The Arizona Trail can be a fairly busy thoroughfare on fair weather days. Some folks are thru-hikers trekking the entire 800 mile Trail from Mexico to Utah. Most people I come across are just out for some woodsy exercise, and a fair number of them have dogs.
Dogs come in all sizes and temperament's. In six weeks of hiking various sections of the Trail, I think there's only one dog who looked at me in an unfriendly way as its owner kept a very taut leash. Sometimes you'll see the same dog twice on an out-and-back section of an adjoining trail. One dog growled at me the first time and seemed happy to see me the second time around. Don't judge a dog on first impressions (or growls!)
Some dogs love attention. I read once where dogs love to be hugged. Whenever I'm pretty sure that a dog won't attempt to remove my nose when I get too close, I bend down and give a dog-hug. Yesterday two ladies were being lead by a happy three-legged dog on a leash. They were coming down the trail toward me and this dog looked happy! That dog reached into my heart and brought up a happiness that spread throughout my entire body!
So what did I say to the three-legged dog? "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!" Those words just leaped out of my mouth straight from my heart. I never asked the two ladies why their dog had only three legs. I didn't pity a poor dog missing one of its limbs. The beauty of the moment of being happy in the middle of the forest was all that mattered.
I said it several more times, "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!" I got down on my knees with a smile and gave a dog-hug. The dog and I smiled in each others eyes as we got nose to nose. The dog gave me a ton of air-kisses with its tongue as the tail wagged like a tree branch in a wind storm.
Both of the ladies smiled. One of them said, "He needs to hear that!" I gave the dog appreciation and approval just the way he was. God loves us like that - unconditionally. There is a time to ask about an apparent deformity, and there is a time to ignore a deformity. Some folks need an outlet to share their tragedy, and some want to be seen as normal people who've overcome and continue to persevere through a hard time.
My approach is not the only correct approach when you meet an animal or a person who's experienced hardship. I think the key is to love everyone as they are, unconditionally. Go the extra mile and let your encouraging words be like a hug that gives acceptance. Be real, be authentic, don't be afraid to get personal. If you get rejected, it's okay - it may be a wound that you're the first person who's applied healing words. They may have a history of being stabbed in the back by everyone they've allowed within close proximity to their heart. Show love in what you do and say, unconditionally - don't expect a response to your words of love. They may be received now appreciatively, or they may be rejected only to become seeds of gratitude sometime later in life and you won't see it.
Dogs come in all sizes and temperament's. In six weeks of hiking various sections of the Trail, I think there's only one dog who looked at me in an unfriendly way as its owner kept a very taut leash. Sometimes you'll see the same dog twice on an out-and-back section of an adjoining trail. One dog growled at me the first time and seemed happy to see me the second time around. Don't judge a dog on first impressions (or growls!)
Some dogs love attention. I read once where dogs love to be hugged. Whenever I'm pretty sure that a dog won't attempt to remove my nose when I get too close, I bend down and give a dog-hug. Yesterday two ladies were being lead by a happy three-legged dog on a leash. They were coming down the trail toward me and this dog looked happy! That dog reached into my heart and brought up a happiness that spread throughout my entire body!
So what did I say to the three-legged dog? "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!" Those words just leaped out of my mouth straight from my heart. I never asked the two ladies why their dog had only three legs. I didn't pity a poor dog missing one of its limbs. The beauty of the moment of being happy in the middle of the forest was all that mattered.
I said it several more times, "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!" I got down on my knees with a smile and gave a dog-hug. The dog and I smiled in each others eyes as we got nose to nose. The dog gave me a ton of air-kisses with its tongue as the tail wagged like a tree branch in a wind storm.
Both of the ladies smiled. One of them said, "He needs to hear that!" I gave the dog appreciation and approval just the way he was. God loves us like that - unconditionally. There is a time to ask about an apparent deformity, and there is a time to ignore a deformity. Some folks need an outlet to share their tragedy, and some want to be seen as normal people who've overcome and continue to persevere through a hard time.
My approach is not the only correct approach when you meet an animal or a person who's experienced hardship. I think the key is to love everyone as they are, unconditionally. Go the extra mile and let your encouraging words be like a hug that gives acceptance. Be real, be authentic, don't be afraid to get personal. If you get rejected, it's okay - it may be a wound that you're the first person who's applied healing words. They may have a history of being stabbed in the back by everyone they've allowed within close proximity to their heart. Show love in what you do and say, unconditionally - don't expect a response to your words of love. They may be received now appreciatively, or they may be rejected only to become seeds of gratitude sometime later in life and you won't see it.
"I may understand all the secret things of God and all knowledge
and I may have faith so great that I can move mountains.
But even with all these things,
if I do not have love, then I am nothing.
I may give everything I have to feed the poor.
And I may even give my body as an offering to be burned.
But I gain nothing by doing these things if I do not have love.
Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous,
it does not brag, and it is not proud.
Love is not rude,
is not selfish,
and does not become angry easily.
Love does not remember wrongs done against it.
Love takes no pleasure in evil,
but rejoices over the truth.
Love patiently accepts all things.
It always trusts,
always hopes,
and always continues strong."
1 Corinthians 13:2-7 ICB
Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
November 11, 2019
9:04 AM MST
#ywap4God
#JLYASDW
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