Over the course of a couple hours my Labrador went from coal black to chocolate brown. Each round of chase and wrestle through our winter worn yard with our neighbor’s dog added yet another layer of red clay dust to Adi’s coat. I knew I couldn’t usher her into the house in this state, so …
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2 Our Labrador has interacted with people of all ages her entire life. It’s her interaction with children that always gives me pause to watch, wonder, and learn. From the moment Adi arrived in our home as a wee puppy she …
“The steps of a man are ordered by the Lord who takes delight in his journey” -Psalm 37:23 My Lab is a trail dog, meaning that when we're out hiking, the trail laid out before her is the path she travels. The visibility of these hiking trails varies with terrain and seasons. Trails through the …
Continue reading A Leaf Covered Trail: A Lesson on Walking by Faith
"If we live by the Spirit let us also keep in step with the Spirit."- Galatians 5:25, NIV In the world of education, I am what you would call a visual learner. This means a picture or illustration gives me a deeper understanding of a concept. The God who created me knows this. So, He …
"Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."- Psalm 90:14 I am a night owl. Years ago, I learned the value of waking before the household not because I want to but because I am a better mama, wife, and overall person …
Do you see what I see? Do you hear what I hear? Do you smell what I smell? Walking with Adi and her littermate Nova is like watching a choreographed dance of stop and start. One will be moving forward while the other stops to investigate a smell. The other circles back to check out …
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:18 Enter our home and you will be eagerly greeted by a Labrador Retriever. Greet her and she’ll trot off and return with a gift just for you- a shoe. When Adi began bringing us shoes as a …
"The sheep listen to his [the shepherd’s] voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” -John 10:3 With fall colors beginning to emerge and the temperatures cooling, I decided to take my Lab for a long morning hike. Pulled forward by the rich smells of the trail, Adi moved a fair …
"...Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things." -Philippians 4:8 Sometimes it takes owning a Lab to realize how many twigs, sticks, and branches a tree sheds on a daily basis. For Adi, tree debris is a source …
Dogs have a natural inclination to chew. Fortunately, our Lab falls into the category of moderate chewer. This means she doesn’t immediately destroy what she chews. Nor will she chew on just anything. Once Adi passed the puppy teething phase, she selected a deer antler as her chew of choice. Slow and methodical are the …
