Reason #721
January is my least favorite month. It ties with February, however, February does have less days and a holiday, so I think that breaks the tie. Anyway, after Christmas is over I am ready for spring. I am ready for warm weather and a few more hours of sunlight. Plus, I'm in need of a little fresh air and vitamin D.
I decided that it was warm enough today to take Scout on a walk, plus I was feeling cooped up. After sitting at a desk all day and then coming home and staying in all night, I needed some time outside. We both put on our jackets and headed out for a short, yet refreshing, walk. Our first of many walks for 2014. As we walked, Scout managed to attract quite a bit of attention to herself. Of course, I was feeling like a very proud mom due to the amount of admiration she received from the people we passed by. After all, it's hard not to smile at a four pound critter wearing a pink jacket. Twenty minutes later, we were home because my legs were cold and my face was numb. I don't think she minded, either, and I have a feeling that we'll both sleep better tonight.
Sure, Scout and I were just on a walk. No big deal. She wasn't performing any major tricks or walking in a way that was noteworthy, but as we walked I thought back to last January when she began her training classes. In her classes, she learned proper leash walking, which was huge. She learned how to behave while on her leash and it was a night and day difference. No one would have ever noticed had they not taken her on a walk before and after, but I sure did and the fact that she was such a good little walker today made me proud of her. The cuteness just added to it! And so I proudly smiled at the cars that drove by as to say, "That's right, I do have the best dog." Every time she would look up at me, I'd tell her she was going a great job, and I even told Aaron when he got home about what nice walk we had. It's the big thing and the little thing that make me proud of Scout, but if I'm being completely honest, I'm just simply proud of her because she's mine.
I think God has to feel the same way about us sometimes. You know, that proud father feeling. I realize we do a lot of things that might not be worth bragging about, but a lot of times I find myself walking around in shame with low self-esteem, and because I'm embarrassed about certain things, I think the Lord must feel the same way. After all, He sees my every move and knows my every thought. Yet, I really do think that we don't give ourselves enough credit sometimes. I'm not encouraging pride here, but I think God looks at us and is proud in a "I made you in my image and you belong to me" kind of way. Like a parents is when they see their children growing and reaching goals. Sure, they may not do everything right, and they'll mess up, but every parent is still proud of their kid no matter what because it is their own flesh and blood. They see them in a biased manner, and what parent doesn't think their kid is the best?
And so I really do hope I make the Lord proud. I hope that when He looks at me, He is proud of who I am, of who I have become, and of what I've done with my life. I'm far from perfect, and I never get it right, but I try. I try to honor and please Him, and I hope with all my heart that I do. That He beams when He thinks of me, and that He is glad He chose me. I don't have a lot of noteworthy accomplishments or any special accolades, but I think the fact that I belong to Him is what He cares most about, and I'm grateful for that. Grateful to be His own!
#721 - Because He is proud to call us His own.
"My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. " - John 17:9-10
I decided that it was warm enough today to take Scout on a walk, plus I was feeling cooped up. After sitting at a desk all day and then coming home and staying in all night, I needed some time outside. We both put on our jackets and headed out for a short, yet refreshing, walk. Our first of many walks for 2014. As we walked, Scout managed to attract quite a bit of attention to herself. Of course, I was feeling like a very proud mom due to the amount of admiration she received from the people we passed by. After all, it's hard not to smile at a four pound critter wearing a pink jacket. Twenty minutes later, we were home because my legs were cold and my face was numb. I don't think she minded, either, and I have a feeling that we'll both sleep better tonight.
Sure, Scout and I were just on a walk. No big deal. She wasn't performing any major tricks or walking in a way that was noteworthy, but as we walked I thought back to last January when she began her training classes. In her classes, she learned proper leash walking, which was huge. She learned how to behave while on her leash and it was a night and day difference. No one would have ever noticed had they not taken her on a walk before and after, but I sure did and the fact that she was such a good little walker today made me proud of her. The cuteness just added to it! And so I proudly smiled at the cars that drove by as to say, "That's right, I do have the best dog." Every time she would look up at me, I'd tell her she was going a great job, and I even told Aaron when he got home about what nice walk we had. It's the big thing and the little thing that make me proud of Scout, but if I'm being completely honest, I'm just simply proud of her because she's mine.
I think God has to feel the same way about us sometimes. You know, that proud father feeling. I realize we do a lot of things that might not be worth bragging about, but a lot of times I find myself walking around in shame with low self-esteem, and because I'm embarrassed about certain things, I think the Lord must feel the same way. After all, He sees my every move and knows my every thought. Yet, I really do think that we don't give ourselves enough credit sometimes. I'm not encouraging pride here, but I think God looks at us and is proud in a "I made you in my image and you belong to me" kind of way. Like a parents is when they see their children growing and reaching goals. Sure, they may not do everything right, and they'll mess up, but every parent is still proud of their kid no matter what because it is their own flesh and blood. They see them in a biased manner, and what parent doesn't think their kid is the best?
And so I really do hope I make the Lord proud. I hope that when He looks at me, He is proud of who I am, of who I have become, and of what I've done with my life. I'm far from perfect, and I never get it right, but I try. I try to honor and please Him, and I hope with all my heart that I do. That He beams when He thinks of me, and that He is glad He chose me. I don't have a lot of noteworthy accomplishments or any special accolades, but I think the fact that I belong to Him is what He cares most about, and I'm grateful for that. Grateful to be His own!
#721 - Because He is proud to call us His own.
"My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. " - John 17:9-10