He bounded from one side of the beach to the other, frolicking in the ocean and sand. He then would race through the sand dunes onto the grassy plateau behind the condos which lined the beach.

He was a black and white mixed breed, with long hair and a long tail, and I never did discover his name. I walked up to a lady holding a leash, assuming she was the owner of the dog.

I told her what joy it gave me to see her dog free and unleashed, having such a grand time. She agreed it was a sight to behold, and I went on my walk.

On my return, the master and the dog were still on the beach. As I drew nearer I became concerned because the dog had run so far ahead he looked like a pencil in the distance. I was afraid he would get lost or be hurt in some way and not be able to get back to his master.

I approached the owner once more and said, “Aren’t you afraid he won’t be come back?”

She told me this five year old dog had been her pet for only three months . She got him at the humane society, where a family who was moving had left him. She rescued him from certain death, and somehow I think the dog knew how special an owner he had.

She was able to give him all the freedom he desired, because no matter how far he roamed, he always returned.

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God rescues us from certain death, and gives us life eternal through Jesus Christ. He stands with leash in hand, allowing us freedom galore. We may run from place to place, and even get far away from Him, but we will return.

He knows it; once we are His, and we have been trained in His way, we shall return. The Bible gives us this promise, and I believe it is true.

- – - By Marion Smith

Tags: Bible, free, god, jesus christ, story

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule ‘braying’ — or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.

After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened…and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back…a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back… HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!

This he did, blow after blow. “Shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up!” he repeated to encourage himself.

No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought “panic” and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You’re right! It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well!

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What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him… All because of the manner in which he handled his adversity. Hey, that’s life!

If we face our problems and respond to them positively and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity… the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit and bless us!

Remember that forgiveness — faith — prayer — praise and hope all are excellent ways to “shake it off and step up” out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

Tags: god, prayer, story

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.

When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side

When he was close enough, he called out, “Excuse me, where are we?”

“This is Heaven, sir,” the man answered.

“Wow! Would you happen to have some water?” the man asked.

“Of course, sir. Come right in, and I’ll have some ice water brought right up.”

The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

“Can my friend,” gesturing toward his dog, “come in, too?” the traveler asked.

“I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t accept pets.”

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

“Excuse me!” he called to the man. “Do you have any water?”

“Yeah, sure, there’s a pump over there, come on in.”

“How about my friend here?” the traveler gestured to the dog.

“There should be a bowl by the pump.”

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.

The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

“What do you call this place?” the traveler asked.

“This is Heaven,” he answered.

“Well, that’s confusing,” the traveler said. “The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.”

“Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That’s hell.”

“Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?”

“No, we’re just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.”

*** Never leave your best friend behind ***