Lost and found

My teddy bear was small, white and fluffy. He had no distinguishing features and didn't wear an outfit. He was just a simple little bear, but I was attached to him.
That is, until the day I lost him in the grocery store. At least, I thought that's where I last had him. I must have been three or four when my beloved bear went missing. I was sure the last place I had been carrying him was the grocery store, so my parents went back to check the lost and found. But no luck. They combed the store looking in the aisles and shelves, but he wasn't there either. After leaving their names and numbers with the service desk, my parents had to give up their search. They kept looking elsewhere, covering every square inch of the house and car, but that bear was no where to be found.
I was brokenhearted to lose my dear bear. My parents replaced him with another white stuffed animal, but it would never be the same. The new bear wasn't "my bear." My bear was gone forever.
My precious bear didn't have any monetary value. He wasn't a special edition or an antique. He didn't come from a designer store or even a Build-A-Bear Workshop where he would have been given a name and his own red heart. No, my bear was precious because he was mine. I loved him because I had claimed him and made him my very own.

That, my friend, is how God sees you, too. You are His precious, beloved child. You may not feel precious. Maybe you just feel ordinary, like a bear bought at the CVS checkout counter. But let me assure you, God has no ordinary children. He has chosen you and made you His own.
Just think about that...the maker of all the earth, the One who has put every star in the sky and makes the sun rise and set, has chosen you! Before you were even born He chose to love you and make you His very own. He has numbered every hair on your head and knows your very thoughts. To God you are worth more than silver or gold. You are His beloved white teddy bear. He loves you deeply.
When you and I go astray or become lost God yearns for us, just like I longed to find my missing bear. God does just what my parents and I did: He searches for us; He seeks us out. But unlike my lost bear who I had to give up searching for, God never ever gives up looking for us. He doesn't go out and buy another replacement for His lost child. There is no replacement to be had! So He never gives up His search and rescue efforts for that one precious, lost child. He never ceases in His search.
If you have never come to put your belief, trust and faith in Jesus Christ then God is still looking for you. Won't you come out of your hiding place? He is longing for you and searching for you. Today, right now, you can end that search. You can be found in Christ Jesus by repenting of your sins and declaring Jesus Christ as your risen Savior who died on the cross to forgive you of all your sins.The God of the universe is looking for you. He sent His one and only Son to save you. That is how precious and special you are to God. The love He has for you is so great that He will never give up searching for you. He will seek you out until you are found because you are His beloved "teddy bear" and there is no other that could ever replace you.

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?"
Luke 15:8

Dream love

Dreams are a curious phenomenon and sometimes they can be a bit troubling. This morning I awoke with one of those unsettling dreams that leaves you wondering, "Where did that come from?" and "What does that mean?"
In my dream I was engaged to a man. In the dream I obviously knew him and wanted to marry him but he is not someone I know in this life. The dream took place in what seemed to be a massive park shelter filled with picnic tables, friends and family. I was sitting in the back and my fiancé was up front, in front of another girl who was parading around on a makeshift stage that was the focal point of the room. During the dream I was aware that this event was supposed to be a wedding shower but there was a problem with the celebration. The guests seemed to think that the couple with the impending marriage was not my fiancé and ME, but my fiancé and the girl parading around up front. Even during the dream I knew there was something terribly wrong taking place. Words weren't even exchanged, but I knew that my fiancé was leaving me for another woman at our wedding shower!
I'm not sure how long I spent watching this scene unfold until I bolted out of the camp shelter and into a nearby home. My "fiancé" never came after me. Next thing I knew it I was packing my bags and getting ready to flee. Then I woke up.
In the still of the night my eyes abruptly popped open. Where on earth did that dream come from? I was perplexed. I still am perplexed. I haven't been knowingly pinning for a fiancé or even a date and the last broken relationship I had was over three years ago. There is no fresh love triangle trauma to ignite such a startling dream. So what does all of this mean?
Sometimes I wish I had the dream-interpreting talents of Joseph. I wish I could hear this twisted tale and explain the hidden truth behind the strange scenario. But, alas, I am not Joseph. I am just Stephanie, a girl with uninterpreted perplexing dreams.
The precise meaning of my dream I can't claim to understand but there is certainly an important truth found in this convoluted tale. God's love is faithful. The love of a man, even a man in a dream, can prove utterly unfaithful. Lovers can leave us without warning and without explanation. Friends can abandon us. The relationships that we enjoy one day can be lost the next, changing as quickly as the winds.
The only one who never changes is God. He is the only one who will never, ever leave us.
You and I have been hurt and betrayed by the abandonment of the people we loved and trusted. We put our hearts on the line, revealed our vulnerabilities and gave of our love. Then that person took our precious heart and stomped on it, threw it in the trash or simply let it fall to the ground as if it meant nothing at all. The sting of abandonment is excruciating. Being betrayed is devastating.
Haven't we all experienced this kind of rejection? Haven't we all been hurt by someone we trusted wholeheartedly?
The love of a man or a friend is always flawed. There is no perfect human love. It simply doesn't exist. There is only one Love that is perfect - never betraying, never hurting, never abandoning. The love of God is the only completely faithful love that will never disappoint us. 
Lamentations 3:22-23 proclaims the truth of perfect love. "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." In the Lord we find the love that this world can never provide. He alone is the perfect lover of our souls. The love He lavishes on us is unconditional and constant. He won't suddenly leave us. The nightmare of being rejected at the wedding shower, or worse still, at the alter, is a concern the beloved of God don't have to even consider. He will never walk away from you. His love doesn't shift with the wind and it doesn't have a wandering eye. His love for you and for me is constant, from now until the end of time.
There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. The beautiful truth of His love is that even when we don't deserve it and even when we've abandoned and betrayed Him, He hasn't given up on us. He is still waiting with open arms to welcome us back into relationship with Him. Unlike in my dream when I ran away when my heart as broken, God doesn't run. His steadfast love is so secure that not even our betrayal can shake His faithfulness. 
The only perfect love story is the one written about God and the love He has for His children. All other dream weddings and "happily ever afters" can turn into a nightmare. A groom can run away and a fiancé can ask for his shiny diamond ring back. But God will never leave. We never have to worry that He will abandon or betray our trust. He will never break our delicate hearts. His perfect love remains forever.

REAL love

Love changes everything.
Correction: REAL love changes everything. Real love transforms lives, restores relationships and adjusts attitudes. Real love provides hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the downtrodden and strength to the weary. Real love pours out grace and patience. Real love breaks into the utter darkness and showers it in light.
So what is real love? 1 John 4:10 tells us. "This is real love--not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." The true love that can have the power to change our lives is only found in one place, in one person: Jesus Christ on the cross.
Before we were redeemed, while we were lost in the deep darkness and despair of sin, God loved us. We didn't love Him. In fact, we mocked Him and disobeyed Him - all of us, no exceptions. Even the most upright of individuals was born sinful. It is the inescapable nature of man. We are born in a broken relationship with God, living in outright rebellion to Him. 
Still, His love for us never has and never will waver. His love isn't based on reciprocation. He has never needed His children to love Him first in order that He will show them love. Before we loved Him, while we were still bound for eternal separation, He made a way for our salvation through Jesus Christ. He sent perfection to cover our imperfection. He sent love to cover our hate. He sent the only One who was blameless to wipe away our rebellion.
This transaction was entirely one way. We didn't do anything right to receive such a priceless, unmatched gift. As lost sinners we received a free path out of the life of eternal separation from God. He came and paved a way for us. We didn't have to ask for it and we could never earn it. Yet, God loved us enough save us. He loved us in our brokenness and sinfulness before we ever loved Him in return. 
Jesus is real love in flesh and blood. He is the atoning sacrifice that covers all of our transgressions. His love transforms us from black, rotten sinners to redeemed children of God clothed in righteousness. The blood of Jesus Christ removes the blinders from our eyes so that we can see our need for a Savior and the One who can provide that saving grace. 

Real love has come in the cry of a baby and the death of a blameless, perfect lamb on the cross of calvary. The love poured out for you and I is the only real, true love. We can have it in abundance. We can live in its glorious light each and every day of our lives. It starts with our own admission that we have no love apart from Christ. We are nothing but disobedient, hate-filled, rebellious sinners without the blood of Jesus Christ. We need His gift of salvation. We are desperate for His real love. 

God's love has already been poured out for us. He waits with great anticipation for His children to look to the cross and see that He loves them with a perfect, unmatched, unrivaled, unconditional love! 

God is seated in Heaven loving you and I. He longs for us to receive His transformational gift of real love. When we turn to Him our lives will be changed. Our relationships will never be the same. Our attitudes will receive the ultimate adjustment. Our words will be of life. Our eyes will see in clear, bright light. God can do this work in the most wayward of sinners by the power of His love poured out through Jesus Christ. 

No matter how far from His love you have wandered He has never stopped loving you. His love has and always will be unconditional. Look to Him and receive His real love. It will change everything. 

Your Valentine

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and stores are a sea of red and pink, complete with displays of plush teddy bears and candy filled heart boxes. Commercials all over TV and radio are an ode to love and romance. X's and O's are thrown about with reckless abandon. Roses are being ordered by the dozens. Love is in the air.
For the unattached, without a significant other, this can be an unsettling time of year. Everywhere the single turns there is another reminder that they are alone. Flowers, once thought of as fragrant and beautiful, turn into stinking reminders of the bouquet you won't be getting on February fourteenth. The simple formation of a heart produces angst in your own heart as you once again face the fact that the holiday of red and pink is only special if you have someone special to share it with. Valentine's Day becomes not a day of celebration, but a day of survival. Just get through it. Grit your teeth, bear the hoopla and hold your breath until the fifteenth.
The trouble with Valentine's Day is that it creates a pressure to have a significant other, a "someone special". The advertisements promote it. The card industry banks on it. Restaurants are packed because of it. We see Valentine's Day as the day where our worthiness to be loved is put on display. In our flawed, human love we have elevated this day to be the ceremonial proof that yes, we indeed are valued, adored and loved.
There is nothing wrong with expressing love and celebrating love. The joy of love is something to be celebrated. Love is an immense blessing. But love isn't reserved for just Valentine's Day. And its celebration isn't limited to only those with a "special someone." We all have a love worthy of daily, never ceasing, jubilant celebration. Whether or not you are single or you've already celebrated your golden anniversary, beloved, you do have a valentine.
God is our unfailing, perfect valentine. He has declared this love and expressed His devotion in the greatest love letter, the Bible. Jeremiah 31:3 says, "...I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness…" The Bible is full of scriptures proclaiming God's love for us. His love is evident in not only the words found throughout scripture but in the sacrificing of His Son. Through Jesus Christ we received the most perfect gift of love ever given: eternal life. Through the Holy Spirit we are given a constant companion while we journey through life on earth. God's love has provided everything we will ever need or want. He has given us provision while on earth with the promise of perfection in heaven. 
His love is unconditional. We have done nothing to earn it and therefore we can do nothing to lose it. We don't have to win His love. We don't have to question whether or not we will always have His love. The love He has showered on us is forever and always. He has sacrificed everything through giving His perfect, flawless Son to die in our place because He loves us that much. He loves us in spite of the fact that we have strayed from Him and ignored Him. We have offered such flawed, imperfect love yet in His perfection He has never withheld an ounce of His love and goodness from us. 
This is true love. 
Love isn't a box of chocolates in the shape of heart. Love isn't the perfect gold and diamond necklace  presented in a perfectly wrapped velvet box. Love isn't the teddy bear holding a sign displaying the words, "Be Mine."
God is love. 
This Valentine's Day you may find yourself alone, without a date and without a reason to scour the stores for the perfect gift. Still, you have cause for celebration. Your reason for joy isn't in a man or woman, dinner date or the surprise delivery of a dozen red roses. You can celebrate alone, with a fake fern, wearing your PJ's and eating a TV dinner because you have all the love you need in Jesus Christ. 
No matter who you spend Valentine's Day with, celebrate. If you are alone sing a praise to God for the love He has so lavishly poured out on you. If you celebrate in the company of your husband or wife, girlfriend of boyfriend, then share not only your love for each other but the love you have received in the unmatched gift of your Savior. Valentine's Day is the day for love no matter who you are or what your relationship status might be. This Valentine's Day, and every day before and yet to come, you are abundantly, whole-heatedly loved.  This truly is the best reason for great celebration!

Legacy of love

Every time I buy a newspaper I have a certain order in which I peruse the different sections. First, I start with the national headlines. This makes sense because they are right on top. I scroll through the different pages, reading what interests me and skipping what doesn't. I end with the Letters to the Editor and a quick glance of the weather.

Then it is on to the obituaries. Local news can wait. Sports never gets touched. But obituaries take high priority for me when reading the newspaper. 

Reading obituaries might appear a bit morbid but I don't think of it that way. To me, obituaries aren't about death at all. They are actually the exact opposite. They are about life. 

Every obituary is a gold mine of life lessons. The stories are full of community involvement, family ties, dedication to church, fun-filled hobbies and golden anniversaries. In every obituary there is a legacy.

This morning I happened to have yesterday's paper on the counter, untouched except for one lone article cut out for my niece's school assignment. I decided to do my usual scan. I started with the headlines at a rapid clip. I read a Letter to the Editor. And then it was on to obituaries. 

Half way through the page I ran across one that caught my attention. Desiree passed away at the young age of thirty-four. The cause of death wasn't listed and there was no reference to a long fought battle with a terminal illness. The date and age of death were quickly stated and then the legacy was revealed: a "devoted daughter," "loving aunt" and "inseparable sister." Her life was brief but it was profound and beautiful. 

Desiree's story didn't list any awards or accolades. There wasn't an impressive list of schools attended, companies worked for or organizations in which she participated. Her obituary shared a simple legacy of dedicated love. She left a mark on the world by the care she poured out on her family and friends. 

Her tribute, condensed into a small, unassuming paragraph on page B4, provided a glimpse into the understated and often overlooked beauty of a life of love. 

What mattered most to Desiree is something that death can't extinguish: love. She lived in such a way that at the end of her journey she was able to leave behind an indestructible, incorruptible, eternal legacy of love. 

I want to live my life in such a way that I, too, leave a legacy of love. Lists of accomplishments, dollars earned and exotic travels will certainly fill the space on a newspaper page but the influence it will have is fleeting. The legacy of love is anything but fleeting. It is the only legacy that lasts. 

1 Corinthians 13:2 says, If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." 

Every day my actions, words and deeds form the legacy I will one day leave behind. What will that legacy be? It is a question worth asking. Is the legacy I'm leaving a legacy of God's love? Is my legacy one of relentless, unshakable devotion and dedication? 

When my legacy is spoken of, be it tomorrow or fifty years from now, I want it to be undoubtedly one of love. I want to hear the words "devoted daughter," "loving aunt" and "inseparable sister." I don't care if I don't get any letters by my name or impressive awards for outstanding accomplishments. The greatest story that could ever be told about my life will be one of Christ-like love. That is the legacy I want to leave and the life I want to live each and every day. 

An unexpected love story

I loved Puff. She was a good dog.
When I was about three years old Puff entered my life. I don't know if I begged to get a dog or if the idea came from my parents. What I do remember is driving home from the run down, country home that Puff came from. My Mom found a classified ad that listed puppies for sale. They seemed to suit what we were searching for in a family pet. Puff was an American Spitz, a small white fluff ball that would never grow much beyond twenty pounds. As a puppy she was the most adorable ball of fur you have ever seen - stuffed animal sized and all white, with a tiny little face and deep brown eyes. She was an easy sell.
As we drove home from the breeder (a term I use loosely) we threw around different name ideas for our new family member. I do believe "Snow Ball" was a contender for a brief time. But in the end I landed on the name "Puff" and it stuck.
Puff became a staple of our home. She would lay out in the front yard underneath our big tree. She loved to chase teenage boys down the street - she wasn't viscous, she just knew trouble when she saw it. Puff wasn't demanding. When we would leave the house she never appeared phased or dejected. She was content and free, much freer then many pet dogs. She was rarely ever on a leash. Although we had a fence that encompassed the backyard, Puff cleverly maneuvered escape routes. She liked the front yard better. From her perch under the tree she could watch the cars go by and keep an eye on those pesky teenagers. She was our white fluff ball protector. Small, not exactly mighty, but well intentioned none the less.
As a small child, I remember Puff sleeping on the floor by my bed. I suspect this was another act of protection. Somehow, Puff knew I was young and vulnerable. It was her role to look out for me. And she did her job with diligence for sixteen years.
When I was eighteen, after years of mysterious health problems and miraculous healings, Puff went to dog heaven. The day she passed from this earth hit me harder then I had anticipated. There was an emptiness in the house after she left. Sometimes I would imagine that I heard her bark, only to remember that she wasn't her with us anymore. The bark was just my imagination. At other times I would do a double take, thinking I saw her laying in the living room or under the tree in the front yard. She was such an integral part of my childhood, and life up until that point, that I had a hard time adjusting to life without her.
This void wasn't one I had expected. I had loved Puff but never considered myself a dog person. She was the perfect pet for my growing up years. I was always thankful for her steady presence. But in my mind if I ever had another dog it would be many years down the road, maybe when I had my own kids. That was the "right" time to have a dog - when you have a family. At least, that's what I believed.
And then I saw a Schnoodle.
Years later, I came across pictures of a Schnoodle and fell in love with their sweet faces. To top it all off, everyone on the internet raved about their personalities. The deal was sealed when I was on vacation and saw a living, breathing, prancing Schnoodle with his owner on the beach. After talking to the man I was completely sold. I wanted a Schnoodle.
Enter Pippy, and, in turn, this blog. I came home from vacation and within a month was in the car, driving out to another breeder to buy another dog. This time I was the one behind the wheel. This turn of events took me by surprise as much as it did the rest of my family. The girl who never "ooheed" and "awwed" over dogs was dead set on bringing one into her life. I wasn't a dog person but I would soon be a Schnoodle person. More specifically, a Pippy person.
The decision to bring Pippy into my life happened suddenly and in some ways, unexpectedly. I can't explain it, but I knew God was in my decision. The night before I was set to pick her up I began to have doubts. What was I getting myself into? House breaking, restrictions on how often I could travel, vet appointments, flea treatments... the list became overwhelming. Doubts started to rise in my mind. So I prayed. I asked God to either give me peace or somehow slam the door shut - and fast. The next morning at 11:30 I was set to sign on the dotted line and hand over the money. I needed God's direction in a hurry.
His guidance didn't come in an audible voice but it did come. When I awoke the next morning I had a peace that was missing the day before. My doubts had been replaced by anticipation. Of course you know what happened, I drove out and got Pippy.
All you have to do is look back in the archives of this blog to see that the road with Pippy hasn't always been smooth. I have been downright angry with her. I have stormed out on her when she wouldn't listen. At times I cried, regretting the decision to ever get her in the first place. Looking back now I am ashamed at the shortness of my temper and the shortsightedness of the plan God was working out for Pippy and I.
Now I can look back on the last few years with Pippy and see the divine working of God throughout our story. It has been unexpected. But it has been a story of love. Through raising Pippy and sharing my life with her I have grown to love her not because she is cute and not because she is always the perfect companion. She isn't. Sometimes she doesn't listen and at other times she won't come when I call her. She has gotten attached to my Mom when I wanted her to be attached to me. I've felt rejected.
And yet, in all of these experiences, God has grown our love story. No matter how many times I lost my temper, Pippy forgave me. No matter how many times Pippy didn't listen or wouldn't come when called, I still gave her my attention and affection. God has used Pippy to teach me what it is to give love. He's taught me that in the most unexpected of ways He can write a love story.
His story of love isn't dependent on "feelings" or "emotion." His love is bigger than that. It doesn't rely on those wavering conditions. His love is permanent and steady. The journey with Pippy has taught me how this is truly the best love story. This love isn't found in us. It is found in Jesus Christ. Our ability to love isn't dependent on our own stamina and power. It is dependent on His limitless love that knows no boundaries and has no stipulations. 
I never expected God to write a love story in my life using a little dog. A man, sure, I could picture that. A Hallmark Channel worthy story of a fairy tale romance? Sure, I could imagine God doing that. But a little dog who came into my life peeing on the floor and running down the street, refusing to acknowledge her name? That is a love story I hadn't anticipated.
Beloved, this is how God works. He doesn't write the story we expect. He writes one that is infinitely better. He surprises us and shocks us. Each page that lies ahead in the story He writes is a mystery to us. We might think we know what they will contain, but God wants to amaze us. He doesn't want us to know how it all ends. He wants it to be a glorious surprise. 
Your love story might not have come yet. Hold on, just wait for it. It is being written. Get ready because it might not come the way you expect. So expect the unexpected. Anticipate what you cannot even comprehend. God is writing you a love story and who knows, it might even come in the form a dog.

A lesson in love

The sun began to rise on snow-covered Erie, Pennsylvania on another cold January morning. Mornings are always peaceful, especially when the world outside is freezing cold and the warmth of a fireplace (even an electric fireplace) begs to be enjoyed.
This morning was such a morning. Snuggled up in my warm pajamas, I surveyed the ice and snow outside, resting in the comfort of a warm and peaceful house. Pippy was doing the same. She laid all sprawled out on her dog bed on the floor in-between the kitchen and the living room. When she first received her dog bed she had no interest in laying on its padded cushion. Instead, she would lay on the hard wood floor. Despite all of my appeals to get her on the comfy bed, she insisted on staying on the floor.
Then one day the cat discovered the bed. Patches, the elder (and larger) animal in the house, took to the bed immediately. She stepped on top if it, turned around a few times, then laid down and fell fast asleep. Pippy watched in what first seemed to be confusion but then turned to amazement and lastly, I suspect, envy. She hadn't observed how the bed was to be used. Now she saw the benefits of the bed. It did look comfy. She, too, wanted to experience the joy of a soft place to rest.
Ever since the cat moved from the bed Pippy has taken to it like a fish to water. She comes in from her walks and goes to the bed. She finishes eating and goes over to her bed. Just like the cat, she gets on top of it, turns around and then lays down. She's a quick learner and the cat is her guide. Pippy's peaceful mornings are now spent on her dog bed, not on the cold, hard floor, while mine are spent preparing breakfast and reading my daily devotional. The house is always quiet and still.
Until Patches arrives.
Patches is large, yes, but not loud. It isn't Patches that brings commotion to the morning. It's Pippy. When Patches strolls into the kitchen, which she does every morning like clock work around 7:00, Pippy goes wild with excitement. She jumps off her bed, asleep or not it doesn't matter, and runs over to her buddy, Patches. The old cat is immediately showered with love and kisses. Pippy attempts to lick her face. She jumps around her in circles. Her ears flap and her tongue wags. Pippy is thrilled that her cat friend, Patches, has arrived and she greets her with sheer joy.
But poor Pippy, Patches just won't reciprocate. Patches lets out a meow of disgust. Sometimes she actually runs in the opposite direction. Most days she just stops and lets Pippy get all of her excited affection out of the way. Then Patches proceeds to her food and water bowl. After getting her fill, Pippy usually attempts to engage her once again. But Patches has had enough. She walks into a different room, jumps on some piece of furniture that looks inviting and goes back to sleep. She's a cat. This is what they do.
No matter how many times Patches ignores Pippy the routine continues. Pippy continues to love on Patches. And Patches continues to act annoyed.
This morning as the daily drama unfolded I began to see it in a whole new light. Instead of an annoyed cat and an overly excited dog, I saw it as a lesson on how to love.
Now don't misunderstand, I don't think it is beneficial to annoy people with suffocating smothering and obsessive, energetic kisses. Dogs can get away with displays of affection that humans simply cannot. There is, on the other hand, a lesson to be learned from the relentless love that Pippy showers on Patches. No matter how many times Patches ignores her, Pippy still shows Patches love. Pippy never receives reciprocation from Patches and yet she doesn't let that stop her from continuing to love. Pippy's love is not dependent on Patches' reaction. Pippy love Patches regardless of the love she receives in return.
A question arose for me to ask myself: do I love with this same passion and dedication? Is my love that unconditional? Do I love the people that don't show me love in return? Do I love the people who are hard to love?
Pippy's love reminded me of Luke 6:32, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them."
Somehow Pippy understands this principle and no one had to teach it to her! She loves Patches, a cat who shows her no love in return, with a love that is undying and unshakable. How easy would it be for Pippy to stay on her bed instead of greeting Patches in the morning? After all, her bed is comfortable and it isn't as if Patches seems to care all that much about receiving the greeting anyhow. That doesn't stop Pippy. Ever morning she continues to love Patches.
That little dog of mine never ceases to amaze me, teaching me valuable lessons and challenging me to put my faith into action. I've read about loving the unlovable thousands of times. The scriptures that teach "love your enemies" are familiar to every child who ever attended Sunday school. Yet, I am quick to forget. I often catch myself withholding love from those who don't show me love in return or for those who don't show love the way I would like them to. I allow my love to become dependent on the person I'm loving.
Jesus tells me to love no matter who it is or what I receive in return. Why? Because in loving others I am not displaying the goodness in my own heart but I am displaying the love of Jesus Christ acting through me. If Christ dwells in my heart then His love will pour out through me because He IS love.
His love is not dependent on the good we terrible sinners can obtain. If we had to work for His love we would never be able to attain it. No, His love is freely given, a gift that we can choose to accept through His sacrifice of death on a cross.
When we accept Jesus Christ's gift of salvation we receive the indwelling of His love through the Holy Spirit. The love He gives is unconditional and overwhelming. Through the indwelling of His love in our hearts we are able to share that love. He spreads His love to the lost through us when we allow ourselves to be vessels used for His glory.
Pippy showed me how to be that vessel  this morning as she poured out unconditional love on an old cat who couldn't care less. Pippy loved her anyway. My prayer today is that I would love like Pippy loves: passionately, wholeheartedly and without ceasing. When I love, may I love not on my own strength but through the limitless power of Jesus Christ who dwells in my heart.