MY THREE DOGS

I have been blessed (or at times cursed!!) with three wonderful fur-babies. The first is the Grandpa of the group, Bandit who was my parents dog when I moved in.  Then three years ago adopted a rescue dog that I thought was a Chihuahua, named Harry. After he kept growing and growing the vet told us he was actually a Jack Russell mix with chihuahua. Have you ever met a Jack Russell? He is 25lbs of mischief. A few months after I adopted Harry, the rescue called to say they had a teacup apple head chihuahua up for adoption. Some terrible back yard breeder had left him and the mom and litter to die for some reason. So I adopted a 1.5lbs teacup Chi and we named him Peanut. Peanut bonded with my mom because I was gone four days a week trying beauty school. Chihuahuas are funny that they bond with one person and no one else can pick them up, feed them, do anything for them and he's MY DOG!!

One dog can be challenging but three are insanity at times. My darling Harry has a brown snout like the dobermans' in Snoop Dog's video and he always looks sad and possibly high from smoking a blunt. So Harry's nickname is Snoop Dog. When Harry was younger he loved to steal shoes and eat them. After that he got a time out for a COME TO JESUS MOMENT. He got mischievous by stealing things and giving them to the baby, Peanut. Peanut was good though and brought the items from the under the bed and returned them. Once he dropped a twenty dollar bill with a bite taken out of it at my mom's feet. I started chastising Harry when he would misbehave by saying "Jesus is watching you" and believe it or not when I then say "talk to Jesus" he actually lays down with his head on his paws like he's praying!

Bandit and Harry love to play together but he won't play with the baby too much. I think since he's a 20lb yorkie he's afraid he'll hurt Peanut. Now, Peanut and Harry love to play. When Peanut wants to play and Harry is sleeping, he gives him a few slaps of the paw to the face. Peanut definitely rules the   roost when it comes to my parents' bed. When my mom is home he wants her to lay with him on the bed. We give all of them little bones that the big dogs can eat quickly but take longer for little Peanut. If he has a bone and one of the other dogs get on the bed, he growls and they back up. It's so funny to see a 25lb dog back down from a 4lb Chi.

I also marvel at their special gifts. Peanut has extraordinary hearing. If I walk from my room at night to go to the kitchen, he starts barking from the back of the house before I leave my room at the front of  the house. Harry has super dog sniffing. I can have food in my room and wait until later to eat it. I minute I carefully un-wrap it, there's Harry. Bandit is just really smart in all areas. Just the other night, I fell getting out of bed. It was 2am and I called out for my mom. Bandit heard and came to me. I said go get momma. He went to her room, stood at the door and barked until she said, "What do you want Bandit." He kept turning towards my room and kept barking until she came to help me.

Any one of these pups could be trouble. But when you have three and they start working together, you really in trouble. I actually think they have some sort of telepathy going on. Like this morning, I reached for my robe, before I had it on here come Bandit and Harry. They were ready to go out. I can go to my closet and choose a shirt and they both come running but this time barking because they think I  am leaving the house. They don't like it when we leave.

My dogs bring such joy into my life. I can't imagine not being greeted when I come home by Harry bringing a toy and rolling on the back for a belly rub. Then there's Peanut barking when I leave my room. It's so funny I just tell him "Hey I live here." Grandpa Bandit he's always there to help me in case I fall. (I've been ill and unfortunately I do have falls occasionally.) I can't imagine my life with out these beautiful creatures. On a serious note, If you are looking for a dog, please adopt one from a rescue organization. I can't believe my special Harry and Peanut were left to die because the unscrupulous back yard breeders didn't want to take them to the vet.

Even though they gang up and try to put one over on their humans, I wouldn't trade them for anything. They are my best friends and are truly gifts from God.

A LETTER TO JESUS

Dear Jesus,

I'm writing to you because I'm a writer and that's how I communicate best. I know that you hear my prayers and know my thoughts in my heart before I even have them.

First, Lord please forgive me that I fall short of the Christian I should be. I don't doubt you but I doubt myself when things are going badly. Satan puts thoughts in my mind. My mom says that if you're going along with everything working out perfectly, you better get on your knees and pray to see if you're truly living right. She says Satan causes grief and pain to Christians because we are the souls he wants to win from God.

 Sometimes Lord it gets hard when you're bombarded by bad things happening. I have in the past been able to pray and it felt like you took hold of my hand. Recently, a lot of bad things happened and I prayed but didn't feel you take my hand. I finally realized that I needed more than your hand and you responded by carrying me because I was so broken and beaten down. I'm sorry for my doubt.

I thought that I was unworthy of even holding your hand and I was right. None of us is worthy of your precious grace and that's what makes your grace something beautiful. I don't deserve it yet it's available if I just reach out in faith and believe you are my Savior who died on the cross for me. I've often wished that I could have lived when you were a man walking the earth. I like to think that I would recognize you as my Savior and have been the woman whose faith was such that she simply wanted to touch the hem of your robe. I know now that through prayer and reading my Bible, I am that woman accepting on faith that you are all knowing and can understand what's in my heart.

Jesus, thank you for all the many blessings that I have in my life. You have blessed me with wonderful parents who are the strong Christians that I desire to be and a wonderful sister (and her family) and most of all, thank you for my daughter who is the greatest blessing I could ever hope for. Even with such blessings, I have my dark moments when I doubt myself. I know that I am my own worst enemy because of anxiety and self esteem issues. The devil uses these flaws to try to make me doubt your love for me. Lord, please forgive me for letting these thoughts cloud my judgement. It's hard to fight those doubts about myself.

I often think of things I've done in the past and sinned against you. I have confessed and asked for forgiveness so these things are washed clean. I have received your forgiveness but the forgiveness I need to find is my forgiveness of myself. So, with this letter I'm reaching out for the hem of your garment. Thank you Lord for not only reaching and taking my hand, but thank you for carrying me when I've needed it. Lord I am so sorry that I'm failing in so many ways, but I know that if I continue to pray and read your word then you will strengthen me. Thank you for your love and blessings. Continue to speak to my heart and help me remember to pray not just when things are going badly but when also when things are going well.

Sincerely,
TonyaMarie Swearingen