Tippy and Toby

My sister, Terri, is an animal lover.  Well, except for pigs and cats.  They are taken on a case by case basis.  But basically she loves animals and she has an especially soft spot for dogs.  (I will pause here to point out that I tell this story with Terri's full permission.  You know, in case there are those out there afraid to be my friend or hang out with me because you think you'll end up in a blog some day.)  Terri would probably have 78 dogs by now if it wasn't for Tippy. 

(Serious work Tippy on the left....playful happy hour Tippy on the right)

Terri found Tippy limping along the side of the road in Tomball with no collar on a few years ago.  We have a strict rule against picking up dogs without collars and tags because it's hard to find their owners and that's just a good way to end up with extra animals.  Like this guy.

 

Anyone want a Chihuahua?  Let me know!!  :)  Anyhoo.....because the limping was so sad Terri broke the collar rule and brought Tippy home.  After a little rehab and vet care and some failed attempts to find Tippy a home, Tippy became a permanent member of the family.  She is very lovely, sweet and protective, but Tippy does not get along with other animals.  In fact, the only other animal she gets along with is this guy, Toby.

(There is no work/happy hour Toby.  He looks like this all the time.) 

Toby is Terri's other dog.  She adopted him when she was in college.  Toby is some sort of heeler shepherd mix, which pretty much means he can chase a ball for 23 hours straight.  During the one hour he is willing to rest, he will demand your pillow.  Don't try to move him.  He will growl at you.  He's got one brown eye and one crazy blue eye.  He refuses to walk on a leash.  But I guess that works for some gals because Tippy will not attack Toby and only Toby.  As such, Terri has had to stop at just two dogs.  I have had, for many years, a theory about all of this.  I think God saw Terri coming (of course He did!).  I think He knew her heart (of course He did!) and knew where it was headed.  And so He sent Tippy.  Otherwise, like I said, 78 dogs. 

When Moses was getting ready to hand things over to Joshua, Moses reassured Joshua, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" Deuteronomy 30:8.  God knows who we are and who we're meant to be.  His word assures us that as much as He stands beside us today, He also goes before us with plans for us to prosper, to give us a future and a hope; to make the rough places smooth; the crooked ways straight.  The Lord that moved before Joshua and Moses also comforted His disciples, "In my Father's house there are many rooms...I am going there to prepare a place for you" John 14:2.  Our Father's house is one of many rooms indeed.  Enough for 78 or 79 dogs easily.  He knows the best and the worst of each of us and wants us in those rooms anyway.  We praise you, Lord, that as you have stood with us in the past and as stand with us today, you also move before us, in hope and in mercy, to prepare a way for us on earth and a home with you in heaven.  XOXO...Kelly

It's a Beaver.

If you're not from around these parts or even if you are and you've just never stopped at a Buc-ee's you are missing out.  For those not so familiar with the friendly beaver beacon of the highway, Buc-ee's is a chain of convenience stores owned by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III and Don Wasek.  The business partners opened their first store in Lake Jackson in 1982 and have since gone on to open 20 more in Texas (like we needed one more reason to be the most awesome state in the union).  As far as rest stops go they are amazing.  They are well-stocked, well-staffed and freakishly clean.  Their gift section is so amazing that my sister, Terri, plans to do all of her Christmas shopping at Buc-ee's this year.  But the best thing about Buc-ee's....okay, second best since clean bathrooms is a pretty big priority...are the Beaver Nuggets.  Beaver Nuggets are what would happen if a Cheetos puff mated with Crunch-n-Munch and the cheese part didn't make the DNA cut.  As far as snacks go they are amazing.  Every time I buy a bag I eat the whole thing.  Once my sister bought a bag and I ate hers, too.  They are delicious.  And I'm sure loaded with vitamins and fiber.  I don't know.  I'm afraid to read the label.  Anyhooo.....the thing about Beaver Nuggets is that I never mean to eat the whole bag.  I intend to ration it.  But as it sits on the kitchen counter I grab a handful on my way to the laundry room.  And then back to the living room.  And then to the pantry.  And the backyard and so on and so on until, in the matter of a day or two, I have consumed the whole bag.  Sin sort of works the same way.  No one wakes up looking to make a huge mistake, but one misstep here, another there.  One compromise leads to another and before we know it the bag is empty.  Each small handful of actions has turned into a huge collection of problems and God seems very much left out.  Any nutrition professional will tell you that the key to eating healthier is to pay attention to all the little extras that by the end of the day really start to add up.  The same concept applies to our spiritual health.  One explicit lyric here and there may not seem like much but an entire album of them?  An entire season of television shows full of affairs, murder and deceit?  How can we not be affected by all that?  It's a slippery slope to sin (or in this case a crunchy, buttery, sweet slope), but rest assured God will always be waiting at the bottom waiting to tip the decline back up in your favor.  He is the ultimate Alka Seltzer for your bag of Beaver Nuggets (I may have just taken this analogy too far).  "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" Philippians 4:8.  Put your mind on all the very good and wonderful things Christ has put before us and work like a beaver on a dam to keep it there.  But should you start to waver (and we always do) know that there is no distance so far for you to travel that God will not and can not pull you back to His side.  It is the gift of grace and it is for each one of us.  XOXO...Kelly

P.S. Terri...I want some Beaver Nuggets for Christmas.    

It's July 4!! Puppies and diamonds for everyone!!!

I will admit I've never had strong feelings about July 4 before.  Well, with two exceptions.  One year we got to bring a puppy home from our annual 4th of July family celebration.  That was awesome!  Kevin also proposed to me on July 4.  That was really awesome!  If he'd given me a puppy along with the proposal that would have been really, really awesome.  But I digress....  Clearly neither of those two events--awesome as they were--had anything to do with the actual spirit behind July 4, which is, of course, to celebrate the independence of this great nation (and it is great!!) and all the blessings thereof.  Then yesterday morning happened.  It had been quite a week for the nation, I think.  Lots of emotions running high after Wednesday's news both in Texas and in DC.  No matter which side of the issues you sit on there is certainly lots to pray about.  So our anthem in church that morning, Heal Our Land, was more than fitting.  And following the anthem (and sermon, etc.) our church also recognized the various individuals and teams serving on mission trips this summer.  The crowd at the altar was overwhelming and, as we prayed over them, I could not help but start to cry.  As a youth director mission trips were part of my job.  I never considered myself particularly passionate about mission work, which is okay.  We all have different spiritual gifts.  But plan them, execute them and serve on them I did.  And I can say with full confidence that I have never, never, never done a mission project, whether a day or a week, that did not change my life in some way.  So while mission trips and July 4 don't seem to go much together either they have everything to do with each other!  What better way do we have to celebrate the freedom and independence of our citizenship than to reach out as God's hands and feet and put healing into action?  We are free to share our faith, to share our resources, to share our lives with one another.  Whatever the issues are, God sits with the people on both sides of them.  I don't know when I'll get the chance to serve on a mission trip again.  The kids are so young right now (and there are so many of them!), but I will get out there again some day.  And if you've never done it or even if it's just been a while find an opportunity and go for it.  We praise you, God, for the freedom from sin we find in you and the freedoms we enjoy in this nation.  Let us not waste the opportunity to exercise those freedoms and step out in faith to be Your Healing in this land.  Amen!  XOXO....Kelly