E096-Truth

“The soul will absorb what is true.”

When we think about something, we usually end up living it. This concept became true for me at fifty years old. I had spent my entire life growing up without a dog. I have had allergies to cats, certain dogs and a few other animals since I was a young child. Although, I wanted a dog, it just did not seem like it was in the cards for me.

The first time that I found out that I was allergic to cats was when I went next door to see if one of my friends could come outside to play. I was young, tiny and wearing a little outfit with shorts and a matching tank top. There was an enormous cat sitting on the ledge to the right of my friend’s front door. I almost had to come within a hair of touching the tip of that cat’s nose to ring the doorbell. This cat did not belong to my neighbors but we saw it a lot in our area and nicknamed him, “Old Yellow Bag!” This cat weighed at least twenty-five pounds and was yellow with orange stripes or rings all around its body. That was one of the biggest and scariest cats that I had ever seen or been that close to before.

When I reached my little arm up to ring the doorbell, Old Yellow Bag jumped on top of me! I must have startled him and maybe he was asleep, I am not sure. I landed on the ground, flat on my back. Old Yellow Bag was making loud noises, scratching my skin and ripping my “sun suit” into shreds! I was bleeding from the deep scratches and had dirt all over my back from landing on the ground. I ran home crying! I think that I was only about five years old and my Mom was in the front yard running toward me with her arms out to rescue my heart! The whole “cat fight” with Old Yellow Bag, happened so fast that there was nothing my Mom could have done to prevent it. I had to go to the hospital and get checked out and cleaned up because that fat cat had torn my skin up. My Mother is a nurse and wanted to make sure that I did not get an infection from Old Yellow Bag.

Off and on, over the years, the idea of having a dog was as dreamy to me!

December 2015, God was speaking to my core about having a dog. His voice caused me to fantasize and explore the idea of it a little deeper. After praying about the idea of having a dog as a pet that December, I felt convicted by God to “go for it!”

When I saw the face of a little pup with curious eyes, I knew his name was going to be “Ridge.” I decided that Ridge needed a brother to grow and play with. Then, I saw a pup that had a big, round tan spot on each side of his cheeks. I knew right away that I was going to name him, “Blue.”

None of my friends or family members believed that I was going to have a dog, especially, two of them!  Their first day home was Monday, December 21st, 2015.

A few years later, I gave Blue and Ridge, two little sisters, which I named Fox and Page. We are one big happy family!  I refer to my pups as "The Tenderpups," and have written a children's books series with my Mother, Evelyn Minton, called Blue Ridge Tenderpups. We currently have three children's books in this series.

Ridge is sweet, a communicator and likes being out in the sunshine. Blue is a protector, deeply Loving, enjoys the shade, and secretly wishes that I was the only human on this earth!  Fox is my athlete, and Page is a princess! They all Love their Nannie (my Mother).

God allowed my soul to absorb what was true! The truth that I could have Tenderpups!  Hey Hallelujah! Sometimes, I tell myself that it took so long to have pups because my soul was waiting for the “season for Blue and Ridge to be born.”

What truth did your soul absorb?

John 17:17 NIV
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

To learn more about Dr. Billie J. Minton's ministries within her Blue Ridge Moment book series, please visit her author website at BlueRidgeMoments.com.