Another sign of Spring quickly approaching, in our neck of the woods– the skunks are coming out.  One of the few things that Lewis and Clark wrote about this area was the number of ‘polecats’ here.

I don’t think they are all that prolific now, we only see one or two during the year and sometimes not at all.  But they can be a challenge when confronted, especially with a pet.

We have lived in this area for about 50 years now.  During that time we have had, between the cats and dogs, at least a couple of dozen pets.

Until early this morning we have never had a pet ‘maced’ by a skunk.  Poor Blaze got it last night.  I got him into the shower and covered him with tomato juice, washing him the best I could and then washed that out with shampoo.

This morning was his turn to see his groomer, Allison at the Pink Poodle – he looks like a rag muffin.  She had to cut his beard down to almost nothing, but by doing that helped with the residual fragrance left on him. 

It was probably good that he was so shaggy, it didn’t get into his eyes and wasn’t on the skin. 

We are still trying to deal with it on the porch.

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John 17:10-11 “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

¹¹ And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”   KJV

It would be so much easier that after we were saved from our sins that we would immediately be taken up and into heaven.

We wouldn’t have the struggles, we wouldn’t have the pain, we would just be with Him forever.

There is a reason He has left us here, in the world.

If all Christians were immediately transported to heaven, who would tell others about His saving grace; how would we learn of it if there is no one to tell us.  But, because of those who shared His love and Grace with us, we have the promise of life ever after.

He has chosen to spread His Gospel with human beings, even though the angels themselves would gladly come down to share His love.

Our world was created for mankind.  God has always used man to tell others about Him, to teach them and to lead them to God.

AND He expects us to help others not only find Him but help them find the comfort of His Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:3-4 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

⁴ Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”  KJV

People are in pain all around us.  By making ourselves available to the Holy Spirit, we can reach out and comfort them.

We think in short terms, 50, 60, 70 and longer years on this earth seems such a long time to have to ‘suffer’ at the world’s hands, and yet it won’t even be a fraction of eternity that we will spend at the feet of our God.

While we may wish we didn’t have to go through all these years in preparation for eternity, it is a very finite time and when we turn ourselves over to God we realize that by helping others we increase those that will be admitted into the Kingdom of God.

The world is in horrible shape, maybe the worst it has ever been.  America is just starting to feel that curse of satan and far too many of us are wringing our hands and giving up.

We can make a difference in other people’s lives by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us, to give us wisdom and the ability to share His wonderful love to those who so desperately need Him.

Later, Art (-: