Yesterday I was walking Daisy, and as dogs doo,  she did.   She is a very small dog, and chose a lush front yard to deposit her present.  With great hand motion, from my pocket a bag appeared with a flourish, so that all passing could see the quick removal of the stinky specimen.  What to my wondrous eyes did appear…but nothing….and I mean I could not see a thing.  Leaning  over and looking as close as  possible without sniffing the blades of grass, still no scoobala.  My family loves to refer to what Daisy deposits outside as scoobala, because its the ancient Greek word for, well, you know…  Lots of pastors will throw this in an occasional sermon just for laughs and giggles for the kids.  We laugh, we snicker.  Somehow it is always funny.  Leaving scoobala in my neighbors lawn is very uncouth.  I looked through my pockets to see if I had reading glasses.  No, of course not, who carries readers to walk the dog.  Who knew the need for peepers for peering @ poo? 

How can one practice what Leighton Ford calls “The Attentive Life,” discovering God’s Presence in things?  What will He speak to my heart as I face Him in lauds?  Leighton has Ranger …I have Daisy…

Today on make do monday, let us see what  can be learned about sin while walking the dog and spending time in Psalm 19. 

We all leave a wretched stench when we choose gossip and unnecessary words just to fill space.  Oh we may think we’ve left nothing behind, but we have.    Don’t do it.  Don’t say anything regardless if it’s true. “The fear of the Lord is pure enduring forever; the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. ” Ps. 19v9

Gossip, and the ever popular, I suppose I could share this with you as a prayer request, but don’t tell a soul.  “Who can understand his errors?  Cleanse me from secret faults.”  Ps. 19v.12

 Well my friends that is a smelly. 

  Be sure and think through how the person sharing the scathing details could benefit from its publishing to you or to other people in your circle.   Acknowlege her information…hey its awful you feel this way.  Do not engage.  Remove yourself quickly …being faithful to friends includes being faithful in their absence.  Let nothing unclean deposit on your lawn.

“Keep back Your servant also from presumptous sins; Let them not have dominion over me.  Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.”  Ps. 19v13

One of the most powerful sermons I have ever heard was by Tim Ayers.  He spoke of stealing.  We steal reputations. Remember the words “Thou shall not steal?”  Exodus 20v15

What do I do with the stuff left on my lawn?  How do I forget a person’s willingness to cast dispersions or broker information, and gain an edge in the gallows of “gossip girls” in church bathrooms?  Can’t I defend everyone’s honor and give them what my husband calls a “liguel smackdown?”

“I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.”  – Publius

 “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12 v.19

 Pulling in so close the only breath or words one hears is His.  He soaks our wounded hearts with love and caring passages of tenderness and protection.  Humans always fall back to the carnal and vengeance seems so exciting.  Why do we gossip? Positioning? Makes us feel like we are in the know?  Disparaging someones character?

 Our minds race…”oh but I thought she was a true friend, someone safe…how could she toss peoples stories so flippantly to another.” 

Put space between yourself  and  brokers of information. 

Live in James 3, practical teachings on gossip…photo copy the chapter and carry it in your pocket when devious mind wanderings erupt your brain. 

Clean fresh mown grass…no lingering smells…no brown smushes.

 The heaviest load any man carries on his back is a pack of grudges.   Unknown

 Give yourself permission to walk away… 

 The need for reading glasses will be gone.

Chambers was searing today ” Tolerating a wrong attitude toward another person causes you to follow the spirit of the devil, no matter how saintly you are. One carnal judgement of another person only serves the purposes of hell in you.”

Sometimes the stuff which cuts and stings the deepest at the time, God turns around and uses it for His Glory.

  “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your  sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Ps. 19v14

Rest in Him, Trish