Last week, we had the immense (haha) pleasure of shaving all three of our dogs. Naomi and Oso two rather large German Shepherds, and Elvis, one rather portly Welsch Corgi (whom I love dearly). The two Shepherds were first, and then my beloved Elvis. Yes, I admit, I was rather apprehensive about it at first...and still am a little bit shocked when I see a pretty pink pig laying in the middle of the living room floor instead of my dog. But, bear with me, I am getting somewhere with this.
Naomi did a great job for such a young dog. She didn't really move around, and never once tried to bite or snap. Oso......Oso was another story. He is the biggest baby of them all. The poor thing, you would have thought someone was trying to kill him. He cried, and wimpered, and cried, and wimpered. But, when it was all said and done, he realized that he very much liked being cool and very much liked feeling the breeze on his newly shaved skin. Elvis was last. Now, before I go any farther, let me note that although the Shepherds stank, they were not neccessarily dirty.
Valiant and brave little Elvis. He just stood up on that table like he was meant to be shaved (he likes being pampered and served). But once the hair started coming off we started seeing that he was NOT as clean as the Shepherds. Fleas (lots of them) were roaming around his body, and dirt was EVERYWHERE. I was mortified. This dog that I consider my son, was filthy. Really, I mean it, he was pitifully filthy, and all of the blame lies squarely on my shoulders. As soon as he was finished being shaved, we promptly threw him into the large galvinized tub and scrubbed him until all of the fleas we could see (and dirt) were gone. Sadly, all of the fleas are NOT gone and there is plenty of dirt STILL there.
This morning, my daddy(rather brilliantly) pointed out to me how people can be the same way. We get our showers, and put our designer labeled clothes on, and cover our faces with layers of makeup, but underneath it all, we are all filthy. Nasty, discusting, flea infested filth; scarred by the inconceivable sins of our youth (and adulthood according to my daddy).
I, without a doubt, know that if someone were to look into the depths of my heart, they would not be pleased with what they beheld. It would be full of a lust for worldy things, deceit, anger, vanity, perversion, a person that says one thing, yet lives out another. Plus a handful of other things that I would rather not mention. I wish it were not so, but alas, I have "fleas." The Lord has had me doing a lot of soul-searching lately, and what I have found is definitely not what I expected to find. I really thought that I had let go of the things of this world.......I haven't. So, pray for me as I continue to walk on the path that God has set before me, and pray that I would also acquire a humble and contrite heart. Content with who He has made me and called me me to be. And also, that the filth underneath my skin would slowly be washed away by the saving grace of the Lord Jesus. :)
Have a Wonderfully Blessed Day,
"The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, purely, legitimately and forever." -A.W. Tozer
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