Tag Archives: Pets

by | August 8, 2016 · 9:07 am

Equal Access Relief Room

Here I am in the terminal of the Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. As of this writing I still have an hour or two before boarding a 777 in route to Ethiopia, then Zimbabwe. 

Please make sure to check out the guest posts which I’ve scheduled over the next week or so. 

Now, the reason I’m writing this post while sitting in the airport is because I saw something I’ve never seen before. 


I guess when men and women can use the bathroom of their choice, depending on how they identify at any given moment, I’m glad our animals now have a place to relieve themselves. 

But what if, after all this travel, I feel DOG TIRED? 

Just a thought. But how do you flush that hydrant? 

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by | January 5, 2016 · 6:30 am

Random Advice for Preachers

The fact that I am still preaching after all these years is a miracle and a testament to God’s grace and mercy…grace in that He called me and continues to use me; mercy in that He hasn’t zapped me with lightning.

Therefore, before I do something totally stupid and end up being forced to take an early flaming chariot ride beyond the clouds, you might want to pay attention.

You may not be a preacher or a pastor, but if you are, or know someone who is, I want here are seven (7) random, unsolicited, out-of-the-blue words of advice. Take them for what they are worth while I am still around to offer them.

  1. Take the time to learn how to pronounce the names of ancient places and people before you stand up to read your text or selected Scripture. This even applies to extra-biblical names. Not only will you appear more intelligent, but you will avoid the risk of pronouncing something not meant to be uttered from the pulpit.
  2. Always make sure your wireless mic is turned off before you kneel at the altar to pray with someone. The congregation doesn’t need to hear someone confess something over the main speakers.
  3. For heaven’s sake, turn off your wireless mic BEFORE you make a last minute trip to the men’s room before the service or during the choir special.
  4. Never assume sugar plums are a safe illustration during a Christmas sermon when you have in your congregation elderly people who have a penchant to talk loud enough to be heard…and like to point out there were other “things” sugar was added to in order to make children latch on.
  5. Never confess from the pulpit that you are yourself and may never be “another Billy Graham.” Someone will ALWAYS say, “Amen!”
  6. Never use your wife in a sermon illustration unless you want to become an illustration for what not to do in a sermon.
  7. Never make ministry about success, wealth, health, the good life, or yourself; preach Christ crucified. You may come across as a fool to some, but the message of the cross is the power and wisdom of God to those who will believe (1 Cor. 1:23-31).

There’s more I could tell you, but what are your thoughts? Do you have any words of advice for up-and-coming preachers?

Gratuitous Cute Pet Photo

DSC_1212

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by | January 2, 2016 · 8:32 pm

Reverse the Decline

Happy 2016, everyone!

I want to make 2016 better than 2015.

Looking back over the numbers I came across two disturbing statistics. One had to do with the number of visits this blog received, the other had to do with views.

Compared with 2014, last year saw a 5% decrease in views and a 7.8% decrease in visits.

My question is this: What can I do to reverse the decline?

What could I do to reach 25,000 views this year? Or more?

I would really like to reverse this decline. Leave a comment below if you have any suggestions.

Thanks a bunch! 

Anthony

(Would cute animal pictures help?)

Our Christmas granddogs

Granddogs at Christmas. One of them has the “Ohhhhhhh” part down…next is “holy night.”

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by | February 16, 2015 · 5:16 pm

How We Treat Animals Says Something About Us

The following was written a couple of years ago for my other blog, Proverbial Thought. Since then, I have seen animal cruelty increase in regularity. News reports of men beating, torturing, or even getting animals drunk – if they feed them at all – are more and more common. Even ISIS released a video of a man beating a cat to death for fun.

So, like always, the Truth and Wisdom of God’s Word is always relevant.

Wicked and Cruel

I will never forget a particular video I saw posted on YouTube. The owner of a large python purchased a fluffy, brown rabbit and brought it home. There, in his living room, he let this peaceful, tame rabbit meant to be a pet hop around while his sorry snake got closer and closer.

Snickering with anticipation, the owner of the snake filmed the unwary rabbit as it got accustomed to its new environment. Then, it happened – the python struck, coiled around the rabbit, and began its death squeeze. But what made me sick, as I am sure it did God, was when the snake’s owner got up close to the rabbit and laughed. He laughed because the rabbit cried.

There is a Difference

It is one thing to kill an animal for food, or even in self-defense. It is even understandable to kill animals when their populations get out of hand. But it is something totally different when a human is intentionally cruel to something helpless and trusting.

A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. – Proverbs 12:10

This proverb says that “a righteous man regardeth (knows, cares about) the life” of his animal. In contrast, the wicked are cruel. But some may wonder, “What does it matter?” It matters to the one who values life.

“His Eye Is On the Sparrow…”

Nugget and me from a few years ago. We still look as good as then.

It might surprise people to know that God cares about the lives of animals. When Jonah was upset because God did not destroy Nineveh, God said unto him,

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? – Jonah 4:11

Literally, the last words of God in the story of Jonah concerned the cattle of a pagan city. If God cared about these cattle, does it not stand to reason that He might disapprove of torturing pets? Remember, not a sparrow falls without Him knowing (Matt. 10:29).

This is the thing: let there be no mistake, if a human can find enjoyment in the suffering of helpless animals, then what is to keep him from harming helpless humans? Wickedness breeds wickedness.

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by | February 5, 2013 · 10:02 am

Things You Didn’t Know

Blogger Awards

If you are a regular blogger, then you are probably aware of all the blogger “awards” being passed around. The Creative Blogger Award and the Very Inspiring Blogger Award are pretty common.

very-inspiring-blogger-awardWhat makes these awards pretty cool is the fact that they are given by one’s peers. Unfortunately, one has to give the award once one receives it. When someone receives a notification that he has been nominated, in order to actually “win” it, the next step is to nominate 15 other bloggers for the same award.

What if I created an award? Maybe I could call it The Best Blog of the Month Award. Or, maybe I could call it Baker’s Best. Whatever I name it, it would come with the following statement: “You earned this, and you don’t have to share.”

Crazy Requirements

Another thing about blogger awards is that in order to officially receive them you must tell some unknown fact about yourself. I received a notification not long ago that said, “You have been nominated for the _______ Award! Congratulations! Now, tell everybody 10 things about yourself that others may not know.”  

Really? Why? What does that have to do with anything? Can you imagine, just before placing the gold medal around an athlete’s neck, the giver of the medal saying, “Before we can officially give this to you, Mr. Phelps, please tell us 10 embarrassing moments from your childhood”?

Well, since I have been nominated many times, yet never responded, it’s time I let some skeletons out of the closet. For all of you have felt me worthy of an award, but never found out anything new, here are…

Ten Things about Me that You May Not Have Known

  1. I learned how to tie my shoes in daycare, but I learned the wrong way. Since it was back in the early 70’s, whoever taught me must have been high on drugs. Now my shoes never stay tied and my kids make fun of me.
  2. My first dog was a German Shepherd named Sarge. He got hit by a car and I still remember crying.
  3. In kindergarten I threw a rock and hit a girl. As a punishment, the superintendent made me kiss her and tell her I was sorry. Throwing rocks then became a regular pastime.
  4. I do not like eating rare steak. If I wanted blood on my plate I would just sneak up to a cow in the middle of the night and suck on its neck.
  5. Every since having my heart ripped out and stomped on by an ex-girlfriend, it is hard to say the name Lisa without curling my lip and pronouncing it Leeeessssuh. But that’s been nearly 25 years ago, so I’m over it. No hard feelings. None at all. All’s forgiven.
  6. I can’t go to sleep when our little dog has a cough, but I fell asleep next to an NHRA drag strip while top-fuelers were racing.
  7. My dad was my hero, but I don’t feel like one to my girls.
  8. I love to preach, but get in trouble for it when I preach to my wife.
  9. Owning a horse for a pet makes absolutely no sense to me.
  10. I spend too much time making lists of things that don’t matter.

Do I win?

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by | October 6, 2012 · 11:26 am

Long-Haired Hippie Dog

Nugget

We have a little dog in our family named Nugget. We call him “Nug.” He was a gift to my wife when she got her accounting degree from UTC.

Before Grommingdale’s

Nug is a Chorkie (Chihuahua-Yorkie). He is cute as all get out, but his hair can get long. That is why we have to get him groomed every so often. If not, his hair will cover his eyes, which causes him to not be able to catch treats.

Just the other day, poor Nug was having all his treats snatched away because they would land in the floor. He couldn’t see me toss them, but our daughter’s dog, Baby Girl, could. That is when I’d had enough. He had to go to the groomers.

Bone Appetit

There is a cute little place in the North Shore district of Chattanooga called Bone Appetit. Believe it or not, they are a full-service dog-lover’s heaven. Not only do they sell toys, leashes, and food, but they sell all sorts of gourmet treats made in their own bakery.

Bone Appetit is also home to Groomingdale’s. This is where Nug went to make his fur look fine. The people there were so nice, and the facilities smelled…well…not like a kennel. Having a doggy treat bakery on-site must have had something to do with it, I guess?

And speaking of that bakery, I wondered what would happen if I stuck some of those treats in my daughters’ Christmas stockings? Would they figure out the cookies were meant for animals, not them? I wonder how they taste? Hmmm.

These are all for dogs!

Still Our Dog

So anyway, later in the day I went to get Nug. He was so happy to see me that he nearly jumped out of the groomer’s arms. Now that the hair was out of his eyes, he could see me! And he can catch treats, too!

After Groomingdale’s

Now, I said all of the above in order to make a point. Did the way Nugget looked before, or after, change his relationship to my wife and me? The way he looked had nothing to do with his place in our hearts, only whether or not he could be “blessed” with treats.

Our Master

The way we look has very little to do with our relationship to God, either. Just because one person may not look his best, that doesn’t necessarily mean he isn’t a child of God. As a matter of fact, there was a really fancy poodle at the groomers, but (thank the Lord) it didn’t belong to me.

Be careful when you judge by appearances. Sure, some people dress in ways that are meant to make a statement. Some don’t dress at all in order to make a statement. But, generally speaking, looks are a poor indicator of “ownership.” Nugget is no more ours now than when his hair was long. God is no more my Master because I am bald.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” – John 7:24 KJV

Just something for you to think about.

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