Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Scars
























On the right side of Barley's nose is a small scar, one that testifies to a fight with a larger dog, the fight that caused his former owner to vow that Barley wouldn't spend another night in that house.  And so, almost 2 years ago, in the nick of time, he came to us.  Last night as he laid on his bed, his tennis ball safely ensconced under his chin, I noticed that wound, long healed, and I smiled, not about the pain that caused it, but because that's what made him ours.

There are scars in my life too, visible and invisible, healed and healing.  Some were self inflicted, and some put there by circumstances, or other people.  There are wounds that have caused me to seek God.  And I think that God, when He looks down on me, though He hates the pain that caused my scars, smiles too, because those are the scars that brought me to Himself.

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees.  
Psalm 119:71



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Inspired by Ann Voskamp's excellent book, One Thousand Gifts,
I'm starting my own list of God Given Joy:

1.  Barley's scar
2.  Don's warm feet between cold sheets




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