30lbs of poop…that gets your attention, right? Bailey & Rocky are at it again. In fact my morning began dark and early at 4:10am with Rocky barking and Bailey nudging my hand and side because they wanted to EAT. Now my friends, these dogs could go a WEEK without food because the day before they ate an ENTIRE 20lb bag of dog food!!! Did I mention this in another blog? Well, if I didn’t it’s because something more serious took precedent. But yes, 20 lbs…no lie. They could hardly fit through a door their stomachs were HUGE. And that’s where we ended up with not just a mine field in the backyard but so much poo you could hear the grass screaming out to be saved from suffocation. So I went and bought Neal a nifty new pooper scooper, the kind that you can squeeze the handle and it opens up the mouth of the scoop and there is no actual ‘labor’ into the dirty deed. Well, guess who ATE the pooper scooper??!!
Ugh…where is that dog whisperer when I need him most?
I digress because that is not how God showed up in my day nor can I say I found some great message in that 30lbs of poop Neal picked up. What I can say about my day is that I was given the great gift of being surrounded all day in various situations with beautiful women of God. Oh, I know, if you are not ‘religious‘ (as my brother likes to call me with a not so small drawl of disdain) then a statement like that could seem quite fake and surface. However, being a child of God and having come to a realization that I am a child of God and that I am worthy of His love and that we are all His children then yes, every woman I was with today is a woman of God and the great blessing was to spend time with them and receive the gift of joy through laughter, validation, and let’s not forget amazing food! (AHA but I did stay on my Body for Life plan…yes…I am being good).
And I just ended the evening surrounded by a few close girlfriends listening to a friend’s talk for a retreat that she is teaming this weekend. It wasn’t surprising to have God whisper in my ear as she was gifting us with her experiences and wisdom. That is why we women talk so much! We learn from each other and we learn to lift each other up, to save one another from our own past mistakes. I will drill that in over and over again I’m certain, because I know that every time I receive a nugget of truth from a sister (or brother) in Christ that is humbling themselves to be honest about where they’ve been and how God has led them to His light I know that the only way for any of us not to judge OR to fall again is to be that support and encouragement to live in His light.
Today was a good day. Not even 30 lbs of poop can smother the joy.
Tomorrow I will be attending a retreat with our Faith Formation Office in Houston…it is an overnight retreat and there is no internet so I will not be able to get day 35 in tomorrow night, I’ll team it up with day 36. But I will be praying for you and please pray for me!
Blessings
Shannon