The Day of Truth

Tonight, the "found" ad we put in the local paper will be published for all to read. I wouldn't feel right about not making some kind of an effort to find Duncan's former owners. (Is it wrong of me to hope they don't see the ad?)

The info we included was quite general so whoever calls will have to be able to answer certain questions correctly in order for us to accept that they did indeed lose Duncan. (Please, no one play a cruel joke on me by calling and pretending to be the former owners. It wouldn't be funny.)

I'm not one of those crazy dog fanatics who shares ice creams and baths with their canine "friends", but I must say that this little guy has stolen my heart. He's such a good little dog!

He neither whines nor barks too much. He has already learned to sit while waiting for his food to be served to him. He loves to fall asleep in your lap while you stroke his silky ears. He makes funny squeaky noises at various times. He isn't overly possessive of toys or food. The only thing that keeps him from being absolutely perfect is that he likes to chew on your hands and/or clothing, but he is a puppy after all!

Just look at him:


He's even cute from behind:

Will any one call and claim Duncan as their own? Will Aimee's heart be broken? Will Aimee and Jeff get reimbursed for Duncan's $104 veterinarian bill? Find out next time on As We Wend Our Way...

Bath Time

Tobias took a few pics while Duncan had his first bath.




Me and my girl:

She had a bit of a fever today, so she stayed home from school and we got to spend the day together.

I Thought You Went Out For Pizza

Yeah, that's what I said when Jeff came home with this:

Apparently, this dog can sniff out a sucker pretty well.

Jeff said that he and Tobias got out of the car at the pizza place and this little guy bounded right up to them, wanting to play. The people at the pizza place said that he'd been running around for a few hours. He had no collar, no tag and an obvious bite mark on his rear end.

Cutting to the chase...we have a new dog (unless someone answers the ad we're putting in the paper).

We took "Duncan" to the vet today. The vet checked him for a micro chip (none found) and then put him on antibiotics for the infected wound and gave him his first round of vaccinations.

Apparently, Duncan is about 8 weeks old and is a Labrador Mix. Isn't he adorable!


(In case you're wondering, that's Bruiser's big drippy tongue in the top left corner of the photo.)

Bruiser seems rather indifferent to him. I think they'll be fine.

Render Unto Caesar What Is Caesar's...

...even if it seems like it's actually yours.

Anybody else doing taxes today? I'm scrambling to get ours done before the government gives our refund over to any bank CEO or floundering car company.

I've been at it now for about four hours and the end is in sight. Let's just hope I did it right.

I was actually having a pretty good time with it until I noticed that a miscalculation of mine had nearly tripled our actual refund. Ah, well...at least we don't owe anything...

My favorite line of the day is:

If line 10 is equal to or more than line 11, enter the amount from line 7 on line 13 and go to line 14.

Am I the only one giggling? (Perhaps I'm just illogically giddy from all the mathematics and stress.)

An Exhausting and Disheartening Pursuit

Whilst studying a book I've read many times before, a verse hit me in a fresh way. It's quite beautiful really.

"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord." 1 Corinthians 4:3 & 4

This brought a thoughtful smile to my face.

You see, a few years ago, I nearly drove myself mad by judging myself.

Being a naturally introspective person, I was continually scrutinizing my thoughts and actions to the extreme. Aimee, what are your primary motivations? Did you really mean that? Are your intentions truly pure?

An Example:

Years ago I was asked to join a worship team which would require me to sing in front of a few hundred people on Sunday mornings. I prayed about it (good). I thought about the practicalities of it (good). I discussed it with Jeff to get his take on how my involvement would affect our family (good). I examined my attitudes and thoughts about being in such an upfront position (good). Then, I began to mull over all the possible, likely and unlikely, effects that could result from my service on the team (um...still sort of good). Soon, I was unduly focusing (this is where I went downhill) on every little inkling of bad that was already in me or could spring up in me through this venture (primarily pride). Because I saw slight potential for sin, I declined joining the team.

It would have been one thing if I had a history of getting ridiculously puffed up from similar situations, but I'd been on multiple worship teams before without any truly problematic results.

In my attempts to keep bad from happening, I neglected to do good.

My motivations were good. I craved purity, sincerity...holiness. So where was the problem?

Examination vs. Dissection

Scripture does tell us to examine ourselves to determine if we have a genuine faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 13:28) and when we partake of Communion (1 Corinthians 11:28).

However, what I was doing was dissecting myself.

Examination explores something. Dissection dismantles the same thing, rendering it useless.

Doomed for Failure

Any time my mind is preoccupied with thoughts of myself, I'm going to be confronted with possible scenarios of sin and weakness. Whenever I mentally dissect my motivations for my various actions, I'm going to find at least a little yuckiness here and there. After all, I'm a sinner!

Examining myself realistically is sometimes necessary, yet if immoderate self-judgment is leaving me paralyzed, then it's not achieving that which proper reflection ought.

The Actual Judge

"...He who judges me is the Lord." 1 Corinthians 4:4b

and

"Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my (imperfect and at times waning) integrity. I have also trusted (sometimes) in the Lord; I shall not slip (if You hold me up). Examine me, O Lord, and prove me: Try my (unsteady) mind and my (sinful) heart." Psalm 26:1 & 2 (parenthetics mine)

Judging myself is ultimately exhausting and disheartening. Trusting that God will judge me with His gracious omniscience is strengthening and freeing.

(I think) Corrie Ten Boom said (something kind of like), "Look around and feel oppressed, look within and feel depressed, look to God and be at rest."

Eventually, I got over my paralysis and when asked again to join the same worship team, I agreed, praying that God would help me to not fall into any "traps"...and believe me, all sorts of things happen to keep me humble.