Feed Me! Feed Me! Won't You Feed Me!

Sophi and her bowl!

From the time I wake up in the morning until the time I lay my head on the pillow at night there is constant nagging for my attention. Oh it doesn't come from Stan or even one of the kids...it comes from my dog Sophi. Bless her pea picking heart, you would think no one ever paid attention to her. I wake up in the morning and she starts right in. As I stumble down the hall to the bathroom she follows along biting the hem of my pajamas and pulling as hard as she can all the while growling and whining. I am truly surprised she has any teeth left the way she yanks. I have a regular routine to my morning as does she. As I walk to the front of the house to make coffee and a fire during this cold time of year she walks in front only backwards. Crouching down and growling and then popping up like a jack in the box. I walk to the door and open it to let her out. Upon finishing her morning routine she races inside through the doggie door and comes and sits by my feet as I start my morning pot of coffee. As it brews I prepare my cup for the much anticipated cup of joe. Usually about the time it is done and I am pouring it into my mug Sophi has figured out that I am going to be putting something in my mouth and to her that equates...yes you have guessed it breakfast. She immediately takes off leaving my feet in search for her bowl. Once she has located it she picks it up and brings it to me letting me know she would like to eat also. If I don't recognize her efforts to let me know she is ready to eat then she will throw the bowl in the air and then bat it down with her paws. Yes she does become quite talented when she wants to eat. Unfortunately for her however, nothing gets in the way of my first cup of coffee. So I drag my chair in front of the fireplace with my coffee in hand. I have a great need for things to be calm at this time of the morning and Sophi has cued in on this. So as I sit down in my chair and grab my bible she makes her way...with her bowl in her mouth to a spot between my lap and the arm of the chair. And she waits...and she waits and she waits. She knows that if she continues to be a distraction I will make her lay down in her own bed. After about 20 minutes or so I am ready to move and start the second cup. This is when Sophi takes the opportunity to make her request known once again. The antics she will go through just to get a bowl of food.
In thinking about it I have decided I want to be Sophi. Well I don't want to be her but I want to learn from the lesson she has taught me. Sophi gets fed before any of my other 4 dogs. I know what you're thinking and yes when I get old I may be that crazy dog lady. Anyway, because Sophi not only makes her request known but will go to almost any length to receive it, she most often will get her request of food before any of the other of my furry friends. What if I took that same behavior and applied it to my desire to know God more. To sit beside Him and beg Him to feed me. I don't mean the complacent desire that many approach this relationship with. But a full force "this is the focus of my morning" kind of attitude. The kind of desire, the want, the need that says if I don't get this I might die. What if I approached the Lord in the morning with the vivaciousness that Sophi approaches me with? The "Wow I am so happy we are up and I can't wait to get started," type of behavior. How much more would I spiritually eat if I made it my focus? Would I feed Sophi eventually? Yes of course I would but by her asking, ok no...begging for it she gets it much sooner and really in bigger portions than if I just did it out of responsibility.
I love at times how God will bring a passage of Scripture up in my life over and over again. I will hear it on the radio, see it in an article, read it in my morning devotionals and someone will use it in a prayer. I have an opportunity at that time to say..."Feed me Lord. Feed me please. Use what you have and nourish my Spirit. For I am hungry and need the substance only you can provide. I cannot do it on my own. I don't have the resources to obtain my own nourishment. Won't you feed me. I am counting on you." In that instance God says, "Wait until I get my first cup of coffee." NO...that is not what He says at all. He takes all that He is and He begins to pour into that spiritual bowl. Now we have a choice to make...will we eat? Will we truly take in all that He has provided? We begged for it didn't we?

"You have multiplied, O my God,

your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;

none can compare with you!

I will proclaim and tell of them,

yet they are more than can be told." Psalm 40:5

This is a passage that has been woven into my life over the last couple of weeks. When I think about the statement.."your thoughts toward us" I almost cry. You see Sophi does what she does so that she is not forgotten. When I think of the fact that God thinks of me. He Thinks Of ME! He also thinks of you. It is then we realize that we don't need to whine and cry, we don't need to jump and turn circles. We just need to grab our bowl and sit at the Master's feet. The food is ready and waiting. Will you partake?

Because I spoke of dogs and you know I love mine, I thought I would share a dog treat recipe.


For all of our furry friends...

Dog Yumms!

1 1/2 C Flour

1/2 C Water
3/4 C Uncooked Oatmeal
1/4 C Honey Crunch Wheat Germ
1/4 C Peanut Butter (we recommend natural peanut butter – no sugar added
1/4 C Salad Oil
1/4 C Honey
1 tsp Baking Powder


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the water and 1 cup of flour with other ingredients until well blended. Stir in remaining 1/2 C flour. Knead on well-floured surface until dough holds together. Roll out to 1/4" thick. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on large un-greased cookie sheet for 20 minutes. Turn off oven but leave cookie sheet in for 1 hour. Remove cookies and store refrigerated in an air tight container.