Wasn't the snow awesome this week? I have been waiting and waiting for a "real" snow to hit us, after all these days of threatening but never coming through. Even when it finally started, even when 4 inches were already down, I still doubted it was coming. It was just so hard to believe, because so many times the forecasters have called for it and been wrong.

I love a good snow, and the 12 inches we got were not real fun to shovel, but fun to horse around in never the less. I especially like seeing our dogs try to navigate it. They are barely 12 inches tall themselves. They think it's neat stuff; they bite at it and bark at it as it's coming down. I think I'm putting a bit of a phobia in them, though, because they end up thrashing helplessly in it. The fact is, the snow is easy to run and play in at first, but after a bit it gets too deep for most pomers. What starts out as an adventure for them turns into white terror, I suppose.

They sure have trust though! Even when the snow starts to get too deep, if you are out there playing with them instead of running into the house, they know you will save them. I like the fact they have so much confidence in me.

What is really a lesson to me is what happens once the snow has all piled up and we are snug in the house. It's time for that trip outside, and the pomers pile up at the door. They can't get too far, and they look to you for guidance! Then our big black lab mix plows a path out to a tree or two. Like a parade, the little dogs follow him and do their duty. They walk in his footsteps, following the path he made for them. The trip is easy as long as they stay on the path.

It's just so much like us! We look to God for guidance. By ourselves, we couldn't get anywhere! Then Jesus came, and if we walk in his footsteps we can get to where we need to be. Trying to go our own way leaves us thrashing helplessly, lost in things that started out as pleasures but consume us to the point of our own destruction.

And speaking of dogs, ours were driving Deniese crazy last night. We got out an old race track of Dave's for Christopher and Kurt to play with. You know the kind, two sets of rails with a slot in the middle; the electric cars going round and round in a figure 8. It would not work at first, of course, because the car's contacts were corroded and the track itself was a little rusty. A little sandpaper on the track, a little sandpaper on the bottom of the cars, and some soft hands on the triggers were all it took. Soon they were running as good as they ever have. (Except our pomers pretended to be cats. Let a mouse come in the house and they could care less. Let some race cars go around a track and they think it's the most diabolical threat ever! Bark bark bark!)

I hope your knowledge of the bible isn't like that! Put away on a shelf, saved for a day when you want to pull it out and "play" with it. Ack! I realize you can always brush it up and make it like new, but that's assuming you have the time to do it. Not good planning! We may be children of God, but that doesn't mean we should "toy" around with the bible.

Matthew 3:1-3 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Hebrews 12:12-16 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Romans 4:12-13 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

2 Corinthians 12:17-18 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

1 Peter 2:20-24 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.