Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. Philippians 3:17 ESV

I'm having techninical trouble with the site I get pictures from, so today you get to see our Daisy, when she was 3 months old. She just turned 7 months, and is about 65 pounds, and who knows where she will be when fully grown? It's a great adventure with our Great Pyrennes. She is so loving and calm so when she's 100 pounds she won't jump on anyone, maybe?

Daisy follows our golden retreiver, Buddy around the house and outside. Sometimes I think Buddy is tying to tell me he's not thrilled by this new addition to the family. He's 8 years old, and enjoys playing with Daisy, except now she is bigger than him.


Buddy is as perfect as a dog can be, we think. Daisy is following his lead on most things, and she has a great example to follow. Everyone needs to follow others in order to learn what's right.Our children follow us and learn to walk, and talk and even those things we don't want them to learn.

I remember as a child having my mouth washed out with soap at pre-school when I repeated something my Father said at home. I did not make that mistake twice. We learn  much by the example.  This is why Paul writes, "imitate me!" His course was set to love the Lord from the very beginning, and so is yours if you are His.

Paul tells us in chapter 4 of Philippians- "If there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things-fix you minds on them." verse 8b AMP. There seem to be many things vying for our attention. In Hebrews we find -" fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith" Hebrews 12:2 NIV

What's interesting about this verse, is the" cloud of witnesses" in verse one before it. This refers to those who have gone before us to heaven. Paul likens our Christian walk to a race to be run with perserverance, and certainly this is true. We put off every sin that weighs us down so we can run well, but not too fast.

We don't want to burn out in the first lap. If we are looking to Jesus, He will be all the reason we need to finish our course well, with honor and dignity. Paul says later in Hebrews 12 "the peaceable fruit of righteousness" will be ours if we continue on God's path.What a wonderful Father we have!