Summer. The season of swimming, cook-outs, vacations and . . . shedding. The warmer temperatures trigger my lab and every other dog with a double coat to begin blowing their protective undercoat. Basically, that means copious amounts of fur are coming off these dogs daily for a period of several weeks.
Coat blowing time arrives with a sign. Adi’s normally smooth coat takes on a ragged look as dead hairs begin poking out every which way. My suspicion is confirmed by running my hand down her back and ending with a fistful of fur. If I don’t begin a daily grooming regiment, she’ll be spewing hair all over the place making a mess on everybody and everything.
Grooming Adi takes work. Her body doesn’t readily hand over that undercoat. With the use of a curry and pin brush, I have to work to loosen the dead hairs before they’re willing to give themselves up to a slicker brush or comb. By the end of a grooming session, a nice pile of fur has accumulated and is ready for disposal. With time and energy Adi’s coat resumes its sleek appearance.
During one of Adi’s grooming sessions, it dawned on me that shedding isn’t exclusive to my dog. God also calls me into a season of shedding. Rather than fur, He’s working on me to shed the set of lies that coat my heart and mind. Lies that have grown out of life’s experience. Lies like I’m insignificant or motherhood isn’t as important as a career. Lies that get in the way of my ability to love the Lord, love others, and love myself. Lies that hinder the work God has designed for me to do. Lies that take work to be removed.
In His steadfast love, the Lord takes on the job. Using His Word of truth carried forth by the Bible, Christian writers, lyricists, trusted friends and family, the Lord begins to uproot and remove those lies. In time a new coat of truth begins to grow in its place.
Has shedding season come for you? Is it time for you to blow a coat of lies? Then I encourage you to turn to the Lord and his Word of truth.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32
© 2019-2023, Lessons from a Lab, Beth Alisan. All Rights Reserved.
Lessons from a Lab 
Beautifully written. I find shedding this time of the year is a good thing. New season, start fresh. Leaves too, shed from their trees, and start fresh. It is Gods way of saying we can start over. This August has tried my patience in many ways. Glad I can shed the month and move forward. As always, Beth, I find solace in your writings and teachings.
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Thank you! I love that you are moving forward into the new school year with a fresh coat. God is so good to give us fresh beginnings.
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I’m in a shedding season and it’s a tough one. I have not been shedding this dead layer very willing as I must forgive something I recently discovered I have been filtering all things through but Thank you as reading this God gave me a very loving image. He’s so loving and patient.
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Summer, Thank you so very much for taking the time to share this with me. I love that you are seeing God’s loving and patient character in this difficult season and that He spoke directly to your heart!
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May our shedding seasons continue as we are made perfect through our savior!
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Amen!
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So true. Thanks! It amazing how deceptive the lies I hear can infiltrate my thought patterns and cause hardening of the heart. One of the biggest lies is to think I can do this and that without God’s help. This makes me my own god. The original sin of Adam and Eve is never far away.
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That original sin is never far away from any of us. That lie of self-reliance is one I struggle with as well.
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