Life Verse:

"...I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly." -- JESUS in John 10:10

Monday, March 26, 2018

Blessed Beyond Measure!

GrayFarm Saved By Grace 
Gracie
The Trail Dog



Hike: Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail (North Loop, Chimney Rock, and Kowliga Bay Loop Trails); Friday, 3/23/2018, 09:00-12:15CDT
Distance: 5.0 miles  Difficulty: Moderate  Rating: 5/5
Conditions: Mostly cloudy to partly cloudy.  Low 50s to low 60s.  Calm.  Trails in good shape with a few blowdowns.
Thoughts/Observations:

Spring is here!  Rhododendrons, dogwood, red maple, and woodland violets are in bloom.  Canadian geese were quite vocal garnering Gracie's attention several times.  A beautiful day for a hike.  Spiritual preparations for Palm Sunday message "Triumphal Entry".

Gracie is 11 months old now.  Hiking the local trails has become common-place for her.  The short legs and clumsiness of puppy-hood has been left behind.  Watching her navigate through the trails and forests is a portrait of pure grace and power.  She loves life.  She loves me too - never straying far away, and always returning to "give me a hug".  I am honestly at a loss for words to adequately explain what she means to me.  Gracie is more than just "my dog".  She has become a Best Friend and a Trail Buddy all rolled into one.  Her ability to "talk to me" with her mystic blue eyes is uncanny.  I am comforted when lonely, calmed when stressed, and energized when tired.  Australian Shepherds are sometimes labeled "velcro dogs" and Gracie lives up to that moniker, choosing to always be close by.  She just asks for my companionship, my attention, and to play frisbee with her.

Sometimes I wonder if she is actually an angel...  GOD is not restricted in HIS ability to work in and through countless situations and methods.  HE has certainly blessed my life with this beautiful creature!