'The Puppy Talks'.....

The Puppy Talks…..

It still amazes me how the Holy Spirit continues to comfort us even in our dry places. For some time now that’s been where I have been. I’ve been waiting for the rain to come and the dryness to be quenched by His total engulfment of my spirit and every dry area soothed by His gentle rain. Psalm 143:6, “I lift up my hands to you in prayer; like dry ground my soul is thirsty for You.”

Then, just in that instant you seem unprepared, swoosh here comes the flood of His Spirit. You are frantic for anything that you can grab to write on. And then, you hear that sweet, gentle, whisper … “Nothing is needed just listen.” Job 26:14, “These are only glimpses of what He does. We only hear a whisper of Him! Who can understand the thunder of His power?"

For several weeks now Grace has been praying for a puppy. I keep telling her, “We have Ruth and she’s your puppy.” She’s persistent, somehow she knows that Ruth is not a puppy and that’s what she has her heart fixed upon. One day about 2 weeks ago her Grandma came to visit and she had a new puppy that someone had just given her because they could not take care of the dog any longer.

Here’s this 3 year old child, whose been taught about prayer since she could understand standing out in the middle of her front yard and she just looks up to heaven and says, “Deesas I have puppy too peas. I promust I take care of it. Tank You Deesas.” I’m gazing at the sky with her, because she always says, “Dandie you pray wit me.” As we were praying for that request our landlords son drives up, just to say hello to his momma.

David speaks about the puppies he and his wife have for sale. Well of course these are a little out of our spending limit, but God’s resources are unlimited. He happens to ask us why Grace does not have a puppy and I casually say, “Well she has Ruth and maybe when Ruth gets a bit older we will get her one.” Of course this man is no fool, so he inquires about Ruth’s age. “She’s a young 10,” I exclaim. He just smiles.

Well he begins to tell us about the puppies they have for sale. I really was not listening; you know how the devil kinda blocks your hearing when the Lord is trying to speak in your behalf? Well I got kinda perturbed and I said, “David we appreciate you getting Gracie excited about puppies however, we are not in the financial range to purchase one that has a $350.00 price tag.”

He replied, “Well ours are sold but I will definitely keep my eyes open for a small pup that will be perfect for Grace.” Now I’m hiding my face in shame. After he leaves I was speaking to his mom who by the way is also our landlady. She says, “CeCe you are just going to have to lay down that old pride of yours and allow God to move in that baby’s behalf.” … “She prayed and believed God for a puppy and by God she will get that perfect one.”... “You just stay out of God’s way!”

By this time I am feeling this lump in my throat; however, I just suck it in and go on. Next afternoon we hear this horn blow and my daughter and ‘oh yes Gracie’ run to the front driveway to see who our visitor is. A couple minutes later my daughter runs in toting this puppy and leash. She says, “Momma look at what Mr. David gave Grace!” I took one look at this puppy and I immediately got concerned with ‘pooping in the house’, ‘extra food’, you know all the ‘important’ things about having a dog came to mind ‘tsk’, ‘tsk’.

In comes Grace squealing, “Gandie, Gandie ook at my poppy, Deesas give me dat!” NOW how are you going to reason with that statement? I stayed inside the house, contemplating all the extra work now we have 2 dogs instead of 1 and the larger cabin is not ready yet so ‘oh my my’ what are we going to do? Just then David comes in, Gracie at his heels, dog in tow. And here I sit, wanting to crawl into the nearest crack in the floor and then this man speaks something I will never forget.

“CeCe, I hope you did not mind, but after I left the Holy Spirit dropped into my spirit that I needed to give Grace the puppy that I had chosen for myself because she is a special little girl and she needs a special puppy,”… “This dog was mine and I wanted her to have him, he’s 3 months old, he won’t get any bigger, he’s outside trained but should not be hard to inside train, he’s a miniature pincher / rat terrier and he’s a great watch dog.”

So how do you follow that one? You don’t! I was speechless. All I could say was, “Thank you so much for thinking about her.” He leaves and I still have this focus in my mind that this is not the dog that I envisioned. Just then the Holy Spirit whispered, “It was not for you my child but for ME to grant the request of that child.” … “If you can remember she asked ME for a puppy NOT you.”

Now I am in tears, I glance over to where Grace has this tiny puppy in her arms. He’s looking so lovingly into her eyes as she pets his head and says, “Tank You Deesas, he is booteful.” And she blows Him kisses. His name? Rockie!

Over the next few days this young puppy gains so much appreciation from me. He follows her everywhere. She has his leash and he just toddles around wherever she leads. What I begin to notice is the conversation between the two of them. Grace talks constantly with Rockie and he just looks up at her as if he understands. She shows him all the good places that he is allowed to go and also shows him the bad places he is not to go. All the while just toddling around beside her.

Then this morning, in one of those most indisposed places ‘boom’! Revelation! Have we forgotten how we are supposed to always listen to our Master? Just like Rockie was listening to Grace. Intently listening to each and every word He speaks. Never questioning His authority just simply following His commands and obeying His Word. Allowing Him to show us the good and also warn us of the bad. Always staying close to Him as Rockie stays close to Grace. Turning down the audio so we can hear His whisper.

Now those of you who are advanced passed this stage of revelation praise God! I chose a long time ago to allow the Lord to use anything He had to get my attention and also speak His messages. This time he used a tiny little girl and her tiny little dog….. What a powerful message that was for me!
Father God, thank You once again for Holy Spirit revelation. Lord at times we are so concerned with the cares of this life that we often forget the ‘simple’ things and we do You an injustice by not listening to Your every word! Please Father forgive our busyness and release upon us that ‘child-like’ spirit of understanding and submission. In Jesus Name…..Amen

May you see Him in the simple things and may the simple things excite you enough to expect to hear Him where ever you are!

Love and Hugs,
CeCe


Late-Night Lesson:

Thank God for Every Midnight Call
So I close by saying this to you who are taking up the service of the winter. Thank God for every call that reaches you. Thank Him for the opportunity of toil. The hour may come for you when it is midnight, just as it came to the host in our parable. The hour may come when heart and flesh are weary, and hope is dim, and courage is decayed—and in that very hour, for aught I know, the hand may be heard knocking at the door. But if these claims awake you to your weakness, and make you feel anew your need of God; if they send you out from your own self-sufficiency to lean upon His grace and on His love; why then, my brother, all your happy holiday, and all your remembrances of the purple heather, will not be such a blessing to your heart as the burden and the service of today. "Commit your way to the Lord .... and he shall bring it to pass." Come now, and cast your burden on the Lord. Take up your service, whether in church or city, no matter how impoverished you feel. There is One whose store is always overflowing, and He is willing to give you of His best; and men will be blest in you and call you blessed, just because they make you lean on God.


Have A Totally Blessed and Awesome Day!