Monday, August 31, 2015

Mommy Works Harder on the Road

Pocket Full of Quarters Trek 2015
Shiloh’s Shenanigans - Mommy Works Harder on the Road


By Shiloh The Shepherd’s Sheep Dog
Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton


Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23


"Oh no," Mommy exclaimed. "The camper isn't charging." She called Daddy and he gave her a couple of things to try. I could tell that neither of them thought it would work but they were dreading what Mommy was going to have do to really fix it. Finally, Mommy took a deep breath. She crawled up on the bed and took off the sheets. Then she moved the heavy mattress over, lifted the door underneath and flipped a switch. Next came the putting the bed back together. She crawled, lifted, tugged, tucked, and finally said, "This is going to have to do." The bed sure didn't look like it did when Daddy made it up. It was easy for her to talk. It wasn't her side of the bed that was messed up. Oh well, Daddy will be here in a couple of days to fix it.

We'd been so busy that Mommy hadn't had time to do her daily cleaning of the camper. The floor was dirty and my hair was everywhere. She grabbed the sponge she uses for dog hair and wiped the bed spread, chairs, carpets, and curtains. Next, she grabbed the tiny broom and swept. Then she got down on her knees with a wipe and scrubbed the floor and under the chairs and counters. Then, she wiped down all the cabinets, the microwave, and the stove. Finally, she cleaned out the fridge and the bathroom. She looked exhausted. This sure is easier when she has time to do it every day.

Now it was time to tackle the key alarm. It was only working some of the time and it needed to be reset. Mommy called Daddy and he told her where to find the manual. They interpreted the instructions together and finally, Mommy got both of the keys working.

Since we were to be here a couple of days, Mommy decided to put out the stake with my leash on it so I could sit with her. We are in Colorado and the ground is made of rocks. Mommy got the hammer and after 30 minutes, she finally said, "This will have to do." I had news for her - I could have totally pulled it up but I didn't have the heart.

It was laundry day. She dragged the heavy laundry bag and soap to the laundry room. She forgot the dryer sheets so she had to come back. She went to the office to get quarters. Laundry took several hours. "Shiloh," she said as she was shoving clothes into cabinets that looked too small to me. "I know this came out of these cabinets so they have to go back in."

We left to go meet with a sister of a friend of Mommy's. I watched her go outside, unhook the camper and carefully curl up the cords. They always fall out. Daddy can keep them curled but when Mommy tries to put them in, they uncurl and she ends of shoving. "Ouch!" I hear her holler. Poor Mommy.

The hardest to watch was her sorting her supplements and putting them in their weekly container. The camper is never completely level and the table is wobbly. That means that things spill so I wasn't surprised when an entire bottle of tiny supplements spilled all over the floor. "Stay!" Mommy commanded as she got down on her hands and knees. I was on the bed and had no intentions of getting down. I had already tried these and they tasted terrible. Mommy got a broom and reached under the chair and cabinets. She lifted the drain and picked out the pills. There were even some on the step and under the fire extinguisher. Just as she got the last one in, she put the bottle on the table and tried to stand up. It is a small camper and she stumbled and caught herself on the table. Sure enough, those tiny little devils spilled again and Mommy had to start over.

"These are expensive," Mommy said aloud. I hoped she was talking to me. "I know they've been on the floor but I'm taking them anyway."

Mostly, Mommy laughs at the things that go wrong. The only time I see her cry is when she has to dump the waste water. She usually ends up needing a shower but eventually, she even gets that done. Whenever possible, she waits on Daddy to do that. He makes it look so easy.

Camper life isn't easy for Mommy but she does it anyway. She just doesn't seem very natural at mechanical things. She says she can do all things through Christ who strengthens her and that it is even harder not to obey Jesus. She says that when she is crawling on the floor fixing something, she is working for God. When I watch people cry and hug her right after they pray to receive Jesus, I suppose that makes it worth it. I know she enjoys being outside, sitting in her chair, and talking to God so that helps. Pray for my Mommy as she stumbles around with buttons, cords, wrenches, hoses, pliers, user manuals, computers, latches, leaks, holding tanks, key fobs, batteries, switch boxes, and engines. Pray for Daddy as he tries to help her long distance.

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What Is Peace and How Do You Get It?

Pocket Full of Quarters Trek 2015
Shiloh’s Shenanigans - What is Peace and How Do You Get It?


By Shiloh The Shepherd’s Sheep Dog
Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton


And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7


I am trying my best. Mommy is happy that I do my Jesus tricks and then sit while she gives the Gospel. She is happy that I behaved myself inside Jeanette's house. What did she expect? They kept slipping me steak from the table. Of course I behaved!

However, Mommy keeps using this word "Peace." She uses it when cows walk by. Really? Doesn't she know that I'm made to herd? Cows are a lot like sheep. How am I supposed to be peaceful when squirrels get close to us and hold those tiny feet up begging for food? I thought I was the one who was supposed to do the tricks. The only food Mommy had was my treats. I wasn't sharing. Any respectable Sheep Dog would want to chase them off.

And let's talk about those tiny yappy dogs. They aren't peaceful. They bark at me first and that bark is just annoying. I have wondered why Mommy doesn't bark at them.

I'm not peaceful when Mommy leaves the camper. So far, I've resisted the urge to bolt through the door. Surely, that is progress but I wouldn't call it peace. Mommy wouldn't let me off leash on the farm because she thinks I'd chase the big trucks racing down the highway. She's probably right about that. I'm not very peaceful around trucks or motor cycles.

So, what is this peace thing and how do you get it? I hear Mommy talking about a peace that passes all understanding. She says it guards hearts and minds. I don't understand peace yet. I'm pretty sure my job is to guard Mommy and it is usually when I'm trying to guard her that she commands, "Peace!" Besides, I'm not sure Mommy understands peace either. She isn't very peaceful when I go crazy and bark and scratch windows or try to jerk her arm out of the socket as she desperately tries to hold onto my leash. "Peace!" Mommy.




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And We're Off - 2015

Pocket Full of Quarters Trek 2015
Shiloh’s Shenanigans - And We're Off - 2015


By Shiloh The Shepherd’s Sheep Dog
Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton
Written From Streetsboro, Ohio

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10


I'm so happy. We're on the road again. I saw Mommy and Daddy packing and I was getting worried. Were they going to leave me behind? I'd been working so hard. Surely they noticed I wasn't barking as much. I tried not to run off when Mommy opened the door. Surely no one can expect me to not chase motor cycles and squirrels. Mommy prays every day asking for knowledge of God's will for her and the power to carry that out. I'm starting to understand what it means to be the Shepherd's Sheep Dog and I wanted them to give me a chance to do my job. When they put my leash on to take me to the camper, I leapt for joy.


Then, Mommy brought out the harness. Nooooooo. I wanted to roam the camper. I wanted to sit under Mommy's feet. I don't understand why she gets so mad when I crawl under her feet when she is driving. I've read my big sister Belle's blogs and I don't think she ever wore a harness in the car. Why did I need to be harnessed to the seat?

I don't know why I doubt Mommy but I don't think many of you can judge. I've done my job long enough to notice that you sometimes doubt your Daddy. I started noticing that I felt safer in the harness. I knew my place. My harness has enough length so I can sit on the seat, get on the floor to eat my food, and get close enough to Mommy for her to touch me. I can't get under Mommy's feet anymore but I figured something out. Fear was what was making me get under Mommy's feet. Mommy says it was dangerous so I've figured out that fear makes me do the wrong thing. With this harness on me, I knew exactly where I belonged and Mommy didn't get mad at me once. I might actually like it.

Mommy was quiet today. We drove about 4 hours. She stopped at all the rest stops and we visited creeks and walked trails. Mommy was happy and that made me happy. She listened to sermons and music praising God. I think she was preparing herself to hear and respond to God.

Maybe that harness allows me to be still enough to hear what Mommy wants me to do just like Mommy has to be still long enough to hear God. I really do want to be the Shepherd's Sheepdog. Would you pray for me?


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