The Lord often uses things I love in everyday life to speak to me. He spoke to me again today through my doggies, and I'd like to share it with you.

I have two dogs. Lucky sorta plants himself in your path, hoping for a bit of petting and attention. I came stumbling out of bed this morning, heading determinedly towards the bathroom. Lucky intersected me and wanted to be petted and loved on. Now, I have a soft place in my heart for my dogs, and I could not resist. So I gave him a really good petting, scratching his tummy and his chest. I could tell it was blessing him, cuz his back leg was going wild, as if he were scratching the invisible man. When my dog does that, I know he is really enjoying himself.

I gave him a good long stomach scratching and then patted his head in this certain way he loves. Lucky suddenly popped up, ran and got his ball and came back to me.

Now, when Lucky was a puppy, he liked all of his toys equally. But both Ed and I had a preference to play ball with him because it was a bit more interactive than most of his other puppy toys. So Lucky learned to like the ball best .. because it was clearly our favorite way to play with him.

As Lucky approached me with the ball, I knew he was looking to be blessed in the manner he was used to being blessed in. At that moment, I really wanted to give him a big hug and cuddle him (all 110 pounds of him) and scratch his stomach some more. But Lucky's idea of receiving my love was to play ball, so he ran to get his ball...

"Teresa," the Lord said, "your dog is coming to you for love in the way he is used to receiving it from you. You desire to meet him one way but he is trained to expect you to meet him another way..."

My ears perked up, because I knew the Lord was getting at something...

"...likewise, there are times that you look to Me to bless you the way you are used to being blessed. But I am wanting to do something different that will bless you even more than what you are used to. Allow Me to do what I want to do to bless you.. receive it from My hand instead of looking to be met in the familiar and comfortable ways I have met you in the past."

I was pierced to the heart.. He paused for a bit, then He went on.

"So often My children desire to meet Me only in certain ways. It is in My heart to do so much more with them, but they are not willing... just like it was in your heart to hug your dog when he wanted to play ball. They desire for Me to meet them, but they don't know how to let Me do it My way.. and I want to teach them."