Smokey

 

 

I finally got around to asking my mom how I got that scar on my hand. She told me, "You were just a toddler and you were playing in the back yard when you fell and cut that skin between your thumb and first finger clean through. Your dog Smokey raised such a racket at the back door I had to go see what was going on."

Smokey. I had completely forgotten about Smokey. Smokey had been run over by a car when I was in kindergarten and had slipped from my memory and now that he had been mentioned the memories came flooding back.

Suddenly I could see Smokey sitting right there in front of me. He was a big grey and white shaggy sheep dog looking mutt. Tears formed in my eyes as he stared back at me.

"I've missed you Smokey," I said quietly.

"You look different," he said.

"I'm an old man now Smokey."

He examined me up and down, looking right into me.

"Well," he said, "you done good."

"Thanks Smokey"

I awoke with a ache. Oh, how I loved that dog. Then it hit me. I don't have a scar on my hand. There is no Smokey.

Still I have been sad all day. I miss Smokey. He was the best dog I never had.

Day 80

 

Contemplating the Waters

 

You don't have, because you do not ask God.

 

James 4:2

 

You have probably heard the story about the man who when he died wanted his ashes to be spread around Wal-Mart. That was the only way he could be sure his wife would come visit his grave site.

I was at a Wal-Mart, not spreading some one's ashes, and walked into the men's restroom. There was man and his young son in there talking to another man. The boy clearly needed to go to the restroom but one stall was out of order and the other occupied. The boy had that anxious look in his eyes and was prancing around the floor eager for his turn.

The conversation between the boy's father and the other man went something like this:

"Are you sure there is someone in that stall?"

"Yes. A little boy went in there a while back and hasn't come out yet. I've been waiting about 10 minutes."

"Well, I don't think my son can wait much longer."

In fact they did not wait much longer. The three of them left, presumably in search of another restroom.

When I left the restroom there was a little girl standing outside the door of the men's room and the girl's mother came up to her and said, "Are you still waiting for Timmy?"

"Yes," she said rolling her eyes. "He's been in there for 15 minutes!"

The mother asked, "Sir, would you mind seeing if there is a little boy named Timmy in there?"

I assured her I would be happy to check. I did have a good idea where Timmy was. I went back in the restroom and tapped on the stall door.

"Timmy, are you in there?"

"Yes," came the weak reply.

"Your mom says it is time for you to come out."

"Okay."

The stall door immediately opened and out came Timmy fully clothed. Evidently he had been in there the last 15 minutes contemplating the peaceful waters of the commode. There was no telling how long he would have stayed in there. Some little boys do seem to be fascinated with toilets.

The point is this: That mom and sister could have waited until one of them had a birthday and Timmy might have still lingered in that bathroom stall. They could have taken matters into their own hands and barged right in the men's room. But what they did was to ask for help. When they did that there problem was solved.

In James 4:2 we are told we don't have simply because we do not ask. Sometimes the things we need are just a heart felt prayer of faith away. Yes, God knows what we need before we ask. He also knows it is important for our spiritual growth for us to learn to ask.

 

Upon Further Review:

 

Read James 4:1-6

• What paths do some people take, besides prayer, to get the things they want or need?
• What is a reason, James tells us, that we don't receive the things we pray for?
• James quotes Proverbs 3:34, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Do you think that sometimes we don't ask God for what we need because we are too proud and want to do it on our own?