Here I am, still house-sitting and dog-sitting. Those dogs are with me on this very comfy couch, either asleep or very sleepy. I can’t really tell.

I’ve also been racking my brains for something to write about, but so far I got nothing. That happens from time to time.

I witnessed a humorous moment. TCM was showing a short film where dogs were chasing a mountain lion and one of the dogs woke up and started barking at the screen. I’m not sure why. Maybe he was rooting for those doggies to win.

Anyway, that was the highlight of my night so far. That should tell you something about my night. Just me, three dogs, and TCM equals a not so exciting night, but I’ll take it.

I’m dog sitting for three very lovable beagle mixes.

One is a very normal, hyperactive, well-adjusted dog who likes who chew on sticks and bones and toys and whatever else he can get his little paws on. The other two came from abusive situations and were quite skittish around me. At first, one barked incessantly at me.

But over time, they’ve come to trust me more and not be afraid of me.

That’s the way human relationships work. You meet some people and instantly bond and there’s no awkwardness at all. Others are harder to get to know and don’t warm up as easily to you.

When you seek to love people and to reach people for Jesus, He sends people into your life who can’t believe God loves them until they see that love coming from you.

Those are the ones you’ll want to instantly label as jerks or arrogant or mean or stuck-up or just not friendly. Those are the ones who are hardest to love yet the ones who need God’s love the most. They need to see God’s love THROUGH YOU the most.

As usual, I’m preaching to myself. I need to be better at giving others the grace that I love so much and so often expect from others.

I’m not there yet, but God is working on me.

Sometimes late at night when I can’t sleep, I like to get out my portable CD player and listen to music. Yes, I am aware of that newfangled discovery called digital streaming and MP3s and iPods. I just like to go really old school every now and then.

Right now, I have some Ella Fitagerald, Emmylou Harris, Barenaked Ladies, Linda Ronstadt, and Air Supply nearby. Yes, the Air Supply from the 80’s with all their syrupy love songs. It’s 80’s cheese at its finest.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be quiet, soothing music. Sometimes, I like my late night rock. But tonight, I’m feeling the need for mellow.

I may end up listening to bits of songs or I may just let a CD play through. You never know. I never know.

I still think that certain types of music fit well at night versus daytime music. There’s also music for summer and for fall. At least in my mind.

When I was in high school, I went through a period where I fell asleep to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon every night. It’s not your typical calm-me-down-fall-asleep music, but it worked for me.

And that’s all that matters.

I watched the Emmys tonight. I can’t say it was the best three hours of television I’ve ever seen, but some of it was worthwhile.

I really like that the show Breaking Bad won in just about every major category for which it was nominated. And FYI, I’m late to the game but I’ve finally become an addict of the show– just as it’s ending.

I thought Bryan Cranston gave a great acceptance speech for Best Male Lead Actor in a Drama. He talked about how he had been tempted at various points in his life to settle for mediocrity instead of striving for excellence. Then he challenged his audience to seek to be their best. Only he said it way better than that.

Don’t settle for mediocrity and second-rate because it’s easy. The pain of regret will be far greater than and pain or sacrifice from chasing your God-given dreams.

That’s all I have this evening. Nothing new or original, but needed nonetheless. At least for me.

Don’t give up just yet. God will come through on His promises. Just you wait and see.

“Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing. If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking” (James 1:2-5)

Life is hard. You’re probably thinking, “Thank you, Captain Obvious. I wasn’t aware of that.”

But it’s true. Life is hard. People you love die, places you love go away, possessions perish. And there are those million and one disappointments.

But it will all be worth it someday.

I keep thinking how they took all the old wood out of the studio that used to be in our church building and repurposed it. Like my pastor said today, God is a master at taking the pain and suffering in our lives and repurposing it for something better, something good.

As he mentioned, the word endurance comes from the Greek word which literally means “to remain under.” Like when you give blood, the needle has to remain under your skin for the donation to be effective.

Still, you have to wonder. When dreams die and relationships end, it doesn’t seem fair. When the wait for what you long for is long and when desire gets denied yet again, you wonder how it could be worth it.

But then consider the words of Jesus Himself:

“And those who have left their houses, their lands, their parents, or their families for My sake, and for the sake of this good news will receive all of this 100 times greater than they have in this time—houses and farms and brothers, sisters, mothers, and children, along with persecutions—and in the world to come, they will receive eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).

Whatever you give up and whatever you lose, it will be more than worth it not only by what you gain but Who you gain. You get Jesus and He alone is worth a thousand . . . no, a million times whatever you could possibly sacrifice or lose.

I think that’s more than worth it.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the whole “Don’t judge” thing. In case you’ve been living under a rock lately, the most quoted verse anymore is “Don’t judge lest you be judged.”

I’m okay with that. It’s not my place to determine someone’s ulterior motives or salvation. That’s God’s job and He does just fine at it without my help.

I don’t need to take one isolated act and try to label a person based off that one incident. I don’t have all the facts. Heck, anybody could take something I said or did and make me out to be something totally different than who I really am.

What disturbs me is that so many hide behind the “Don’t judge” banner. They can do whatever they want, say whatever they want, and then quote the “Don’t judge” mantra when ever anybody tries to point out the inconsistencies and hypocrisies in their lives. They’re using it to avoid any kind of accountability at all.

I don’t want to be judged, but I do want to be held accountable. I want someone who will ask me the tough questions and not accept the bumper sticker answers I give when people ask me how I am.

I want someone who will point out in love when I step out of line spiritually, when I say or do things that don’t line up with my profession of faith in and love for Jesus.

My pastor has said that the world doesn’t hate Christians because we’re too different, but because we’re not different enough. Sometimes, there’s no difference at all.

You may talk all day long about how much you love Jesus, but your actions will drown out those words if you live differently than you speak. That same pastor also said that if you don’t live it, you don’t believe it. No matter how loudly you preach it, it means nothing if you live contrary to it.

But at the end of the day, I’m still very thankful for grace. Despite all my best intentions, I still act and speak in ways that don’t please Jesus. My actions don’t always match my words. But I’m covered in grace. Not so I can stay the same, but so that each day I can be a little more like Jesus and a little less like how I used to be.

And that’s a good thing.