.

The Divine Evaluation (verse 6)

Up to this point, we’ve only seen the righteous and the wicked. Now God appears for the first time, and the entire psalm is given a divine perspective. How can we be certain of a final and just judgment? How can we have confidence about the truth of this psalm? Here’s why we can have confidence that an allegiance to God and a devotion to his word will bring a solid and enduring joy: “the LORD knows the way of the righteous. In the Old Testament, “knowledge” isn’t just intellectual. It’s experiential and relational. God cares about us. He identifies with us and is committed us. God also knows the way of the wicked. Their path ends with a frightening word—“the wicked will perish.” Their ultimate end will be ruin.

God intends this psalm to bring clarity to our lives. There are not an endless number of lifestyle choices in the world. There are only two—the way of the righteous or the way of the wicked. On which path are you?

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Lunch at the Chow’s

Newlyweds and good friends Joe Chow and Susie Yeo invited a few friends over for a delicious lunch.

My husband, Dennis, Sachi, Jo and (part of) Daniel eating.

Newlyweds Joe and Susie.

Faith and Eric with their two adorable kids, Grace and Nicholas.

Joe and Bill, the "Swing Dance King!"

Sachi and Brenda

Susie's son, Justin

Joe's bro!

Eric, Faith and Susie

Joe's outgoing son, AJ

Joe's son, Zachery, is shy and does NOT like to get his picture taken.

Joe's cutie-pie daughter, Torrie.

Still eating...

...Finally finished eating. Now we're playing the hilarioius game, Catch Phrase.

Susie giving a clue.

It's Jo's turn. Apparently she needs her reading glasses.

Joe trying to get his word guessed before the buzzer sounds.

Not sure what word Bill had, but it must have had something to do with an owl!!

Yep, even hubby Dennis got into the action!

We wore Sachi and Daniel out!

Some of the ladies - Brenda, me, Susie and Jo.

(Wow! Remind me not to wear this outfit in any more pictures!!)

Susie and Brenda

Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Indestructible Church (Matthew 16:13-18)

At church today, we took a break from our series on 1 Peter. Instead, pastor Robin Boisvert gave his sermon message, titled “The Indestructible Church,” from Matthew 16:13-18. Robin's message focused on the fact that the church that Jesus builds is indestructible and cannot be destroyed.

The Church is Built by Jesus (verse 18: “I will build my church…”)

How does Jesus build his church? The way Jesus builds his church is by bringing people to himself through the gospel and then by sending them out to bear witness to that gospel. In other words, Jesus saves us through the gospel, and then he sends us out with that gospel. It’s our mission to bear witness to the truth of the gospel with our lives and our words—in demonstration and declaration.

The Church Belongs to Jesus (verse 18: “I will build my church…”)

Why does the church belong to Jesus? It belongs to him because he bought and paid for it with his own blood, his very life. “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained (purchased) with His own blood.” (Acts 20:28).

And Peter said that Christians are redeemed, “…not with perishable things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

These verses tell us that the divine Lamb of God, of infinite value and infinite love, gave his life for the church. Therefore, the church is his, and it is precious to him. What is precious to him ought to be precious to us as well. We should not be indifferent to what Jesus values so highly.

The Church can be Threatened (verse 18: “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”)

What is meant by “the gates of hell”? The word “gates” refers to power or authority.
The place where authority was found in an ancient city was at the city gates. Think of it in terms of headquarters, where authoritative decisions are made. “The gates of hell” would equate to “headquarters of hell” in our culture. In other words, Jesus is building his church in the midst of opposition and cosmic conflict. It is a conflict that engages all of heaven and earth, all of creation and spans almost all of time, from the fall to final judgment.

There are four ways that the church can be threatened, two from the inside and two from without.

Division: Division happens when Christians do not take sufficient heed to themselves to obey Jesus’ commands to love one another. Offenses that are not dealt with biblically (taking the log out of our own eye, asking forgiveness, and seeking reconciliation) can lead to divisions between persons, and can affect other people who choose up sides. Then, factions develop which can even lead to church splits.

Heresy: Throughout the history of the church, heresies have arisen. Heresy is doctrinal error so serious that if it were true it would falsify the Christian faith. i. For example, in the 4th century there arose a very serious heresy that denied Jesus’ eternal nature and equality of divinity with God. This heresy still exists in the beliefs of the Jehovah witnesses. Athanasius and the Council of Nicea convened and determined that Scripture taught that the Son of God is of the same essence as the Father, that Jesus Christ is truly divine. This heresy was formally condemned.

Persecution from the world: Since the beginning, the church has faced persecution.
Jesus’ own passion and death set the pattern. He told his disciples, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” Paul made the sobering statement that all who would live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. And Peter said in 1 Peter 4:12, “Don’t think it strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try you.” It is estimated that there were more martyrs for the faith in the 20th century than in all the previous 19 centuries combined.

The patronage of the world: The favor of the state often comes with a price — compromise of the gospel. The church should keep a safe distance from political parties and from the favors of kings and politicians. The church is in danger when she is beholden to or protected by political interests.

Campbell Morgan, commenting on Acts 19:23-41, says: “Let us be very careful that we do not waste our energy, and miss the meaning of our high calling by any rejoicing in the patronage of the world. It is by the friction of persecution that the fine gold of character is made to flash and gleam with glory. The church persecuted has always been the church pure, and therefore the church powerful. The church patronized has always been the church in peril and very often the church paralyzed. I am not afraid of Demetrius. Let him have his meeting of craftsmen, and let them in their unutterable folly shout a lie twenty-five thousand strong. The truth goes quietly on. But when the town clerk begins to take care of us, then God deliver us from the peril.”

The Church Will Certainly Prevail (verse 18: “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”)

Church history and Scripture reveals that despite toil, tribulation and trouble the Church will persevere. Jesus Christ not only builds the church, but he preserves her from the gates of hell until that final day when the warfare will end and Jesus will return for his Bride. Believing this truth, D. M. Lloyd-Jones wrote, “Do not waste too much of your time in worrying about the future of the Christian Church.”

But that doesn’t mean that Covenant Life Church will necessarily prevail. That depends on whether we appropriate the grace of the gospel and faithfully follow our Lord – maintaining our integrity, walking in love for our Savior and for one another, maintaining our grip on the gospel, and faithfully passing it on to others and the next generation.

As Robin regularly does, we should pray that 10, 20, 50, 100 years from now, if the Lord does not return, that Covenant Life Church will still be a faithful witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Fiery Trials

I finally felt well enough to attend church this morning, though I did spend a bit of the time coughing, one of the leftover effects of the bronchitis from which I continue to recover. My voice is still about 80% hoarse, so singing during worship was out of the question. Instead, I just “mouthed” the words to the songs.

Today, senior pastor Joshua Harris continued the series on 1 Peter, which we have been studying for the past few months. Josh’s message centered on 1 Peter 4:12-19, and it focused on “Fiery Trials.”

What are fiery trials? (verses 14, 16)

In this passage, Peter is referring to the trial of mistreatment. In verse 14, he talks about being “insulted” for the name of Christ, and in verse 16, he describes suffering because you are a Christian. Because Peter uses the same imagery in 1 Peter 1:6-7 in a broader sense, “fiery trials” are not limited to persecution or martyrdom.

Another use of trials is seen in Hebrews 3:7-8, in which the wandering Israelites lacked permanence, position, power and provision in the desert. For us trials can be circumstances that leave us uncertain about our future, our provision, or our position.

Another use of trials is in Galations 4:13-14. Paul endured the trial of physical suffering. Those who loved him endured the trial of seeing those they love suffer. Those who suffer physical illness and those who love them are enduring “fiery trials”.

Another use of trials is Jesus’ temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:40-41.

Sometimes our trials are direct attacks from the enemy—crushing depression, discouragement, and temptations to fleshly indulgence. The Lord uses all these different “fiery trials” to test the genuineness of our faith.

Why shouldn’t I be surprised by trials? (verses 12-13)

In verse 12, Peter is saying, “expect trials and view them as a normal part of the Christian life.” This is God’s pattern in the lives of his people throughout the ages to bring about his purposes for his glory and for our good. But most of us don’t live that way. When we look at our future, we often picture things going right. We imagine ourselves healthy. We view trials as an intruder. We view difficulty as a detour from the normal plan. We don’t want to believe that trials are part of the normal plan. But this is only because we haven’t paid attention to our Bibles. Think about the men and women in the pages of Holy Scripture—Joseph, Moses, Ruth, David, Peter, Paul, and Jesus, etc. They all experienced significant trials as part of God’s work in and through them.

Why should I rejoice in trials? (verses 13-15)

Because sharing in Christ’s suffering today means sharing in his glory on the last day. Peter, in verse 15, qualifies this: not all suffering is good if we’re suffering because we’ve sinned. However, when we share in Christ’s suffering for the right reasons, when we suffer because of our union with Jesus, we will be filled with untold joy on the day when Jesus is revealed as the Everlasting Son of God. On the last day, Jesus will be revealed as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for all time and eternity. And it will be a day of great rejoicing for those who shared in his suffering during their life on earth.

How do trials relate to judgment beginning with the household of God? (verses 17-18)

“Household of God” refers to the people of God, the church. This means that if you’re suffering as a Christian, you shouldn’t react to your suffering by doing something shameful. Instead you are to glorify God as a suffering Christian. When we encounter suffering, we can run from God and turn to sin, or we can obey God and glorify him with our actions. What we choose reveals the true state of our heart.

The point of these verses is that suffering reveals the real nature of our faith. It reveals whether or not we truly belong to God. The judgment described in this verse isn’t punishment for sin. It is the judging between who is a true believer and who is a false believer.

How do I entrust my soul to God in the midst of trials? (verse 19)

Because suffering is God’s instrument for our good, it shouldn’t stop us from loving and obeying him. We should entrust our souls to him and continue to do what pleases him. That phrase “entrust their souls to a faithful Creator” is a rich phrase. To entrust means to give someone something for safekeeping; it is trusting someone to care for and protect something that we value. And even in the midst of trials, the Lord calls us to focus on others and do good.

Tuesday, August 17 - Thursday, August 19, 2010

Three Days in the Outer Banks

My sister, Jackie, and her family invited me to stay with them for a few days while they vacationed in Southern Shores on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They rented a beautiful house, “The Painted Lady,” only a block from the ocean. The weather was hot and humid… blue skies and sunshine the first two days, then overcast and a little stormy my last day there. I had a wonderful time and am so grateful to Jackie and her husband, Steve, for showing me such a great time.

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