05 05 05 My dog has taught me a lot The Lord showed me the activity of the scripture that says when we ask for forgiveness he is faithful and just to forgive us and he remembers it no more. Also how I am to act when forgiving someone. When my dog does something wrong, he is sent to his room. Since he's a dog, supposedly he doesn't remember things for very long. [yet he remembers if he gives a hug, he gets a cookie!] The experts say dogs don't remember their mistakes for very long, so when we punish them, they need to be forgiven in fairly short order. And when I forgive my dog for getting into the trash for the umpteenth time and he's sent to his room, I am supposed to completely and uncategorically forgive and NOT be angry anymore. God and my dog, PD [short for perfect dog or prima donna, whichever fits that day] have taught me well. Once I accidentally hit PD with the frisbee, oh how I apologized! He was over the offense in 2 seconds. Later when sitting on the sofa outside on the patio [we DO live in Arizona you know, lol] with PD beside me, I was apologetic again. He didn't even remember it and the Lord showed me that day, when we ask forgiveness for something, the Lord is the same way. He just doesn't remember it again. So every time the enemy of our souls wants to beat you down with what you did, if you have asked forgiveness of the Lord, then you know your sins are forgiven and you don't HAVE TO feel badly, or guilty. If I have stepped on PD's toes, he will remember a little longer because it hurt. But he still forgives me readily. He never holds it against me. And a light bulb moment today. I have been praying for our neighbors who are rude and arrogant. The Lord showed me I was feeling punished by them. They talked to us a little when we first moved in, then they quit. I assume because of our vocally loud fights. Today I saw I was feeling punished. But I don't have to feel punished because they don't talk to us! I can be grateful. Then I realized that isn't right either. Kill them with kindness. This is SO HARD. It's hard to be rejected over and over, whether it's your family or your neighbors. It's hard to show love when people diss you, don't talk to you, out and out ignore you when you are right in front of them. One of the couples was friendly to us when we were moving in because the previous owners had redone the house and they hadn't seen it. All they wanted was to see inside the house. Once they did, they quit speaking to us. They ignore us if we are on the street. [we live in a cul-de-sac, we are the cornerstone house at the end of the cul-de-sac]. It took me a while to figure out what that was about. The neighbors right next to us on one side were friendly at first, but then stopped being friendly. I've asked if we have done anything to offend them. No no said the husband. But they still ignore us. The wife more than the husband. The ones on the other side, the wife gossips ALL the time and is nosier than anyone I have ever met. They are nice people, but got together with the other neighbors and have stopped talking to us. The gal next to them, she's nice, but distant. I think I have it figured out. We are the new kids on the block and the rest of them in the actual sac part have been here for years. They raised their kids together here. But you know something? PD doesn't take any of that into account. He will wag his tail and go over to them [or bark at them] as if nothing has ever happened. I still have a lot to learn on killing them with kindness and getting over the hurt of being rejected. And if I can learn from PD to wag my tail [when I'd really rather stand out front and bark at them] lol, then I will be an overcomer and conqueror. The kind the Lord wants us to be. Back Back sea buckthorn products