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A Mere Breath

Surprise! Puppy!

I had been pestering Andrew about getting a dog since we moved to Edgewater last July. I think pestering is the right word. Becca had something to do with it, suggesting ways to work my angles like, "I'll be the one to take him out up and down 3 flights of stairs, I don't mind", and "We'll meet lots more people in the neighborhood if we have a dog", and "you like dogs so much, why not get one?" The conversations trended toward me taking complete responsibility for the dog. Like kids when they tell their parents they will do everything for the dog - pretty pleeease? Off and on, I pestered through the fall, into the winter.

The holidays, when we went to visit home, provoked the conversation further. Andrew's most beloved dog, Brooklyn, lives with his parents. Brooklyn is super smart, plays fetch all day long, is sweet, and will chill out when there is nothing happening. Andrew adores Brooklyn. Adores. Venerates. Treasures. You get the idea. There is ongoing family banter about whose the dog really is now, and how he has gotten fatter and whatnot since living with the 'rents. That's almost enough material for another post. But I digress. Seeing Brooklyn and Andrew's utter affection for him prompted me to continue to prod him about getting a dog in Chicago.

Now, when these discussions took place, Andrew had numerous logical and practical arguments against getting a dog. These included:

- Living on the fourth floor in a small apartment, with no yard

- Having to be home more in order to take care of the dog

- Cost of food, vet, housing, etc.

At least these were the ones I remember the most. I had lots of "yes, but..." responses, however the logic and practicality of his side formed a solid, unassailable wall. I would come bounding up to the wall in conversation, meet with it, maybe jump up and down in front of it trying to see over it, but I knew that that wall of argumentation was not coming down from my efforts.

Then, one day, Andrew says that he has a surprise road trip planned for us. Not uncommon, so I didn't think too much of it. We were probably going to a brewery somewhere or to some concert or something like that. Sweet. So, the mystery trip arrives and we start driving out to the burbs. Past the burbs. Driving for a long while. So, I start jokingly guessing at what we are doing. I have a terrible record of ruining Andrew's surprises, so I try to guess but not really figure things out.

Me: "Are we getting a dog?"

Now, I said this in utter sarcasm, thinking that Andrew was behind that solid wall of no-dog-right-now logic. Not one ounce of me thought we were actually going to get a dog on that trip.

Andrew: "We've talked about this. Now is not a good time for a dog."

Me: "I know." And then, trying for the first time to acknowledge that I know about the wall of logic blocking this course of action, I say," I think the reasons you have for not getting a dog right now make sense. I just expected you not to do the most practical thing in this case because you like dogs so much. But it's probably best for us if we wait longer until we get a dog."

Oh, such irony.

About 15 minutes after this statement, we drive up to an unfamiliar house, with unfamiliar cars parked outside, and some trash in the yard. I'm thinking, "Do we know the person who lives here? Are we having dinner here or something? This is weird."

We get to the door, and Andrew says, "Happy Birthday!" And out runs a puppy.

Irony indeed. The man who had put up the wall of logic had now just blown it up. And that's how Knox came into our family.

The next few weeks proved that while a puppy sounds like such a sweet surprise, there are a few drawbacks.

- For me, a planner to the core, the surprise appearance of a puppy did not afford me time to read up on this creature. How much to feed him? How to stop him from peeing on the floor? How to train him? What shots does he need? I've got nothing here. I would have liked to have something to go off before he showed up. That's all.

- Also, we had nothing for him when he got home but a crate. No collar, no leash, no toys, no nothin. I imagined those families that foster kids and end up with another person in their house on fairly short notice. There is some scrambling and making do to get by. I like preparedness, and that didn't happen. Oh well. We survived.

- Having never met Knox until he was ours, I was thus unaware that I am allergic to him. My skin breaks out in hives from his dander or saliva or something. Awesome. Still love him.

- The burden I had paced on myself about Knox being "my dog" blew up fairly quickly as I work the night shift, erratically, and couldn't be the one to feed him and take him out all of the time. Andrew quickly helped me understand that Knox was our dog. Helpful.

So we have a crazy puppy, who is smart as all get out, ornery, and we haven't found the "off'" button yet. But he's so stinkin cute. See?

Reminder

From 1 John 2:12-14, re-phrased to remind me of the truths that I am told there:

I am writing to you, little daughter, because your sins are forgiven for His name's sake. (So be thankful and ready to humbly step outside of yourself)

I am writing to you, godly woman, because you know Him who was from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young wife and sister, because you have overcome the evil one. (In your emotions, in your attitudes)

I write to you, little daughter, because you know the Father. (Who loves you, who made you, who cares for you. You know why you are here.)

I write to you, godly woman, because you know Him who was from the beginning. (The God of history, from ages past, the Beginning and the End)

I write to you, young wife and sister, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (You must fight, and discipline yourself to the Word, and you will have victory)

New Favorite Thing

These are my new favorite thing. I have worn them every day since I got them. I really don't know how I made it through the winter last year without them.

Yes they are Uggs. I am a hypocrite. I used to mock and scoff the Ugg boots. Granted, I mocked them when I saw them multiply at alarming rates on the campus of Arizona State University, in August, when the temperature is right around 100 degrees, and they were most often paired a tasteless-ly short jean mini skirt. But, a hypocrite I remain. But seriously, how was I ever supposed to understand their worth when I could wear flip flops comfortably year round?

Now, I live in Chicago, where the winter is actually cold, with snow and all. And, I live in an apartment, with wood floors, and a land lord who is a bit stingy when it comes to turning on the radiators. So, as the temperature here began to dip into the 30s and 40s, I began to dream of some soft, cushy, deliciously warm and cozy slippers. My feet actually started to crave a slipper that could fill this need. My poor feet only had some moderate weight socks with those sticky dots on the bottom so you don't wipe out completely when you come around a corner.

I mentioned the slippers to my mom, who so generously offered to buy me Uggs. I was aware that these particular shoes are by no means cheap, and mentioned this to my mother, but she was insistent. And so, I was gifted with the finances to bless my feet with some cozy shoes.

Andrew can tell you, thought really hard about if I wanted to spend all that money on some Uggs. I anguished over it. Being somewhat of a miser about money (possibly an understatement), I searched and scoured the internet for some cozy, cushy, warm slippers that might be a bit more affordable. But always in the background, the question lingered, "Will these be as soft, and luxurious, as delicious to encase my feet in as those Uggs?" Shopping online did not help the dilemma, being that my feet were not able to test the merit of any of the other candidates. What to do? Are these shoes worth the offensive price I must pay to enjoy them?

And so, based mostly on the fact that my generous parents were giving me the money for the shoes, I chose to get the Uggs. And I have loved every minute that I have gotten to spend in my slippers. I had to talk myself out of wearing them to church on Sunday. So friends, you have no reason to worry about my feet this Chicago winter. They will be just fine.

And thanks Mom and Dad for the shoes. You guys are great.

L'Abri

Review of: L'Abri by Edith Schaeffer

I picked this book up because it was a suggested read on the subject of hospitality. However, the book actually is the biography of a ministry. Edith Schaffer tells the story of how the Lord formed L'Abri in Switzerland. This ministry still exists today, and now has grown far and beyond it’s humble beginnings. Though this is not a book written on the topic of hospitality, is certainly speaks to the subject in a powerful way.

Edith covers the period of time from when the Schaeffers first arrived in Switzerland up to the ministry of L'Abri becoming well established. Edith describes the journey of faith, obedience, and trust that the Lord led the family on as He shaped and formed a unique community where there were answers for questions of life, meaning, and God. This book describes what the L’Abri ministry started as, and how it grew and changed over the years.

L’Abri was able to provide answers to though questions about life and God, but also was able to serve and love the people asking those questions. Francis Shaeffer took guests on long walks in the Alps, while Edith prepared them meals. Guests stayed up till 2 A.M. in conversation with the family, and helped weed the garden the next day. The hospitality that the Schaeffers showed gave their words credibility. Guest showed up without reservation, were not expected to pay for their stay, and were treated as family. Edith’s hospitality clearly shaped and served the ministry of L’Abri. Simply by reading about the day to day and year to year life of the Schaeffers, Edith speaks volumes about being hospitable, being a servant, and welcoming the stranger in the name of Christ. The book also shows that the clear undergirding of the ministry was a wholehearted reliance on prayer. There simply would not have been a ministry but for the answered prayers that surrounded each step of the journey.

My one criticism is that Edith spends almost all her time on the blessing, the answered prayer, the sweet fruit of their labor, and leaves out the challenges. Edith alludes to the difficulties, but leaves out much of the details. For example, Andrew told me that Francis Schaeffer supposedly had a temper. Edith doesn't say a word about this. There is so much good to write about, and that’s what the book contains. I wanted to read about more of the hardship, the struggles, and the irritations. God uses broken people, and it is helpful to read about that process especially in such a unique and effective ministry.

This book is a testimony to the God who is there in the lives of the Shaeffers. It shows what true community, hospitality, and commitment to the God of the Word can produce in the world by God’s grace.

Review: Hospitality Commands

Review: The Hospitality Commands by Alexander Strauch

I’ll be honest, Andrew is the one who suggested getting this book. Being the MDiv student that he is, he was drawn to a book on hospitality that was based in the exegesis of scripture related to the subject. And praise God that he is my husband, because this book is incredibly valuable and helpful.

In a mere 59 pages, Strauch deals with the main passages of scripture that command hospitality, and even manages to give practical tips for putting hospitality into practice. Strauch sets up the need for his book by pointing out how Christians have become lax in the practice of hospitality. He then places it within the rich historical background of the early church and Christian family where sharing your home and resources with brothers and sisters was commonplace and integral in building up love and unity in the early church. He also describes how the home was the place that evangelism took place before the time of church buildings. He then addresses the passages of scripture that command (yep, it’s a command) the practice of hospitality. And, as if all this were not enough, he provides tips as to how to practice hospitality, that are terribly practical and approachable.

What was most helpful about this book was the understanding it gave to the context biblical hospitality. In the early church, the home was a place where the believer could display love to brothers and sisters in Christ. The main texts that command hospitality are within the context of showing love and unity within the body of Christ. The home was also a place where friends and strangers would see displayed in the day to day and ordinary lives of those who are becoming like Christ. The gospel is adorned with the obedience of compassion, and sacrifice displayed in opening the home to others. The unbelieving world saw the faith of early believers displayed in the way that they welcomed one another and strangers into their houses.

Strauch does not make hospitality out to be the chief of all Christian virtues, but rather holds up a virtue that has become lost. While not making too much of hospitality itself, Strauch shows how this practice will cast vivid light onto the love of God in the lives of His people. This book is an approachable, clear admonition to the church to take up again this mark of brotherhood and love.

Book Reviews

By the encouragement of my husband, I will now be posting book reviews for the books that I pick up in an effort to think about them well and discerningly. I hope you enjoy them!