Fabric that has a specific repeating pattern on it has what is called a repeat. This is the measurement required to encompass the entire subject of that print. For instance a floral design needs to include an entire group of flowers within a certain number of inches before it begins the next set. The number of inches is known as the repeat. Because of this factor, caution must be exercised when making things such as curtains, that the seamstress does not inadvertently cut the print in such a way as to not include it in its entire repeat. It simply would not do to have flowers decapitated by a poorly planned hem! Thus the planning and execution of the cutting needs to take the repeat into consideration. Similarly, if too large a repeat occurs on a fabric to be used on a small set of curtains the design will be broken and possibly look like nothing more than patches of color without form or theme. Simply stated, if you cannot see enough of the design, you will not be able to identify the subject.

Likewise because we only see a small part of God’s plan, it can often seem random, unplanned and/or downright uncomfortable. What is needed is to step back farther and farther until the entire picture falls into focus and becomes clear. With a human being, when it comes to the things of God this simply is not possible. With that in mind it is best not to ponder too long and waste time with questions that can neither be answered nor understood. 

More often than not, when we persue our own plans, we fail to take God’s repeat into consideration, inadvertently cutting away and discarding parts of the beautiful print and altering His grand design for our lives. 

Faith that God has it all figured out leads to the peace that passes all understanding. Father, please never stop reminding me of this.

As I was reading about the temptation of Jesus I was stricken by the fact that the three major components of His being were tested.  His body was tempted by turning stones to bread, His mind by the thought of jumping from the high pinnacle and being rescued by God, and His spirit by the offer of power should He agree to bow down to Satan.  Mind, body and Spirit demonstrated once again as being inextricably intertwined. 

The temptation in the desert marked the beginning of the ministry of Jesus which would culminate in the saving Word of the Gospel. If Jesus had failed the initial trial, I dare say, He would never have made it to the cross.   This was never really a risk, however, because God already knew that Jesus would not fail.  Perhaps the temptation was not so much about seeing what Jesus would do, but rather showing us what WE should do and how to put Satan in his place. 

It seems to me the war was won before the first battle began, in that very moment when Jesus chose to defy the enemy in favor of God’s way.  Perhaps it is that way for us as well.  The best time to snuff out the temptation to sin is when it is just a smoldering suggestion, a whim, a fancy....for even the most heinous of sins has it’s small beginning within the dark recesses of the mind. 

For every beast of the forest is Mine,
The cattle on a thousand hills. Psalm 50:10

A thought suddenly occurred to me this week. Of all the animals God created, dogs are the only ones who regularly and consistently show emotion toward humans. A dog is always happy to see it’s human, even when only having been apart for a few minutes. Most dogs, in fact, if not ruined by cruel or uncaring people, will happily greet most anyone, with a degree of enthusiasm that is unparalleled in the human and animal world. That enthusiasm begins early on as young puppies are not only accepting of but drawn TO humans. Dogs are never too tired or too busy to greet you, nor are they ever in bad moods. 

The image of President George HW Bush’s dog, Sully, laying near his casket, standing guard and mourning the loss of his master stands out in my mind. Yes, animal behaviorists along with anyone else who has ever witnessed it, know that dogs  grieve the loss of canine and especially human companions. This grief can go on for days or weeks.....sometimes years. There is a famous case of a dog who waited for several years at a train stop for his master to return. While it had been the practice of the dog named Hachi, to accompany his master every day to the train and meet him every night after work, one day his master suffered a heart attack and never returned.The dog faithfully continued to wait for his master every afternoon at the stop for years until he too finally died. The man’s family who had to go to the train stop every night to retrieve Hachi, found him curled up under a train. He had literally died waiting for his beloved master to return. There are numerous other instances recorded where dogs visited or even laid on their human’s grave for years until their own deaths.

Dogs have given their lives for their owners. I once read of a golden retriever who rescued his elderly master by dragging him up a steep embankment while the man held his collar. Later the beloved dog had to be put down because all the muscles in his neck had been irreparably damaged by this heroic act. How excruciating this must have been for the dog who selflessly died saving his Human. 

Dogs can be trained to lead the blind, to pick up dropped items and open doors for the disabled. But it’s more than training, they happily do it. All dogs want to serve, the training just develops their mental skills and shows them how to do it. They go into nursing homes and bring love and comfort to lonely people when their own families have abandoned them. They visit cancer wards and somehow know just the right thing to do to bring smiles to the faces of children who are suffering, sad, and sometimes dying. 

Cats are nice and many are affectionate, but it is usually on a cats terms. Horses have served mankind and can develop bonds with their owners, but do not display the species wide level of enthusiasm and affection that dogs do. And did you know that dogs are the ONLY animals that follow the human point? It’s true. And they don’t need to be taught, they just do it. One day I learned that fact on a documentary about dogs and I thought, that can’t be true. So I pointed at something and sure enough...Lacy looked at it! This dog, who I watch like a hawk, was capable of a behavior I had failed to recognized for years! I wonder how often people fail to recognize the unique abilities and the value of their dogs? 

Even chimps, which are said to be as smart as 5 year old humans, cannot follow a human point. In fact, a dog will even follow his masters eyes. Science has proven this with sophisticated equipment which can record a dogs eye movements. A dog is unique among animals whereby he can look at an object that he wants (like his food dish), then look at his owner, then back at his food dish. In other words, he has figured out how to let his human know what he needs. Or he sits at a door when he needs to go out. Lacy will paw at my knee or my blanket when she wants to get under the covers. She stares at me when she needs something....usually it’s because I am late to feed her...but she knows how to get my attention. This is totally unlike the gaze she has on me as her eyes follow my every move. That is the gaze that tells me that I am her whole world. I am not sure how, but she has figured out ways of looking at me that communicate a different feeling or need. No other animal in God’s creation can do that. 

So...I find myself pondering over all this and ask...just why are dogs so unique and how did they get this way? Occam’s Razor principle suggests that the simplest explanation is likely the correct one. The simplest answer is GOD MADE THEM that way. I dare go so far as to say that dogs are a gift to mankind. If a person doesn’t have a dog that is devoted to them as Lacy is to me or if you are not a disabled person who is helped to live a more normal life by a service dog, or if your life has never been saved by a canine companion, you may not agree. But for those of us us who have experienced the wonder, there is no question that God has given us a gift. As is the case with any gift, it should be appreciated lest I hurt the feelings of the Giver of the gift. Therefore, I try to remember to thank God every day for my dog Lacy. My doctor says that she is even helping to keep me alive right now. I am just happy for the fact that she is always with me, always loves me and is vastly improving my quality of life. I cannot say the same for many people. But I CAN say the same exact thing about Jesus. He is always with me, always loves me and IS my quality of life. That is certainly something to ponder. 

Lord, God, from the very bottom of my heart and the depths of my soul, thank you for my precious dog....and all dogs.