From Gary... Beauty Revealed

My dog Pal.  Saved from being put down, timid, untrained, cage kept and afraid of everything!!!!  Yes, when we bought him several months ago he was like this- but not now!!!  When he is awake, he spends almost every moment with me and feels compelled to sleep on my left foot.  When it is time for bed he always goes to his cage (forever unlocked) and lays down as the above pictures show.  This week he had a nice haircut from a friendly pet groomer in Dade City, who had such nice things to say about him (Suzette's, in case you are looking for some place to go) that I ALMOST BLUSHED!!!  Anyway, I think the cut was flattering, but more than that, he is one happy animal!!!  When I attempt to put the leash on him he prances and dances with joy.  You know, having dogs is like having young children again- truly a joy!!!  So, it is nice to have a beautiful contented dog (actually both of the dogs are, but the other one gets a cut next month), but his beauty is revealed in the love he shares- not in the nice haircut.  As I thought about this, I wondered: What is beauty anyway?  Immediately, I thought of the following passages from the Bible...

Isaiah, Chapter 52

1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.  2 Shake yourself from the dust! Arise, sit up, Jerusalem! Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion!  3 For thus says Yahweh, “You were sold for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money.” 
  4 For thus says the Lord Yahweh, “My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there: and the Assyrian has oppressed them without cause.

  5 “Now therefore, what do I do here,” says Yahweh, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock,” says Yahweh, “and my name continually all the day is blasphemed.

  6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who speaks; behold, it is I.” 
  7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”  8 The voice of your watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Yahweh returns to Zion.  9 Break out into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.  10 Yahweh has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 

Romans, Chapter 10

1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.  2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  3 For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  4 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.  5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.”  6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down);  7 or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)”  8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart”; that is, the word of faith, which we preach:  9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.” 

  12  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.  13 For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?  15 And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

If you are young and beautiful, enjoy it; it won't last. If you are older and look in the mirror and long for youth- forget it!!!  Genuine beauty is revealed by more than outward appearance- it is the revelation of the inner bliss that only love can achieve.  Since an absolute state of love resides only in God, it makes sense to  follow him (and for many other reasons as well) and be happy!!!!  The best thing you can do in this world is share that love and the very best example of it is what Jesus did for all those who obey him!!!  This is GOOD NEWS in a world that will stomp on you, hate you, and use in every obnoxious way possible.  So, if today, someone comes to you with that sweet story of Heaven, listen intently and realize that they are beautiful to you- even their smelly feet.