Toby -- The Story Of My Friend - - Chapter 5

 Chapter 5

     As I mentioned, I was very sick as a child.  I missed a lot of school, and I had difficulty keeping up at times.  If something was going around, I would catch it.  My immune system was very defective.  A stressful environment didn't help much.
     After the church my family attended opened a school, I began attending there.  While there, my illnesses intensified.  Because of insufficient enrollment, the school closed leaving me with no school to attend.  My parents and my doctors felt that going to school at home would allow me to regain my health and complete my high school education.
     Leaving the traditional school room for school at home was quite a transition.  The hardest thing to adjust to was the quiet.
     At this point, you may be asking what all this has to do with the book's main character.  Well, Toby was my classmate, so to speak, during my home school experiences.  He broke the monotony of studying alone.  He was always there ready to provide a grand distraction to tedious algebra and diagramming sentences.
     Every day at lunch time, we would go outside and play with the ball out on the patio.  When Toby was a young dog, he was quite active and full of fire.  We had some great ball games almost every day.
     After lunch, I'd return to my studies and continue until about three in the afternoon.  I kept the same hours as the local high school.  The only difference was that I went to school with a dog.  I also believe that I received a better education.  I really learned to study and think for myself.
     When my daily assignments were completed, Toby and I would usually go out and sit on the patio steps.  The town where I live is on a high plateau.  The view is incredible.  There is a view for miles out back.  We would sit out there and just relax and listen to the birds.  It was great to have a good friend.  We also liked to go out there in the evenings and look at the lights from the closest town about seven miles away.  On clear evenings I'd take out my telescope and look at the night sky.
     I learned a lot by studying at home.  I studied biology, history, economics, algebra, literature and many other subjects.  Every assignment was graded at the center where the curriculum came from.
     After three years of home study, I decided that I really liked this method of study.  I wanted to be a minister, so I enrolled in an external degree program at a Bible college affiliated with the church my family attended. I studied various ministerial and theological topics and earned a degree in theology.
     During these years, my routine with Toby changed little.  I learned much, and the two of us continued to have great times together.  Toby received quite a large dose of religion listening to me give sermons for practice.  He was probably one of the most well-versed dogs when it came to the theological disciplines.
     While I was in Bible college, I began to learn more and felt very uncomfortable in my church.  I just couldn't go along with many of their views.  I planned on becoming  a minister with our church pastor's home mission organization.  However, that all changed abruptly.  I believe that the church has the responsibility to speak up for social justice and for peace.  At this time, the first Gulf War was just under way.  I could not go along with praying for the death of other people.  I had a major falling out with the pastor on this and other issues including legalism and the extent of salvation.  I was no longer welcome in that church or denomination.
    My plans for entering the ministry were on hold.  Also, the Bible colleges in my old church were not accredited.  I decided to get another degree, but I had to start back at square one because none of my courses would transfer.
     I began attending a local community college.  It was difficult at first.  My health did hold up though.
     Sadly, Toby was very depressed when I left for my classes.  My Dad, who was retired at this time, said that Toby would lay by the front door and wouldn't move until he heard my car coming down the road in the afternoon.  When I'd walk in the door, he got so excited that he jumped up and down on all four legs.
     I earned my community college degree and then obtained a bachelor's degree in history at a small college in Kansas City.  After this, I went back to home study for awhile earning a certificate in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin and a graduate diploma from an accredited seminary.
     Toby was so glad that I was back home to study.  It was at this time that I began writing, and my work began to be published.  Toby lay down in my office while I wrote poetry and stories.  I also did a lot of religious writing which became my way of fulfilling God's call on my life.
     I do have one major regret.  I wanted to have a church and live in the parsonage with Toby.  It was one of my dreams.  Sadly, Toby passed away a couple of years after I started writing.  We never got to fulfill that dream together.

Verses For The Week

 Romans 12:17-21-- "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, 'It is mine to avenge, I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Weekend Sermon -- Philippians 4:14-18

      I am glad that it is time again to post the message for the week. It is my hope that you have all had a great week. I thank the Lord for continuing to give me the opportunity to post these messages. 

     Today, we are going to finish our series on the book of Philippians. I have really enjoyed having the chance to share these messages with all of you, and I hope that they have been of benefit to you. 

     As we wrap up Philippians, I want to draw your attention to a couple of points in these last few verses. First of all, Paul makes a point of thanking the people in the church at Philippi for being there for him and helping to support him right from the beginning of his ministry. He tells them in verse 17 that he wants them to have the benefits that come from giving. 

     Giving to the work of the Lord and to charitable causes is something that is necessary and truly rewarding. For the believer, those who give to support the spread of the message of Jesus will have an eternal reward in Heaven because they are building up treasure in Heaven where moth and rust does not corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

     In order for pastors and missionaries to be able to go and spread the message of Jesus' love, they have to have support. That is where we as believers come into play. I hope that we can all give and support our local churches, and I hope that we can give to support missionaries who take the message of Jesus around the world. It is also important that we give in order to help people have a better life. We must help those who are sick, hungry and in need. When we do good and try to help the least among us, that is what is pleasing to the Lord Jesus. 

     Finally, Paul ends by saying that he wants all those in the church to receive the blessings of God that come from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the source of our blessings. By living as our perfect example, He has shown us how we are to conduct ourselves while living in this world. By dying on the cross, He has taken away our sins. Through His glorious resurrection, He has conquered death, hell and the grave. Through His presence within our hearts, the Lord Jesus provides His peace and His direction that sustains us and guides us until we come to see Him face to face in the place that He has prepared for those who love Him. 

     All that we have comes from God through the Lord Jesus. He has blessed us with innumerable things. We need to give Him all the thanks, glory, honor and praise for who He is and for what He has done. It is my hope that you know Jesus as Savior and Lord. You can know His peace and His forgiveness when you come to Him in repentance and faith and accept Him as the Lord of your life. I hope that you will do that today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am having a renewal of a problem that I had about twenty years ago. I have always had skin problems when going out in the sun. Over the last few years it hasn't been as bad. But lately, I am having a lot of trouble even going out for a little time. Please pray that this will get better. My arthritis flare has completely cleared up, and I am grateful to the Lord for that. I thank you for your prayers on my behalf. 

     Please pray for the people in Taiwan and China who have been affected by the bad storm. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. Also, as I am writing this message, there are some bad storms brewing in the Atlantic. Please pray that these will not bring harm to people. 

     Continue to pray for peace. Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Yemen, Sudan and Haiti all need our prayers. 

     Let us keep praying for an end to the current ebola outbreak in Congo.

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Iraq and Indonesia. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the message on Friday as usual. I will start a new series in a couple of weeks. I will post the verses on Tuesday and the next chapter in the Toby book on Wednesday. May God bless you all. 

Toby -- The Story Of My Friend == Chapter 4

 Chapter 4

     Like me, Toby always had a lot of health problems.  They began a short time after he came to live with me, and they continued throughout his life.  Sickness, and its various cures and palliatives, were a major part of my relationship with my friend.  I'm glad that I was able to take care of him.  Actually, we took care of each other.
     Like I said, Toby's health problems began shortly after his arrival.  One night, I awoke to a horrible sight.  Toby had defecated blood everywhere, and he was extremely weak.  It was a Sunday morning, so I called our veterinarian at home.  He told me to get Toby to his office right away, and I did.  The vet ran several tests on Toby and determined that Toby had ulcerative colitis.  We placed him on a course of medicine and hoped for the best.
     That afternoon, Toby seemed like his normal self as he ran through the house barking at motorcycles.  I thought that he would be fine, and I wasn't worried since he seemed to be making such good progress.
     I was mistaken.  About four days later, Toby had another episode.  Of course, I rushed him to the veterinarian's office, and we began a new course of medication.
     Once again, Toby had a good improvement and returned to his rambunctious and happy self.  But, about four days later, he was ill again and back on his way to the vet's office.  This time, more tests were run.  They confirmed the initial diagnosis.  However, this time, the vet placed Toby on a different type of medication, and he was placed on a different diet.
     I fully expected the symptoms to return,  but this time the treatment worked.  Toby was in good shape.  After a fairly long course of this medication, we decided to gradually reduce the dosage.  When we withdrew too much, Toby got sick again.  We did eventually get Toby down to a lower dosage, but he had to remain on this daily medication for the next 10 years.
     Unfortunately, colitis was just the beginning of Toby's troubles.  When he was a little pup, no one looked after his teeth properly.  He developed a lot of teeth issues because the teeth never had a good foundation for growth.  When I bought Toby, he had so much caked in tartar on his teeth that I had the vet clean them right away.  Even at a young age, some of Toby's teeth were so bad that they had to be removed.
     Sometimes, Toby's roots became inflamed and infected.  He'd develop large swollen places in his jaw.  He eventually lost about half of his teeth.  In order for him to eat properly, I had to soak up his kibble.  In later life, I always bought him canned food.
     One of the worst episodes with Toby's health came about when his kidneys became infected.  He seemed fine one minute, and then the next minute he was violently ill.  I knew that something was drastically wrong.
     I was really worried as we traveled to the vet's office.  The vet gave Toby a penicillin injection and some liquid sulfa medication.  I was told to take Toby home and then bring him back in the afternoon for a re-check.
     I waited anxiously through the day keeping a close eye on my friend.  That afternoon, I took Toby back to the clinic.  He received a second penicillin injection, and our vet also did a complete blood and urine work up.
    The next afternoon, Toby's results showed some kidney damage, but it was not extensive.  We kept Toby on the liquid sulfa, and he improved slowly. It was really hard on both of us, but once again the old boy pulled through.
     Toby had many, many other health problems which I'm not going to go into detail about.  One problem that was so bad and I prayed and prayed about I do want to mention.  Because of the colitis medicine that he took, Toby was susceptible to opportunistic infections because of reduced immunity.  When he was about 7 years old, Toby developed an opportunistic skin problem.  We threw the book at this trying to treat it with little or no success.  All the while I was praying that Toby would be healed of this problem.
     I kept praying and praying for years about this.  Thanks be to God.  Toby was healed of this problem.  He lived the last years of his life totally free from this skin condition.  This incident taught me a lesson in being persistent in prayer just as Jesus taught.
     I didn't mention all of Toby's problems in this chapter to make readers feel depressed.  I included them because Toby's health was an important factor in our relationship.  Caring for Toby and seeing him through these times of trial made us a pair of strong friends.  It was my responsibility to care for Toby, and I made sure I did it to the best of my ability.  He was a joy to take care of never causing any fuss or trouble.  At least not for me.
    One thing I have to mention.  As Toby got to about 3 years of age, he came to the place where he only liked me and didn't really care for anybody else.  He tolerated my parents, but he wouldn't play with them.  He wouldn't let anybody come into my room when I was sleeping.  He was extremely protective.  He also absolutely hated everyone at the vet's office.  If they needed to do a procedure, I had to help.  They were scared to death of him.  However, Toby never so much as showed the slightest flash of anger at me.  I could do anything with him.  To me, he was the best.
     It has always been my belief that God brought the two of us together because we needed each other.  I needed him to be a friend when I was friendless.  Toby needed someone to help him through his many problems.  Our veterinarian said that the majority of his clients wouldn't have gone to the expense and hassle of treating Toby's many problems.  I found it to be a privilege.  I miss him every day.

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 9:9 -- "The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble."

John 14:27 -- "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 4:10-13"

      Thank you for reading the blog today. I am happy to be able to post the message. Something strange happened with the blog yesterday. I thought I was going to have to delete it because it was messed up. However, things are corrected now. Thanks be to God. I really enjoy posting on here. I've been doing this for almost 15 years. I hope that you get something out of the messages and the verses as well as the other things that I post. 

     Today, we are once again studying the book of Philippians. We will have a message from Philippians today, and then, Lord willing, I will wrap things up next week. After that, I will probably have a couple of topical messages before we start a new series that I have planned. 

     Last week, we focused on what our thoughts should be on. We should take into our minds and hearts only that which is edifying and uplifting. We should not set our focus on the things of this world, but we should set our hearts, minds and thoughts on the things that are above. 

     In our section for today, Paul draws his readers' attention to something that is important for all of us. In verse 11 he tells us that he has learned to be satisfied with the things that he has. That is something that I am learning and trying to do. Whether rich or poor or whatever state, I need to thank the Lord for the things that He has given to me. 

     Paul faced it all in his life. He started out as a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He was a highly respected person, and I am sure that he had plenty of money. However, as he went about preaching the message of the Lord Jesus after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul faced persecution of high magnitude. He knew what deprivation was. But he did it because he loved the Lord. 

     I haven't faced the things that Paul faced. I have had ups and downs though. All of us have. I went through some really hard financial and emotional times after my parents passed on. I pretty much lost all my savings during the Great Recession. Through it all, I had enough to get by. I thank the Lord for that. 

    Paul knew that he could get through anything with the strength given to him by the Lord Jesus. When Jesus is with us, we can make it through. I know this from my own life. When I faced the hard time with my mother in the hospital for over a month, it was the Lord who gave me the ability to help my dad and get my mother back home. When I faced financial struggles and health struggles, the Lord was with me helping me to overcome and to make it through. Knowing His presence gives us strength to meet the challenges of each day. We can rely on Him, and He is our peace. He will never leave us, and He will never forsake us. 

     In order to help us make it through the problems we face, the Lord has given us our fellow believers. We are to encourage one another and help one another in the best way that we are able. Also, the Lord often sends helpers to us at the right time. That is what happened when the Lord sent me my friend Toby. 

     Our duty is to serve the Lord with all that we have within us. He will be with us. When hard times or good times come, we can keep going and serving the Lord because He is the one who is strengthening us and ordering our steps. 

     If you know the Lord Jesus, you understand what I am trying to say. If you have never come to have a relationship with the Lord, I invite you to give your life to Him today. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that I will be able to get my house fixed. Also, pray that I can find out what is troubling me with my health. Thank you. 

     Pray for people to get along with one another here in the United States. It is a difficult time.

     Remember to pray for peace. Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan and Haiti all need our prayers. Also, remember to pray for refugees around the world. 

     Let us pray for those in Congo dealing with the ebola outbreak. Pray that this will end. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Ivory Coast and Brunei. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, we will conclude Philippians. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Toby - The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 3

 Chapter 3

     Toby always was a really playful dog.  He was always looking for and ready to have a good time.  That quality made us quite compatible.
     As I mentioned in a previous chapter, I first bonded with Toby through a game of fetch with some old kite string.  Fetch became an important part of our play time, but we did graduate to better items than kite string.
     The first toy I bought Toby was a small, green alligator.  When I unwrapped the package and gave the gator a sharp squeak, I captured Toby's undivided attention.  His ears stood up more than usual, and he starred intently at this small noisemaker.
     I took the gator and flung it as far as possible across the living room.  Toby dashed after it, pounced on it, and set down to have a good long chew.  He never would return a thrown object back to me.  I would come over to get the gator, and a tug of war ensued.  As always, Toby acquiesced.  With that, our modified game of fetch resumed.  We could play like this for hours.  Finally, both of us would end up breathless from too much gator chasing.
     Toby liked to play with his gator at all times.  He'd squeak it, chew it and fetch it.  Whenever I said, "It's gator time" he knew instantly what that meant.
    I bought Toby several other chew toys over the years.  He had a rubber tennis shoe, a squeaky carrot and some other toys.  Toby never liked these toys as much as his well worn gator.  We played with that old swamp dweller until it finally fell apart.  Sadly, I could never find another gator exactly like it again.
     After gator died, Toby got into the habit of tearing his toys apart, so I didn't leave them out for him all of the time.   One time, I bought him a little rubber beef steak to play with.  The minute I gave it to him he ripped it apart and tried to eat it.  I guess he thought that it was the real thing.
     Besides playing gator, Toby and I engaged in other fun activities like racing.  It was one of our favorite things to do in Toby's younger days.  Out in the backyard, my uncle had an old bathtub that we used as the starting point of our races.  My Mom acted as the referee and official race starter.  Toby and I would stand in anticipation waiting for the signal to cruise to the finish line marked by the rose trellises at the end of the yard.  I always had to hold Toby back as he always tried to gain the advantage.
     When Mom said, "go", we were off and running as fast as possible.  Neither of us wanted to let the other win.  Unfortunately for me, Toby won the majority of these races.  For a little dog, he was lightning fast.  I never would have thought such stubby legs could move so fast.
     Toby had a unique running style.  He didn't move his front and back legs in synchrony as most dogs.  Instead, Toby threw both of this front legs out, and then pushed himself along with both back legs.  It was sort of a bouncing and pouncing motion that looked awkward, but it produced a great deal of speed.
     Toby didn't just race me though.  He liked to race through the house as motorcycles sped down the street in front of the house.
    At one time, before they were outlawed, three-wheeled motorcycles were popular where I live.  The kids would ride fast and loud down the streets and alleys of my community.  These motorcycles drove Toby crazy.  He tried to chase these roaring vehicles down even though he was safe inside the house.
     My house was a long, ranch house that allowed a dog to make a straight shot from end to end without hindrance.  When Toby heard the motorcycles coming, he would start barking, jump to his feet and dash from one end of the house to the other.  In one great leap, he would jump on the chair by the big picture window and bark and growl at this hated nemesis.
     Thankfully, this all ended when the motorcycles were banned.  Toby was relieved that this was all over, and so was I.
     While Toby grew to feeble to play fetch much or race, one game we played right until the end was the most fun of all.  Toby possessed a great sense of smell, and his tracking ability could put a bloodhound to shame.
    The way we tested Toby's tracking was by playing hide and seek indoors and outdoors.  My Mom would distract Toby while I went and hid somewhere.  After I was thoroughly hidden, Mom would say to Toby," Go find Garry", and Toby would be off in search of me.
     Toby always found me.  After a brief glance to see if I was in view, Toby put his nose to the ground and started sniffing out my scent.  From my secure vantage point, I would watch him following my exact track right up to my carefully chosen hiding place.  When he found me, he would jump up and down with excitement.  I really believe that with a little training, Toby could have won some prizes in the AKC tracking competitions.
     Toby loved to play, and I loved to play with him.  We were always trying to think up new ways to have fun.  Toby grew too old to play some of our games, but even when he reached his teens, he was very active and ready to go.
    Don't let anyone tell you that older dogs have no energy or can't learn.  Toby proved that even when they have grown old, dogs still want to play and have a good time.  Give an older dog a chance, and he will become your best friend.