In Stitches

A few weeks ago my Zekester had an "episode". We are still not sure what his "episodes" really are. The vet says that Zeke is possibly borderline epileptic and when he bumps his head he has a seizure. Well, we've had two instances where this has happened. The first was in the middle of the night. I was at my parents and Steve was out of town. Zeke jumped up in the middle of the night, ran straight into the heater tower and then a chair and then started seizing. A few weeks ago he did it again, except I was sleeping I just heard him running around and then Steve yelled for me, he was laying at the bottom of the stairs bleeding. It scared us! Four-hundred dollars later he is well. I have no idea what happened. Of course, the 6.5 years of experienced marriage allowed Steve and I to disagree :). With all of our Internet medical training Steve and I have differing opinions in what happened. Steve thinks that he hit his head and then seized, I think that he knows when he's about to seize and he flips out and starts running until it happens. (In which he fell down the stairs). Needless to say, Zeke doesn't seem to care. He goes on living life without a care in the world. Gotta love the life of a dog.

So Zeke is "in stitches". Don't you love cliches? "In stitches" means several things. It can mean "to fasten or join as if with stitches" or it can mean "laughing uncontrollably". Which do you think is Zeke? I really believe if he could "LAUGH OUT LOUD" the dog would. If he could "skip" he'd do it all the time. He practically bounces when he walks. Even when carrying that package of Ritz crackers I left on the table.

Lately my friend Lori has been sending me scriptures to encourage me through my day. It has me "in stitches". It is true that God's Word can really sooth the soul. It can take my wounds and ever so carefully stitch them up to help them heal. It is like medicine that heals. God's Word is truly powerful and everlasting. It is good that His promises cannot fail us and though sometimes one verse speaks to us more than another, if we search long and hard enough God will give His answer. I'm so glad for the stitches of the Word of God to help heal my hurting heart. I am also thankful for the friend who helps administer the stitches. :)

I am grateful to God for the laughing and the love that life can bring. Thankful for the labs that keep me laughing uncontrollably and for the friends that help heal the wounded, hurting heart when needed. Thankful for all the "stitches".

Silence Speaks Louder

My Zeke is now 80+ lbs. Boy do I have stories and pictures to post. Naomi is still my demanding diva, but I love her. She's cuddly at one minute and wants alone time the next. Zeke is the "follower". Whatever room I am in, he is in. Wherever I sit, he will sit. He is "my dog".

In spite of their different personalities there is one trait they both posess that I can never seem to measure. LOYALTY. I wish that every human being could posess the same quality of undeniable loyalty that comes in a dog.

Forget to feed them: forgiving me. Neglect to play with them: loving me. Failure to walk them: wanting me. There is nothing like the love of a dog. And so I wonder if my own human traits, one of wife, daughter, sister, friend....can i even begin to posess such LOYALTY?

My life has recently been posessed of unthinkable circumstances. We never imagine things happening to "us", and yet they do. I have found that it has brought me to view life differently, to view people differently.

Silence does speak louder than words. Sometimes, silence is defeaning. Sometimes, I have found it to be the most painful than the word mis-spoken. Simple words..."I'm praying for you"...."Just saying Hi"...are often filled with so many meanings. It can be 'JUST ENOUGH'. And sometimes.....nothing....is filled with so much. Silence does speak louder than words. Sometimes just enough "words" to leave a hurting heart.

Thankfully, my dogs silence speak loudly of loyalty. I believe if they could speak to me they would say just the words I needed to hear for the day.

I hope that I can remember to pray when needed, speak when called for, and love like I should. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." I pray God help me have those words "fitly spoken" when someone in my "family" needs it most.