NO means NO

I got new bible pens!

One of my morning aggravations working from home has become dogs and potty breaks. I find it interesting that when I worked outside the home, they were content to go out in the morning when we got up and again before we left and then lunchtime when their human brother let them out and not again until late afternoon. Now that they have me to be their "on call" girl, they go in and out several times a day AND never at the same time. I mean why would they? Going together would almost be convenient or something.

I really should watch the complaining. Below you see the sight that greeted me this morning on the third visit outside. I had to run and get my phone to snap a quick photo.  It isn't like I have never seen the sun, or even haven't seen the sun since my time at home but this morning it hit me with an uplifting feeling containing many messages:

• It was nice to see the sun and the promise of it's warmth burning off the chill in the air and in my soul. 
• It was encouraging to see the way it was overtaking the clouds with its mighty strength. 
• It was nice to see it illuminate the sky bringing beautiful color to all I could see.

Doo doo doo lookin' out my backdoor

Today I have moved on in my reading to 1 John 1. John wasn't in exile, yet but he was close to being banished to a far away island, yet he knew distancing being the disciple that Jesus loved and the persecution that followed he and the other disciples. By the time he wrote this, many had been martyred for their faith in Jesus. Even in the midst of all the anxiety of persecution while frantically spreading good news, he speaks mostly of love in his three letters. John inspires me to write of love, God's Holy love sent in the reminder of the warm, powerful sun in the heavens, love God shows us through Jesus Christ, and love we are commanded to have for each other. This Holy love of God bids us to think of others more than ourselves because all else is rooted in darkness, a darkness that comes from an inwardly turned focus on ourselves and our own anxiety.

As I study, I realized that my doggos have given me a gift, to move, to go outside, to even spend time in the fresh air. I realize that the sun is there to warm me and to brighten my world. I also realized that inside there is self focus and outside there is word focus, that outside my focus in the light and inside my focus can quickly be shrouded in darker, artificial light.

Biblically, light represents what is good, pure, true, holy, and reliable. Darkness represents what is sinful and evil. John says, God is light, which means God is holy and true and the God alone can bring us out of the darkness we can easily fall into. Darkness cannot live in the presence of light.

Today:

• Go outside, turn your face up to the warmth of the sun.
• Send me a comment with your shiny face.
• Inhale the air warmed by the sun and exhale the stale inside air.
• Look into the word and let your mind begin to ponder your role in the world from today further.