Agape

The word love is definitely overused. Part of the problem is because the English language is so limited, that we decided we only needed one word, love, to explain at least four different types of love.

I came to thinking of this love as I embraced the excitement, attention, and love that my fur-baby poured on me when I came home from church one evening. Now I should say- the dog is "crazy". I can be away for an hour and upon my return, you'd think I was gone for 24 hrs. The same is with guests and strangers alike. He just goes beserk. He's just that high-strung (according to the vet) and absolutely loveable (according to me).

Well as I talk to him, yes, I'm talking to the dog...I realize that its almost 10 pm and he had not yet eaten. No the dog didn't tell me that, but hubby confirmed it for me. It dawned on me, that although Ari had not been fed, although he was locked out of the room and technically being "ignored"...although he may not have gotten sufficient exercise for that day, nor sufficient attention- that his "love" for his masters was unyielding. Although we've never mistreated him, I'm sure if we were too, that he would still be faithful to us. And at this point in my thinking I realized...wow.

Isn't that God's love. I don't always spend time with Him. I don't always spend time in His word. I sometimes ignore his nudgings. I definitely don't always get it right..as it relates to his guidelines for living...yet still He loves. And the crazy thing is, He loves when I'm in the state of rebellion and ignoring Him, as much as He loves when I'm "checking" for him. His love never fails. He (His love) is faithful. I can't go anywhere to escape His love.

That alone makes me squeal inside like a little kid. Oh, what manner of love is this that the Father has given to me!!!!!!!

Go forth today embracing, relishing, abounding in the love of the Father.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Ari pushed through the gate (Lessons from Ari)

Funny yet true story...remember my previous post on Ari and the gate??

Well,  less than 4 hours after writing the post, I'm sitting in the room with hubby and was visited by the little black blob.  I peak out to the hallway and this is what I found...:))

Apparently, the weekend's situation (when the gate fell down after he accidentally fell on it), really did stick with him and when it mattered, he pushed the limits.

Moreover, since he figured it out that one time, he's pushed through it numerous other times in the past week. He respects it when it matters most, i.e. at night, but if we are in the room and he feels he should be a part of the family time, most likely, he will scratch and push until the gate relents and he has an opening to squeeze through!

So Ari's adventures offers us another lesson: don't forget the instances of the past when you may have broken through. You know, the one time when you may have pushed and gotten a break or a hole (no matter how small)? Or even if it didn't happen to you, but you have 1st-hand knowledge of someone else who pushed through until something happened?

Yes, allow those stories and/or memories to encourage you and propel you to challenge the new(est) "barrier" set before you.

Listen, I know you always hear it...Life is too short. But for real, when you sit to really think through the potential that each of us have... the dreams, the talents and then consider that we don't even have the current moment we are experiencing promised to us- yea, you'll decide to make each moment count. To not settle when you know there is more. To live full and free.

Now...whatchu gonna do?

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Ari and the gate (Lessons from Ari)

So....we've been trying to put more structure in the Jones' house. The first of which is reminding Ari that he is a dog and not a small human.  This required getting a baby gate and putting it up to keep him from certain parts of the house.

I'll be honest, the true incentive was to keep him from  pee'ing on our bedroom carpet again. He was sick a couple weeks ago and had some accidents around the house. The bedroom was the only place, that was carpeted, where he had an accident and being a dog,  the carpet is now "marked", making him feel more inclined to revisit. I've tried vinegar and baking soda but if you have any suggestions- do share them! :/

Anyway, I digress. I was in the room sorting laundry and looked out to see the sad face behind the gate.  (black blob is him). The funny thing is, the gate has been up for a week or two but Ari has never challenged it. He has wimpered, cried, sat with "sad face" but never once pushed on it to see if it would give way. Ironically, most times the gate isn't secure. A simple push with his 14 pounds and most likely it will give way.

It got me thinking...how many times have I (we) looked at what is seemingly a "barrier" and just sat behind it. I'm not talking about being rebellious, because rules have a valid place in society. I'm talking about things that could be ours, maybe should be ours...but we settle to accept less. Even if we don't aggressively take down gates, sometimes a simple bit of asking questions or doing research would reveal that what seems to be a secure gate, is really only an appearance and whatever is behind the "gate" is accessible to whoever would challenge it.

Note again: I'm not suggesting rebellion, but more of critical assessment of the information and status quo's that we are fed. Yes, ignorance is bliss..but the ignorant are usually poor, unfulfilled and taken advantage of. I would take rich, fulfilled and empowered over blissful living anyday!

The biggest "gate" right now for me is home ownership. There are tons of "rules"...but I can't help wonder, if I get creative, if I ask questions differently, if I challenge the status quo- will I find another means to get the home that I want without having to go through the long drawn out process that I've been fed to believe is standard or required?

Things that make you go hmmmm....

Grace peace and love,
Gia

little dog, big bone (Lessons from Ari)

I haven't done my lessons from Ari post in a while. Mostly, its because I've been away from him for most of the Fall semester and not because he has been shenanigan free. For those of you who don't know him (or never read these posts), Ari is my little fiesty protector. He weighs all but 14 lbs, barks at any and every thing that seemingly could be a threat but loves fiercely. Especially me. He's technically a mutt (1/2 yorkie & 1/2 shih tzu) but more considered a spoilt breed since he is our only "child".

Last night as I sat and just had quiet time, I was praying and thinking and teetering between those two actions for a while...and Ari sat alongside me on his couch and tackled (literally) a bone. The thing is, this bone is big. He's really a small little thing and since last year, by mistake, we've been buying him bones that are probably for medium-large sized breeds.

At first, I instructed the purchaser to return it for a bone suited for his size but since there were two and he desperately needed something to chew on, we left it with him. What we found, is the lesson for today...he was able to handle the bone that was about 1/3 of his size. It wasn't without fighting and fumbling, but consistency and unrelenting determination was what won.

Last night was no different. The bone slipped from his grasp a couple times. He had to change positions a couple times. He had to change the position of the bone a couple times..but if you look closely at the bone (gross), there is clear evidence that it is being widdled away. And I assure you, by end of Feb, all that will be left is a mere nub.

This struck me as fascinating as my prayer and thoughts at this point was centered on a fairly big dream that I've been developing (more on that later). As with most of my dreams, this seems impossible. In fact, this is building upon...expanding, if you may, on a super size dream of The Mercy House which I've introduced in past posts.

What I need to do, though...is finalize the vision. Identify the baby steps and begin chewing one small piece at a time. I need to be flexible to realize that sometimes I may need to change my own position or adjust the dream a bit..but the idea is to steadily, slowly keep chipping away.

First things first though...getting the full vision realized and identifying those smaller goals/objectives.

I'm down for the ride!

Grace peace and love,

Gia

Lessons from Ari: accidents will happen

After a very exciting photo shoot for It's Girl Time a couple weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night to walk in a little puddle. My immediate thought as I looked down into the cutest face ever was eeeew and Ugh at the same time. Ari had whined to leave the room but hadn't rang the bell, but still here I was standing, in now, that I could see, a puddle of yellow pee. This is TOTALLY unlike him...but in retrospect he had a pretty exciting day.


Because my husband was going with me to the photo shoot, we decided to make it an outing with Ari since two of the girls absolutely love him and another had yet to meet him (she now loves him too). The thing with Ari is that he has a very low tolerance for activity. A 5 minute walk and he's pooped. Five minutes with an excited 6 year old kid who is reminiscent of Elmyra and he's even more pooped.

So imagine him after 2 hours with 4 kids (and a couple adults) who were vying for his attention at various points. By the time we got to the car, he just looked "done". He had water then and then he drank another ton of water over the evening. Of course, we aren't idiots, we took him out to pee twice that evening but true to my husband's concerns, he actually did have too much water. Although, what could we have done? withhold water from the pooped pup? nope! That's inhumane.

So as I stood in the pee, I had a couple choices and I chose to NOT scream at the dog. For a number of reasons:
1. I heard the vet's voice in my head admonishing us that if we did not catch him in the act, that screaming or punishing him afterward would mean NOTHING. He doesn't have a brain like humans so there is no 2 + 2, if the moment had already passed.
2. It was 2 am and my husband was sleeping.
3. I got it. It really wasn't that big of a deal. Accidents happen right?

As I grabbed a ton of Lysol wipes and got on my hands and feet to make the puddle disappear, I thought about my own "maturity" in the situation. I am not usually this level-headed, especially not at 2am and would have still given a stern word to the clueless pup just to "vent". But no venting was necessary. Sure I was tired. Sure I was disappointed. But on some level, I just thought "accidents will happen".

Isn't our perfect heavenly Father just like that? Doesn't He extend us mercy and forgiveness and because of Jesus, none of us (who chooses Him), will get what we truly deserve? mmmmmm

But how does this play out in my day-to-day with other humans? Like my responses with Ari in times past, I've had moments of great impatience and judgement. Unfortunately, these happen most often with the one who is closest..my husband. I am usually able to restrain myself and extend mercy with the stranger, with the coworker and even times with the friend but not so much with hubby. Of course, before hubby, it was my siblings. The thing is I've got as much of a duty, well privilege to be patient and kind with those I live with as much as I should with the stranger.  I've got to learn to extend mercy; this is different from being taken advantage of but I think sometimes we can get too quick to judge, condemn or "show someone their error".

Patience is a virtue as the saying goes, but it is also a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Just as our Father is patient and merciful toward us, we should be with others...this includes those closest to you (spouse, significant other, child, parent or siblings) and the stranger, as well as the pet! ;)

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. (Proverbs 15:18)

Grace peace love (and patience),
Gia

Lessons from Ari: soul cleansing

Well in t-minus 3 hours, I'll be airborne and off to fulfill part of my quest to be the change I want to see in the world (see post here). :) We still need tons of prayers so if you remember me at any point, in the next 7 days, definitely say a prayer or two for us all. I'm not sure what my internet access will be like, so I can't promise anything until next Wednesday...but for now I leave you with another lesson from Ari. (sadly, I'll be leaving my "baby" behind too)

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This is another lesson from Ari. I shared with you a couple weeks ago that Ari usually bounds up onto the bed in the mornings and just finds his rest wherever he may. At this time, he does nothing...other than an occasional lick on whoever's hand may be rubbing him down.
One particular morning as we go through this what-seems-to-be-a-ritual, I thought about what all happens during this "down time".

As he lays and I rub, I'm also able to "clean" him. You know the prickle that may have gotten on one of his paws (that he hadn't managed to bite off himself) or a stray leaf that was in his beard/bangs. Sometimes...ick ick ick..sometimes, because he goes wandering a bit too long, he has a bug and the only way we would know is during these times (or actual cleaning time). If he didn't sit still, fully trusting me, I would never see some of the stuff that's on him, or that needs attention.

In some ways, it is the same way with our quiet time with God. However, unlike me, He does know what I may have managed to pick up. He sees the condition of my heart. He hears my thoughts. He doesn't need me to slow down to know what is going on but He does need me to stop and submit in order to clean me up.  Usually, it is only when I slow down, on my own or through circumstances, that I even realize that my heart is in a pickle or I'm holding onto to something which is staining me. Worse, I may be holding onto thoughts and attitudes, that like ticks/fleas, directly steal from my "life blood"...my joy and my faith without me even realizing it.

My problem is that I don't slow down too often. Even during "quiet time", I'm usually busy...talking. I have been more aware of this need and really making a conscious effort to quiet myself. What I have found is that those quiet times are less traditional, less planned and I like it. Standing outside, waiting on my husband...I look up to the sky and just stand in awe looking at the clouds. How GREAT is my God is what my heart screams. I feel the intensity of not only how awesome He is but also how close He is. My heart is refreshed with clean "oxygen" to flush out the impurities. I smile contentedly.

When are your quiet times of cleaning and refreshing? Do you lay still and turn on your back with everything exposed or do you lay curled up and fidgeting. This is another call to the fountain...not only to bring your worries, cares and needs but to be cleaned and made new.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Father knows: Lessons from Ari

Remember this from last week? I mentioned in the previous post that as I listened to Ari bang on the bell repeatedly that I thought of two lessons. The first was on persistence and the second, which I'll share on today, is about our Father. For all intents and purposes, I am Ari's mommy. So much so, that the neighbor's kid, who is about 5 years old, calls me "Ari mommy" whenever she wants to get my attention but cannot remember my name. Yes it is very cute...she literally screams across the fence "Hello Ari mommy, can I play with Ari today please?". :)

 Now back to the story, if you recall, this bell ringing was occuring a little before 5am and I refused to get up. I eventually fell back asleep and at some point Ari must have stopped banging on the bell because when I woke up, he was curled in one of his favorite positions just chillin. Now the thing is, I know my dog. I know that he can wait. I know that he won't have an accident unless he is sick or had an exorbitant amount of water or food during the night. And truth be told, even in the latter scenario, it is unlikely for an accident. He's a big dog now. ;) Of course, this story read differently about 1.5 years ago when we were still in the midst of housebreaking.

 Unfortunately, this isn't to suggest that we haven't had accidents. We have ignored him and the bell once or twice since he's been housebroken, only to find the "reward" of our lazyness in some corner of the apartment. Those were definitely not cool lessons.

 But unlike me, our heavenly Father is perfect. He knows us perfectly. He knows our limits. He won't make mistakes. His provision and His answer will always be on time. He will not allow us to be stretched beyond our limits, to the point that we have an accident and make a mess. Of course, sometimes, messes happen but if we fairly asses the situation, this is usually because we were disobedient. What I failed to mention about Ari and "accidents" (and this is a bit gross) is that from time-to-time, actually more often than I care to admit, he eats something he shouldn't have eaten and ends up vomiting in the house because his stomach can't take it. There is nothing I could have done to avoid him vomiting due to ingestion of foreign substances. That is totally on him. However, I try my hardest to monitor his needs and ensure that I provide for each one in a timely manner. I (we) are all he has. We are his source.

We are like Ari in more ways than we may realize. We persist in prayer, we bang on our chests..we bombard heaven for a response, a provision...and sometimes it seems that we are being ignored. But we aren't. We should recognize and accept this truth and avoid finding alternatives or substitutes while we "wait on God". It inevitably will cause an accident that makes a mess and makes us feel a mess.

The truth is: God sees, He hears and in perfect timing, He will respond. Know that. So today, trust God and his perfect plan for your life.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Persistence: Lesson from Ari

This was the sound I was awoken to...over and over and over at a little before 5 am.  This is Ari's way of saying "I need to potty". Of course he's learned to associate going outside with ringing the bell so every now and again, he rings the bell just to go outside and play. The thing is, if I (or my husband) don't move, he just continues to do this and it becomes more forceful. We sometimes wonder where he gets the strength from in the little body to bang on the bell with the force and fervor that he does.

 As I lay in bed just trying to ignore the sound and go back to sleep, I began thinking of this persistance.  I fell back asleep smiling at his stubbornness. I found there were two lessons to consider in this experience, the first of which is about our persistence.  I'm a firm believer in never giving up. In pressing forwarding or pushing until something happens. My very good friend has a book about this. You can see more about it here.  There are so many inspirational or motivational quotes about this that I'm sure I don't need to spend a lot of time convincing you.

Before I leave though, I thought we should revisit a Biblical story that provides clear support for the concept that we should continue praying, seeking, pursuing after the goal or outcome that you desire.

 Luke 18:2-8 [The Message] 

 The Story of the Persistent Widow 

  1-3Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!' 

4-5"He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.'" 

 6-8Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?"

Have you grown tired or weary? Are you about to give up...? DON'T. One of my favorite concepts is hope. I believe there is always hope, well as long as we are living, there are opportunities to pursue and achieve. So be encouraged, however, I suggest you also be wise. If the means you have been trying to get something isn't working, maybe it is time to reassess your strategy...or even your goal. If you are a Christian, how does your strategy or goal line up with God's plans and purpose for you? Even if you aren't a Christian, does the strategy make logical sense? Is your goal attainable?

 I would never suggest that you limit your thinking/vision/plans but sometimes (in fact most times), the super big out-of-this-world goal requires smaller goals to get you there.  Maybe you can't identify your goals and you have just been chasing the proverbial wind. Well, check out a previous blog post on goals and get to writing and strategizing. However, be reminded that whatever point you are at in your journey, DO NOT GIVE UP.

So on this Friday, the lesson from Ari is to continue ringing the bell until it is clear to whomever is the gate-keeper, that you have a need.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

oh! if you want to see more of Ari and his shenanigans...to really see his persistence, click on the video link above that says Ari & playpen (it should show up after you have watched the short clip). Just know that he did that over and over until he was able to get out.

Lessons from Ari

Meet my fur-baby Ari. He is a lovable, SUPER friendly, 2 year old Yorkie-Shih Tzu. As you can see, he is jet black and most times, taking a picture of him (and seeing more than a blob) is impossible. Another detail about Ari - he is spoilt! He is our child and the center of attention in our house. The house actually belongs to him...well it seems that way most days.

Anyway, just yesterday it dawned on me how much I can learn from the simple interactions with Ari and so as I do with most my lessons, I will share with you.

Today's lesson from Ari is about REST.

Ari sleeps wherever he chooses, sometimes the couch in the front, and sometimes on the floor on either side of the bed (usually mine). There are some nights, where he fights to sleep with us at the foot of the bed. In an  effort to provide boundaries, we typically do not allow this...but of course, every so often he gets away with it. This usually occurs in the middle of the night/early morning when we are near comatose and he comes in to cuddle at our feet. Regardless of where he sleeps, 8 out of 10 mornings, once he realizes we are awake, he bounds up in the bed, tail wagging and almost a smile, he often times tries to give us slobbery kisses. After settling, he would just curl up somewhere he could squeeze, while I just lay in bed, either trying to wake up (or catch couple extra mins sleep), pray/have quiet time or read my Bible/devotions.

Because he is settled and curled up so cute, I usually can't help but to just rub his head or tummy and I am amazed each time at the level of relaxation he experiences when I do this. He puts himself COMPLETELY VULNERABLE and just lays there. Sometimes he is staring at me...and clearly because he does not have the cognitive capacity, I know he is just enjoying the attention and the rub and there are no thoughts.

This most recent occasion, it hit me. God wants me to be like Ari. I should excitedly bound into His arms and just rest in Him. Clear my mind and just enjoy as the Holy Spirit ministers and refreshes me. I can be completely vulnerable because He will not hurt me or take advantage of me. I can be free and just REST.

I'm thinking I will try to be a happy-go-lucky trusting daughter who is re-energized by laying in the lap of her Father and gazing into the beauty of His face.

One of my favorite...rest-in-God songs.

Grace peace and love,
Gia