Puppy Love

This year my youngest son asked Santa Claus to bring him a puppy for Christmas. As you might recall from an earlier blog entry, we said goodbye to our dog Cayman this year. Well, my son loves dogs so much and really misses Cayman. He is longing for a puppy.

That got me to think about what make puppies so special? First of all, puppies have soft fur that's fun to touch. Puppies are playful. They protect us and each other. That's part of their instinct from days of old when they traveled in packs. Puppies are smart. But most of all, puppies love us unconditionally with an unparalleled obedience. Those qualities are what make us want a puppy for a pet and a friend. We can always rely on them to bring us joy and happiness.

I believe God gave us puppies so we might have more happiness on earth. The Bible tells us that God commanded Adam to "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:28 So our Heavenly Father gave us dominion over puppies, and that's why they are obedient to us in love. Dogs see us as their masters, much as God is our Master. We set rules and boundaries for our pets to keep them safe because we love them. Much the same God loves us and gives us guidelines to keep us safe.

We have much to learn from our faithful puppies. If only we would behave more like puppies our world could be a better place. For instance, what if we followed our loved ones everywhere wanting only to spend time with them? Better yet, what if we devoted our day to following and seeking God the way our puppies look for us? How about if we played more, gave more love, and enjoyed simple pleasures? What if we stopped getting too busy and instead took time to "be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10.

I am going to try to live life more like a puppy this holiday season. How about you?

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Christmas season is my favorite time of year. There is something special about all the fun traditions. I enjoy wrapping gifts, baking cookies, spending time with family, sending Christmas cards, and all while listening to Christmas music. Music is very much a passion of mine, so carols play a big part in my Christmas season memories.

There is one Christmas carol that has not been a favorite of mine. Each time this particular carol would play on the radio, I'd roll my eyes and think "here we go again." It may in fact be the same carol that elicits similar feelings in you. Ever heard of "The twelve days of Christmas"? I always felt it was dull and droned on and on. That is until two days ago when I learned the history behind this carol. With the knowledge about what the carol really means, I have a new found appreciation for it. In fact, I believe it will never sound the same to me again. It will also bring tears of joy to my eyes as does "Silent Night" or "O Come, o come Emmanuel."

Here is the history:

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were
not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone
during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning
plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each
element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality
which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching,Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness,Faithfulness,
Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.