The Misadventures of Maverick

A young family of four (five including Maverick) live on our property. They rent our guesthouse and share the property with us. For the most part, they are a typical family – Dad, Mom, ten year-old daughter, and six year-old son. And then there’s Maverick, the 170-pound Great Dane who lives with them. Today’s post is dedicated exclusively to the entertaining antics of this colt-size canine with paw prints the size of pancakes. Welcome to the Misadventures of Maverick.

In spite of his gargantuan stature, he is an indoor dog that sleeps on the couch (the entire couch), begs for scraps at the dinner table (or helps himself from the saucepan on top of the stove if no one is looking), and stands by the door when he needs to “go” outside. In addition to a number of disappearing burgers and pizzas (right off the serving platter in the center of the table), he consumes nearly 100 pounds of dog food every month and when he “hugs” you (with his front paws on your shoulders), he is over seven feet tall.

The best thing about Maverick is that he truly believes he is part of the family, just one of the kids – and he certainly acts like one. He has an insatiable sweet tooth and finds creative ways to satisfy his desire. He taught himself how to open the kitchen cupboards and has been known to help himself to candy, cookies, cake mixes, and other treats. He can open a Costco-sized box of granola bars, unwrap each one without destroying the foil wrapper, and eat the entire box in less than an hour.

Like most kids, cleaning up after himself is not a high priority. In addition to the unbelievable mess he creates on one of his cupboard opening rampages, a trip to the store to replace next month’s dessert reserves is often preceded by a trip to the vet as eating chocolate and other human treats is not a good idea for a Great Dane.

After an extended discussion about whether to get Maverick-proof (i.e. child-proof) locks for the cupboards or a gate for the kitchen, Mom and Dad opted for the gate. Maverick is still part of the family – but he is no longer allowed free access to the kitchen.

In spite of these cute and charming “just one of the kids” stories, when I first met Maverick I was terrified of this massive dog. The way I saw it, any four-legged creature with big teeth and huge paws had to be ferocious, right?

Over time, we got to know each other. When Maverick came bounding toward me at full speed every time I stepped outside, my initial certainty that I was under attack and about to be devoured by a ravenous beast began to subside. I eventually realized that Maverick was genuinely happy to see me. What I initially interpreted as being knocked down and pushed out of the way was merely his idea of a 170-pound, affectionate nudge.

The ice broke recently when Maverick insisted on helping me “paint” my deck furniture. After spray painting a wicker patio table, I left it in the yard to dry. When I looked out the window and saw Maverick “christening” my new table, it reminded me of the time I let my firstborn son run through the yard as a toddler without a diaper (except for the 170-pounds and the leg in the air).
Maverick made me laugh and we’ve been friends ever since. Just like a child, it’s hard to stay mad at anyone who will climb up and sit in your lap (or should I say stand over your lap) and look up at you with those sad “puppy dog” eyes that are begging for attention and long to be close to you.

As much as I hate to admit it, I have grown attached to this huge, loveable, funny looking dog named Maverick. Recently, he became very ill with an obscure infection that was difficult to diagnose. His illness was quite serious and I was sad when it occurred to me that this extremely talented nuisance maker and havoc-maker might not be around much longer.

My sadness paled in comparison to that of his adopted family. In short, many prayers were uttered on Maverick’s behalf that week. God must have decided we needed that loveable, pain-in-the-butt around a while longer. I am happy to report that Maverick is now fully recovered and once again up to his playful antics, namely chasing after the “human” kids and watering my outdoor plants and bushes.

I believe God put Maverick in my life to help me remember not to take life too seriously and perhaps to remind me that fun and laughter are part of this wonderful gift God gave us – the gift of life.

Transformation

My husband and I were recently introduced to a nutritional program for achieving and maintaining optimal health. Some difficult life transitions over the past few years had helped us “grow” in more ways than one. We had become prime candidates for losing weight and getting healthy so we decided to get with the program - literally.

Phase 1 of this lifetime health optimization program involves reaching a healthy weight –through safe, and nutritionally-balanced meals designed for weight loss. The idea of reaching a healthy weight in preparation for a lifetime of healthy living made sense to us and my husband’s strong aversion to “fad diets” was not an issue (since healthy weight loss is simply a byproduct of this nutritionally-based optimal health program).

So on my husband’s birthday (July 21), we decided to give each other a highly romantic gift – 100 pounds of fat (e.g. weight loss). We set two goals – 1) to look like we looked and weigh what we weighed when we first met and 2) to be able to play the same games and do the same things with our grandchildren that we did with our children. Our time frame was five to eight months (by New Year’s or Easter at the latest). We hope to make a New Year’s resolution to stop losing weight.

The results of our first seven weeks have been phenomenal and far beyond anything we expected. I am down 25 pounds and my husband is down 40 pounds – in just 49 days. That translates to an average of nearly four pounds a week for me and almost six pounds a week for my husband.

I am having the time of my life pulling old clothes from the back of the closet and fitting into clothes I haven’t worn for years. I don’t track things as closely as my husband but he has lost a grand total of 24.25 inches from his neck (1.50), chest (3.75), stomach (5.25), waist (3.00), butt (2.25), thighs (1.50x2), calves (1.00x2), arms (1.25x2), and forearms (0.50x2). I am now married to the disappearing man!

This weight loss journey to date has been nothing short of miraculous. And we can’t really take any credit. It’s not like we’ve done much. All we do is eat six times a day and drink a half gallon of water (8 glasses) – something anyone can do. We weren’t even exercising! My husband says he’s never hungry because we have to eat so often. I get hungry sometimes but there are lots of snack choices. In addition to the unbelievable speed of weight loss, this program is really easy.

I also must give credit to our new friends and health coaches Lawrence and Jeannie who already know the ins and outs of the program. Without their personal time and attention, all of this would have been quite overwhelming and we are grateful for their support. Access to experienced health coaches (at no cost) has been an indescribable blessing and was one of the more attractive aspects of the program for us.

The change in our appearance to date has been stunning and the increase in energy significant. We notice changes in the mirror each day and in one another. Others are noticing (and commenting) as well. We are walking advertisements for this new lifestyle and living examples of lives changed through a conscious decision to 1) make a change and 2) stay true to that decision. We can’t stop talking about the changes and others are being drawn to the program regularly due to the obvious changes they see in us.

This experience has made me think about my spiritual life. I wonder if the eternal change in my heart is as noticeable as the recent change in my appearance. When I look at myself and my life, do I see changes in my heart and attitude to which I have stayed true? Do my husband and those who know me see obvious results from the conscious decision I made to live for God and not for myself? Have I allowed daily nutrition from God’s word to bring lasting change to my life? Are others irresistibly drawn to God because of my life? I hope so.

May the before and after pictures of our lives provide a contrast that is significant and easily noticed by others.

Milestone Birthday

Time marches on, doesn’t it? I know this because I celebrated a milestone birthday a few weeks ago. The phrase “milestone birthday” is a nice way of saying, “Wow, you are getting old!). To commemorate this auspicious occasion, my husband planned a huge “I Can’t Believe She’s Sixty” birthday celebration event for me. I must admit that I was surprised – perhaps even a bit overwhelmed at the number of people who cared enough about me to be a part of this celebration.

As is common when my husband turns his attention to a project, my birthday bash was spectacular - a gala event of epic proportion (or as he likes to say the pre-eminent pinnacle of party pizzazz). There were festive decorations in my favorite colors (pinks and purples), a never-ending supply of barbequed burgers and hotdogs, a large, beautiful, and delicious birthday cake, cases of soft drinks on ice, and more summer specialty salads, side dishes, appetizers, and desserts than I’ve ever seen assembled in one place at one time. There were inviting groupings of chairs and tables with umbrellas scattered across the lawn.

The main attractions for youth and adults were the swimming pool and the live music provided by the band my husband plays in (he’s a rock star bass player and I’m his favorite groupie). Highlights for the kids included a kiddie pool (complete with water slide), two slip-n-slides, various play structures, organized games, a fish pond (for prizes), water balloon fights, and a piñata. It was a kid’s version of heaven on earth for twenty-plus kids that day.

My husband asked me to organize the kid’s area and activities because he knows I love children and wanted to do this. Planning and coordinating the other aspects of the day were my husband’s gift to me – and what a fun day it was. I am a lucky woman.

As great as this was, the best part of the day was a gift from God. As dozens of family, friends, and neighbors parked their cars in the field across the street, our deck, patio, yard, and swimming area came to life with conversation and laughter, I realized that most of the purpose, meaning, fulfillment, joy, memories, and lasting value in my life was embodied in these precious relationships. From family members I see every day to those I haven’t seen for years; from my best friend since 5th grade to our newest friends who rent our guest house; from neighbors we have laughed with, cried with, and prayed for over the years to the new family that just moved in down the street; from people we ministered to and worshipped with in our last church plant that closed six months ago to those in our new church family that we are just getting to know, it’s the people in my life that count. People matter to us because they matter to God.

I was humbled when I realized how God had used us in the lives of so many families and blessed to recall how he had used so many of these people to enrich our lives. From the oldest to the youngest, I was grateful God allowed all of these precious people to become a part of each other’s lives – in large and small ways.

I felt so blessed and humbled as the awesomeness of God manifest itself through those relationships. Tears filled my eyes as the band led everyone in a rockin’ version of Happy Birthday. As everyone sang, my nephew who had been estranged from me for years, put his arm around me and whispered, “Happy birthday, Aunt Cassie. I love you.”

The pure joy and deep gratitude of that moment was overwhelming – a life-changing birthday moment experienced in the rich context of meaningful relationships with people was my favorite gift this year. Life is precious. God is good. He is so good to me.

Classy Act

My sister-in-law Renee is an artist who owns and operates a business out of her home called Classy Plaques (www.classyplaques.com). Her business is growing nicely and her artistic creativity has recently been catching the eye of influential people from all over the world.

Less than a week before Father’s Day, she received a request for a plaque from the CEO of a well-known Fortune 500 company. This powerful CEO was looking for a gift for her father and was running out of time – just like the rest of us (with the exception of the personal assistant who did the shopping research and ordering for her).

Having found the perfect gift of a custom-designed ceramic plaque for her father’s new house, this CEO daughter was faced with the challenge of getting the gift produced and shipped to California in time for her to forward it on to her father who lived in Oregon. She really wanted the plaque for her dad and told Renee that money was no object if she could make it work.

While researching all of the high-speed shipping options, my sister-in-law realized that the father of her customer lived less than thirty minutes from her home (and business) in Oregon – so she simply offered to personally hand-deliver the plaque to her customer’s father when it was finished. Needless to say the CEO daughter in California was grateful for my sister-in-law’s problem-solving offer to go the extra mile - literally.

Given the influential position of her customer, I’m sure it was a good business decision but one thing I know about Renee is that this wasn’t just a business decision designed to create another satisfied customer. It was really all about loving and serving God by loving and serving people. Renee believes in the power of God to change lives and she was simply living out her faith – like she does everyday.

Christians are called to care – to be shining lights in the darkness that illuminate the way for a dark and dying world to find Christ. It’s often as simple as going the extra mile.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:14-16

Passing the Baton

I recently traveled to Bend, Oregon with my husband to attend commencement exercises for two nieces who were graduating from high school and college, respectively. Our high school age niece graduated with honors and is very talented in the area of photography. The older one is an exceptionally talented artist who graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA and was selected as the outstanding student of the year for the entire fine arts department. Her professors spoke of full ride scholarships for graduate school and we even attended an art show where her work was prominently featured. We are very proud of both of them.

I started this post with the idea of writing about the girls, their graduation, and their obvious love for the Lord. But as I pondered our outstanding graduation experience in Bend recently, it occurred to me that the primary story is about the generational blessings of Christian parents who live out their faith day by day, year after year – blessings that are passed down from one generation to the next. We observed first-hand the frequently inevitable outcome of many years of faithful, diligent, obedient, Christ-centered family living and how it is now manifesting itself in the lives of the next generation.

Over the years, God has granted to my brother and sister-in-law all of the wisdom, patience, love, and discipline required to care for, parent, train, build up, lead, shape, influence, and mold their daughters into the gracious, loving, beautiful, and responsible young adults they are today – young women who truly know, love, serve, praise, and follow God with their whole hearts. They are now beginning to make their own unique and significant contributions to society. What a blessing!

I’m not saying there haven’t been obstacles and difficulties, problems and pains, bumps and bruises along the way. Like all of us, I know they had their share of high points and low points. God never promised us an easy life here on this earth - but he did promise to walk through it with us and to always be there for us.

My husband and I have both been married before so I have only been part of his family for eight years. That weekend I found myself stepping back and observing the many family members who make up this clan. God’s influence in each family member over the years is evident and the deep love and respect they share for and with each other is powerful.

I enjoyed the chance to get to know my sister-in-law better. What an amazing woman, wife, and mother she is. Her sunny personality and welcoming attitude made everyone feel right at home. Her husband is very much involved as a husband, father, and leader in their home and the love and respect his girls (wife and daughters) show toward him speaks volumes.

I also met my sister-in-law’s parents – another amazing Christian couple. They exude that quiet inner strength that comes from knowing God is in control and that Christ holds a central position in their lives. The same is true of my mother-in-law. She also raised her children in a Christian home where they learned God’s word and his ways. These parents instilled Christian values deep within their children’s hearts – values that remain to this day and have resulted in Christ-centered families that follow hard after God. And now the baton of faith is being passed to yet another generation. Family done God’s way is a blessing like no other.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. ~ Ephesians 6:1-4

No Room for the Squawker

My fourteen month-old Grandson spent the night with us this past weekend and Sunday morning was his first time in church. It didn’t go so well. The sign-in process went well but by the time I released him to the nursery attendant, he was crying. I overcame the twinge of guilt that popped up in my heart by reminding myself that he was in loving, capable, and well-trained hands. As I walked back to the sanctuary, I found myself looking forward to what was sure to be an inspiring sermon from our pastor.

During the third song of worship, I felt the spirit moving – a warm vibration emanating from deep within. But something was wrong. Was it an earthquake? Or perhaps a heart attack? I suddenly realized the violent vibration from my right side was the nursery pager. Now I knew why the young mothers jumped up so quickly when summoned to the nursery. “How do you turn this thing off?” I thought as I hurried back to the nursery wondering what could possibly be wrong.

From the far end of the long hallway, I heard his loud and tearful screaming. As I opened the door, a young nursery worker with a smile that thinly veiled her concern and frustration handed my grandson to me. With an apologetic tone she informed me that he had been crying nonstop from the moment I left. She kindly offered me the option of taking him to the squawkers room. The squawker’s room is the one year-old equivalent of toddler detention where you go when you get kicked out of the nursery – without the pink slip.

As I comforted my sobbing grandson and made my way to the squawker’s room, he quieted down and gave me a big smile – the one that always melts my heart. I reached to open the door and wondered if we would have the detention center to ourselves or if someone else might be there. Imagine my surprise when I found myself in a very large squawker’s room that was packed to capacity with noisy children and their mothers. Pink slip or not, there was no room for us.

I returned to the sanctuary and told my husband that our little angel had been kicked out of the nursery and sent to detention – but since there was no room at the inn, we were going to roam the halls for a while and then head to the car until church was over.

After a quick stroll around the children's area, I took our little charmer outside. As we walked to the car, he darted after a butterfly as fast as he little legs could carry him. With purse and diaper bag in hand, I worked hard to keep up with him.

I got him settled in his car seat and gave him a cookie and some juice and I wondered how I had done this with my own kids. (the answer is that I was younger – a lot younger). Soon he was finished and ready to get up out of the car seat and play. So we walked some more. He was fascinated by the flowers growing near the fence and excited about the bug by the rock we sat on. He loved splashing the water in the little fish pond. We walked and I told him about all the fun and beautiful things he was experiencing and how God made them for us to enjoy.

Something began to change in my heart. Suddenly I wasn’t missing church. I was no longer frustrated or resentful that I wasn’t able to listen to our pastor speak. God had a different worship experience planned for me that day. I felt his presence as I walked and talked with my little grandson. I marveled at the simple wonder of God’s creation. I saw the world through the eyes of a child and stood in awe as I felt the joy evoked by a flower, a bug, a rock, and a splash of water. I was overcome with a sense of gratitude. God is good.

Never Forgotten

I am blessed to spend four days a week with my two grandsons. The oldest, a six-year old Kindergartner, catches the bus in front of the house each morning. This morning I watched from the front porch as he waited at the end of the driveway. We both saw the bus coming but today was different. Instead of stopping, the bus just kept on going – driving right on by without even slowing down.

An unforgettable expression crossed my grandson’s face as he turned back to look at me – a perplexed look of complete bewilderment. At the same moment, I heard the kids on the bus yelling and screaming, “Stop! Wait! Go back!” to let the bus driver know she had missed a stop. As the bus came to a screeching halt just a few houses down the street, I wondered what was going through his young mind as I watched him climb onto his bus.

When he got home from school I asked him about the bus incident and how he felt about being forgotten. He told me it had happened once before and seemed to know that it wasn’t anything personal. He said that sometimes the bus driver just gets to talking and forgets to stop because she didn’t have her mind on him at the moment.

This gave me a great opportunity to remind my grandson how God loves us so much that he never stops thinking about us. We are valuable and precious to him and he always has his mind on us. I prayed with him and thanked God for never passing us by – for never forgetting about us.

When we finished, he aimed one of his precious smiles at me. As he ran to the door to play outside, he paused, turned around, and asked, “Does God think about me even when I’m sleeping?”

“Of course he does,” I answered. “God is always thinking about you because He never sleeps. He created you just the way you are and is very interested in each and every minute of your day. He wants you to grow up to become all that He created you to be.”

Thank God for teachable moments.


Psalm 139:13-18 (NLT)
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!