We have a new family pet! We brought home an eight- month- old Corgi puppy, three days ago. She is a little blessing, arriving just before the holidays.
Our tree is up, but we have not yet decorated it. These past few years, we have been decorating the tree on Thanksgiving Day after dinner. We have not taken out our decorations…there is just the tree, placed just so, and ready for the festivities. I rather like the tree at first, unadorned, because then there is the ‘waiting time’, the imagining of ‘what will be’. My favorite part is always seeing the tree lit up, even before a single decoration. It is always magical when the tree is lit with all those tiny lights…
Daisy, our new Corgi, was named by our youngest son. As soon as I heard the name, I thought it was perfect. Daisies always seem to be such ‘happy’ flowers, and Daisy is surely a happy creature. Our happy little dog is keeping us very busy! I am glad for the warmer days we have had of late…It is a nice time to introduce Daisy to the yard and neighborhood.
A puppy is a surely a reminder to celebrate the little things in life. Puppies enjoy life moment to moment. Each new treasure, be it a leaf, or a small stick, is an occasion for joy.
Life is short. There are any number of reasons to celebrate each and every day. We could never count all of our blessings even if we tried…the blessings continuously overflow.
On the puppy walks, the dog always takes a pause to sniff the air, to watch a squirrel, or to listen to the birds singing. It is as if everything were ‘brand-new’.
Christmas will soon be here. We celebrate the birth of Christ, our Savior. Through Christ, we are given eternal life. God truly has made ‘all things new’, and the old things have passed away. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
These ‘puppy days’ will come and go, and Daisy will become a full-size dog. I know she will still enjoy her walks and the discovery of new things. Still, puppyhood is a season that will not come again. A puppy is a puppy for only a very short time. And so, even with ‘accidents’ in the house’, and stray items that might get chewed up, a puppy brings so much joy. It is surely a season to celebrate!
It is the same for each of us. The seasons come and go. We have our memories, but we cannot return to a time gone by. We have this time, this hour, this moment at hand. I often reflect on the verse from scripture which reminds us so clearly of how we are to live our lives: Psalm 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
The dictionary tells us that to rejoice means to show great joy, delight, or happiness. The wonder of a new day is a reason to be glad, to see the sun rising up, to know that God has gifted us with newness of life.
Children and puppies truly know how to savor life. Intrinsically, they seem to understand that time is fleeting. They grab hold of the joy and do not wait for some future moment to enjoy life.
We have entered the season of Thanksgiving. We are grateful for all that has come before in our lives, the people we have loved, the joys we have experienced. God travels with us on this journey of life, and along the way, we discover more gifts. The good news is that God never runs out of love; He is our Heavenly Father and He does love us so. If our hearts are open, we can embrace new experiences, and every season of our lives offers the opportunity to love more fully.
Perhaps, what puppies and children teach us is to fall in love with this life that God has given us in Him. That means trusting Him with all the hard things, knowing that He will never leave us. It means finding delight in the little things, and celebrating the day to day moments. We never walk alone. He walks with us, and He takes joy in all our steps…the baby steps, and the big steps.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Job 38:4, 6-7: “Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Into what were its pedestals sunk, and who laid its cornerstone, while morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
A beautiful reflection, Linda! This past Sunday, I was with my mother, Frances, who will be 94 this coming February. When I read Psalm 100 to her, she was able to recite line for line in its entirety with me. This was her father’s favourite Psalm: “Make a joyful noise until the Lord, all yet lands……”
Thank you! Your mother is such a beautiful soul! She has so much wisdom to share with us and it is appreciated! I wish her many early birthday blessings…
Many thanks. I will be visiting Frances tomorrow and will definitely pass on your lovely message, Linda!
Aw, Daisy is so cute. Thank you for the reminder to treasure each day. 🙏♥️
Thank you! We are enjoying this little pup! 🙂
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Your descriptions of Daisy’s joy in simple things reminds me of when our grandchildren were toddlers and they took joy in dandelions, sticks, bugs, and acorns. Like you said, everything was new and fascinating to them at that age. Praise God such unbridled joy is an attitude we adults can experience too if we relearn to pay attention! (Lord, help me to do so. I don’t want to take any of your gifts and wonders for granted!)
You are so right Nancy! If we pay attention, and with God’s help, we too, can experience the wonder around us, and really appreciate it. It does take practice to some extent. I do believe that God wants us to know joy and celebrate life!
Agree wholeheartedly, Linda!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Just delightful, Linda!
A puppy for Christmas! 🙂 She was tugging on my kitchen tablecloth this evening and I thought, “Oh, my”, and the decorations are still in their boxes!
Daisy’s face is just too cute … a delightful addition to your family that will bring great joy!
She is a sweet pup! 🙂 I am trying to be sure that she gets enough exercise…lots of walks and playtime in the yard. (I want to be sure that she is sleepy when nighttime comes.) At least one of us is falling asleep earlier. 🙂
lol you are enjoying this new addition, and does ensure your exercise regime 🙂
Yes! 🙂 🙂 🙂
You are so right that each new day is a gift for us to enjoy and be thankful for. Congratulations on your new family member! Daisy looks very happy to be in her forever home.
Thank you! She is a happy little dog! I must say that I am enjoying this puppy! It will take great effort not to spoil her! 🙂
You’re welcome!
Congratulations on the new addition to your family! She’s darling! And we also like to decorate our tree on Thanksgiving. We used to do it the Friday after Thanksgiving, but now we have our meal on Thanksgiving Eve so the kids can go to their in-laws on Thanksgiving day. My husband and I go out for brunch on Thanksgiving, then come home and decorate the tree. We love our new tradition!
It is fun to change the traditions up a bit!!! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 🙂