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This was the poodle competition at this years Groom Expo in Hershey, PA.

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Love this picture

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Here she is

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I was recently inspired by a friend's blog post to draft a decree of sorts summarizing my life as a christian. I used most of his text, but threw in some of my own. Enjoy!

I am a pilgrim here and my name is Christian.

I belong to the fellowship of the One who is holy and just. I am a sinner saved by grace abundant. I am totally depraved in nature and was once bound to just damnation in hell. Yet, by His steadfast love and tender mercy, was spared and given a new name and destination. My past is dead and my curse is lifted. I am now a new creature, thirsting for Him who was once my sworn enemy. By His bidding, I have become a part of the chosen and regenerated body that now lives in union with Him both here and in heaven above (Col. 3:3). I thread the narrow way; the way that leads to suffering and eternal life. This way is the way of the cross. This life is not my own (1 Cor. 6:20). I have been purchased from the marketplace of sin and death at a high price. The life I now live is Christ!

This place is not my home. This world is now dead to me and I to it. My desire is my Father's desire. My vision is my Father's vision. My food is my Father's will. By Him who works in me, I will persevere to the end.

I have His Spirit who continually works within me, transforming my life for the glory of the One who sent Him. I am not ashamed of what He has begun in me or called me to be. Though the world may see me as foolish and mad, I know that my salvation will one day shame the wise of this age.

In my pilgrimage through this wilderness, I take with me three things of need. I have the compass of His Spirit within to guide me and comfort me along the way, I have the staff of His good gospel to steady my feet when the ground gives way and the wolf accuses and condemns me, and I carry the book of His testimony to light my path and give me hope until my journeys end.

My life has become that of constant paradox…always dying, yet always living; striving yet always resting; empty and always full; broken and yet always complete; sorrowful yet always rejoicing; having nothing yet possessing everything. (2 Cor. 6:9-10) I bear His Name and His Mark on my forehead and no force in heaven or hell can tear me from His hand. I now walk with the One who saved me. I wear Him as my clothing, take Him as my food, and flee to Him for refuge from the world, my own corruptions, and Satan. And though my heart is ignorant, sinful, and stubborn, by His Spirit I am continually transformed and renewed from one degree of glory to the next until I will finally become that which He has determined me to be from before the foundations of space and time.

I tread the path of those saints who have come before me. I take encouragement from their testimony and lives and count myself most blessed to be numbered among them.

"All for His glory" has become my song.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

This is my decree.

Instead of sitting here sick and feeling bad for my poor little self, I thought I might actually make myself useful and actually post something! What a novel idea. Like I said, I’m sick. Anyone who knows me knows that when I get sick, watch out for the most disgraceful wretch of a pitiful human being ever to grace the planet. Needless to say, I don’t “do sick well”. Since I am *this* sick, I missed church this morning. I just didn’t feel up to it from all the medicines flowing through me and my general achyness that I have. As I’m lying in the bed sniffling like a poor school kid who just had his skates stolen, I began to condemn myself. Ever so subtely, that inner condemnation that I know far too well began to sloooowly creep in. “Awe, c’mon Matt, you’re not that sick,” and “Isn’t He worthy enough for you to drag your pitiful carcass out of bed and into church to worship Him?” Yeah, you reforming legalists out there know what I’m talking about and you know that voice too well. It’s the voice of your filthy self righteous self telling you that the Lord is now looking down on you in displeasure. It’s you telling yourself that you blew it yet again and that now you need to beat yourself about the head with a clothes hangar for being such a wretch. But hold your horses there chief. You’re forgetting something and if my hunch is correct, we legalsits tend to fall into this slough more than we would care to admit during the course of a day. Winston Churchill, who suffered from a constant ongoing depression often referred to it as a “black dog”. It constantly hounded him and was incessantly digging its nails into his flesh. I read an article dealing with this depression of his and something jumped out at me that I saw as all to closely related to the forgiven man’s fight with his own leglsim and self righteousness:

"Black Dog" was Churchill's name for his depression, and as is true with all metaphors, it speaks volumes. The nickname implies both familiarity and an attempt at mastery, because while that dog may sink his fangs into one's person every now and then, he's still, after all, only a dog, and he can be cajoled sometimes and locked up other times.

Get it? That black dog can be beaten back and locked up. But how? How do we, forgiven men and women, fight back that dog of legalism that so cunningly rears its ugly head to condemn us and rob our joy? The gospel. It’s the gospel that we need to daily administer to ourselves as one gulps down that bitter medicine when they aren’t feeling well. To the self righteous, that beautiful gospel at times may be bitter to take down. To simply rely on the rightousness of another admits that I in my self am not. It’s a direct assault on the pride and frankly, it’s designed to do just that. To assault you right where you think you have it all together. “Filthy rags” are what you and I bring, we need to remember that at all times. We stand where we stand in a complete alien righteousness that is at times so bizarre and unbelievable to us, that we tend to disregard it and not believe it. But we must pray “Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!” You’re a sinner, but a forgiven sinner all the more. Sin boldly we must, but believe on the Lord Jesus 10 times as much. When that dog creeps in, swallow that gospel and tell the father of lies and the accuser of the bretheren to stand behind you. By His stripes, you are healed.

This has become one of my favorite sermons of all time. I invite you to take an hour to watch it through. You'll be glad you did...:) [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jj_0Xclm3c] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-apo02PUrBg] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97t5SUGuGx0] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G3Znx1WV-s] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zvIqaSUij8] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sppMUZXLyr0]

Teaching tithing as New Covenant law only shovels more condemnation on the sheep. Follow the linky. We are FREE in Christ! The law can only bring death, not life! Wanna' keep the law? Fine. Then you must keep the rest. Good luck with that. I wish you the best...all the feast laws, all the ceremonial laws, all the cleanliness laws; every single one of'm. When you finally realize you can't, Christ will still be waiting with open arms. ...stupid sheep that we are. And yes, I'm yelling....:D

When you purchase a new hardback, do you leave the dust cover on or do you pitch it? Vote here. :)