I remember a statement one of my English teachers made many years ago. She said...."hard writing, easy reading, easy writing....hard reading". That statement has stuck with me for many years now and I can't, for the life of me, figure out why? I guess it is just one of those things that locks on to your DNA and you have to live with it.
I've said all this as I have been pondering what the next subject would be of this "infant blog". A lot of subjects have come to mind. There has been the relationship that I have with my dog, Jack. He's a buddy for sure. And then, there are relationships that I have with my close friends...like Butch. In some ways their connected.....
Jack has been my "main pet" now for the past 8 plus years. At the time I acquired him I had been longing for dog that could really be a buddy. You know, the kind that goes with you where ever you go. In the beginning that is exactly how it was. He was my constant companion whether I was going to work or the grocery store.
I had a cardboard box set up in my office that was referred to as "Jack's box". I had placed some old clothing and padding into it so that he would be comfortable. Everyone who worked with me accepted the fact that he "was gonna be around"....like it or not. Fortunately, for me and Jack, everyone was very kind and did in fact accept the little fella.....a mix of "Jack Russell Terrier" and another breed yet to be determined.
Several months went by with Jack as my work mate until the day he got "fired"!
There was another work associate who shared the office with me and made the mistake of laying her purse on the floor. During a brief absence by me from the office, Jack took it upon himself to "lay claim" to this object on "his territory". "He peed on it!" Oh Lord why did he have to do that? Course' the answer is simple....he's a dog...and dogs do that.
Now the little fella is confined to "house arrest" at home; a home he shares with several "back up pets"...all cats. And,they love to "push him around". It is really something to watch.
On the other end of the spectrum of "friendship" is my buddy "Butch".
Butch is one of those people who come into your life when you weren't looking for anything. It starts off as a simple acquaintance, and slowly but surely builds into a close friendship. Our backgrounds are very different, yet we have many things in common. Our love for the Lord, our desire to sing, both of our spouses are teachers....the list goes on and on.
At the time I met Butch he brought another old acquaintance into our relationship, his name was Larry.
It all started with music....all three of us loved to sing Gospel music. With that common denominator, it was easy for me to include them in the realm of my ministry and they likewise included me in theirs. The years that followed were filled with some great times. Our friendship grew over this time and it was always a time of good fellowship and a "no holds bared" exchange of ideas. We talked about everything...politics included. Larry would get so mad during some of these exchanges that he would demand the car be stopped (in the middle of nowhere) so he could get out. Of course, this request was denied and then someone would say something and we would be laughing to the point of tears. It was "guy thing"!
Sadly, Larry became ill a few years into our relationship and died. He has been gone now for almost three years yet, it still feels like it was just yesterday. I don't need to say how much we both still miss Larry. I have caught myself looking back at someone that is passing in the background because from that angle he looked just like our old friend.
Since Larry's passing, Butch and I have become really "brothers-in-spirit". I can't speak for him but as far as I'm concerned he has become a Blessing. He is a "sounding board" for me in so many areas of my life....one I can trust when I open my heart and share the things that I hold close to my heart. At times he may give me an opinion that I don't like to hear but in the long run he is a willing listener. It is hard to find people like that today as everyone seems to have their own agenda. Butch is a Blessing!
So how are the two alike....Jack and Butch? They accept me for who and what I am and they are both trustworthy in their own way.
Isn't it interesting how God Blesses us by using creatures that come from opposite extremes....one the animal kingdom.....and the other from "one formed in His own likeness"?
I believe it is the measure of Blessed man when he has a "Good Wife, A Trusted Friend and a Loyal and Faithful Dog" I've got all three!
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