Still Learning

Around the time I got married, a sweet friend of mine shared this verse with me:

"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength."

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NKJ)

During the first three years of marriage, my Bible flipped open to this verse on its own. I clung to it. When my mind wandered, when I wanted to trust in myself, I said this verse in my head. PEACE, perfect peace, was for the one whose mind was fixed on the Lord. The one who trusted in Him.

I assumed that when dental school was over, peace would come more naturally. I would find a new verse to get me through.

WRONG.

Those first months in Kansas were long. The days dragged on and were completely focused on me. I swung from one mood to the next, fighting off tears, anger, and even happiness. I longed for attention, friendship, and direction, but I would not allow myself to take control of my emotions to return to a normal state of mind. Instead, I gave into the feelings that were wrong and ungodly. I would wake up in the morning determined to change and start anew, only to hit 2:00 and launch back into depressive thoughts. I even tried getting a dog to make me happy and bring me companionship. It didn't work. Nothing did.

And the verse was still there in my mind, in the very back of my mind. Promising peace if I would only trust in God; if I would only keep my mind on Him. Finally, I did. After fighting God for weeks, I gave over my plans to Him and trusted that His way was better than mine. For me, that meant not going to school right now, which was so hard. It meant letting God have my heart so that He could mold it for His plan.

And there was peace.

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I thought I was past the emotion game. I thought I had them in control again. As I was preparing for a book study this week, I was silently "amening" the fact that I have all these issues with my emotions in order. Pride comes before the fall.

This very weekend, I again struggled. I pulled myself into my own world and erected a wall so that nobody Hubs could not get through. Everything was suddenly his fault, and in less than 24 hours I already knew I was sinning horribly.

But, I kept doing it anyway.

When I finally humbled myself and repented to God and Hubs, I felt peace. The peace I know is there for me when my mind is on God. So many things distract me - books, tv, daydreams, emotions, myself, others - but I can overcome them and when I do, I see how incredibly rotten my sinfulness is and how completely sweet my fellowship with God is.

Treadmill Trouble

Caesar Milan (aka The Dog Whisperer) says that a treadmill is a good way to exercise an energetic and active dog. I've always wanted to try it. I've not only read about it in his books, but I've watched him put it into action on TV.

This weekend, I found Hubs attempting to do just this. (Man, I wish I would have thought to take pictures.) I happened upon him standing on the treadmill with his feet spread apart so that he was on the panels that don't move. He held Ransom by the collar, between his legs. Ransom was a trooper. It started off slow and Hubs would make it faster every little while. Soon Ransom was up to a 8:30 mile-pace and still just trotting along.

Our goal: 1 mile before we left for dinner.

At one-half mile, something went wrong. It happened too quickly at the time to understand fully, but after a couple attempts of trying to veer off the treadmill, Ransom had stopped running completely. Hubs stopped the treadmill, and then realization hit us.

(Side note: Ransom's poop schedule is very consistent. He poops on our morning walks. He poops immediately when he gets to the dog part in the northeast corner. He circles 2.5 times before squatting. He cannot run for very long if he hasn't pooped.)

After the treadmill stopped, we discovered that there was a reason Ransom was trying to get off the treadmill. He had to poop. And since his owners were forcing him to continue running, he had no option but to squat right there. Unfortunately, when he squatted he also starting riding backwards on the belt, so then he had to squat/run for the next 5 seconds until the treadmill stopped. By that time, the damage was done. The poop had ridden the treadmill and flown off the back onto the floor. Soon, the smell was enough to send us all out of the room.

Verdict: The treadmill works. Ransom seemed to enjoy it.
Lessons Learned: Take Ransom outside BEFORE the workout.

Napping

Prizes

Prizes are the best! I love to provide them for events; and I love trying to get them. Any of you who have witnessed me trying to win a prize knows exactly what I mean.

There are 2 concerts coming to town that I would love to attend. Michael Buble and The Eagles. So, I have started stalking the radio stations to find how I can win some tix!!!

Today, on the way to the dog park, I was listening, listening, but nothing. All they were giving away was a $25 gift card to a pretty nice shopping mall. So, I reach for my phone, slowly... this isn't the prize I want. But, I decide to have some fun and at least try.

I dial the long distance number...busy. I waste about 10 seconds trying to figure out how to get my phone to redail and I wait while it takes forever to connect...then, it rings. And rings. And rings. I almost hang up and then I hear those words...

"You're the 10th caller!"

I won. People ask me how I do it. All I can tell you is that I try. I actually pick up my phone and dial the number. Somebody has to win...why not me?!

I've already decided what I am putting my $25 towards!

It works!

There are just some things that you buy, hoping that they work. You never actually know, though, until you have to use it. Like a fire extinguisher. Or medicines.

That's how it is with the flea and tick goop that we put between Ransom's shoulder blades each month. We shovel out the dough, we put it on, and we hope that it protects him (and us) from fleas. This weekend, we really put the medicine to the test by hiking in the tick-infested Kansas countryside.

Yesterday, I was grossed out when I felt, yet another tick on my dog. When I investigated further I found a DEAD tick! The medicine works! That nasty insect bit my dog and then died. Now I can put money into that medicine knowing it is doing some good!

Yesterday Hubs also found a tick, but it was on him! Unfortunately it was attached and engorged with Hubs's blood. Hmmm,  I wonder why they haven't made a "Frontline" for humans...

Home away from home

For three nights, this was our bedroom:

Not too shabby for a 7x7 area. We had an air mattress and a 2-foot wide entry area for our bags and Ransom, of course.

The first night, Hubs and I laid down on our brand new bed (purchased not even a week earlier). We were drifting off to sleep when we heard a loud noise and I felt a punch to my face from the bed. I sat up and we heard a hiss. The mattress had popped! The next morning, after sleeping on the hard ground, Hubs drove back to town to exchange the broken mattress for a new one. The next two nights were much more comfortable.

This was our kitchen:

And our dining room was screened in once we moved the table in:

This was our living room:

And our back yard:

But most importantly, for three days, this was our family:

92...93...94...

When you think of hiking, you probably think of the mountains. This weekend, we took a hike in Kansas, though, and found it to be quite nice.

The group included 8 adults and 4 dogs. Something very exciting must have distracted the dogs while the picture was snapped.

It was a warm hike at the beginning...muggy. But we climbed up some rocks and even into a cave.

The views were actually quite nice at certain spots.

The dogs were troopers. They climbed rocks. They forged rivers. And Ransom pulled me along the entire time, up and down hills. Two of the dogs were even carrying backpacks with water!

Jazz loved the river because it meant she could sink her whole body down into the water and cool off.

What we didn't realize until halfway through, was the number of ticks attaching themselves to the dogs and us. We pulled off many during the hike and then many more after the hike was over. When we got back to camp, I went off to take a shower. I returned to hear Hubs counting "62...63...". He was counting the number of ticks he had pulled off Ransom since I went to the shower. I sat down and helped him and we got to well over 100 ticks before we lost count. I guess we put that flea and tick medicine to the test!

(Yes, that background noise is Ransom breathing!)

When we arrived home, I found another tick on ME! Those things have to be one of the nastiest insects alive!