Opening the front door this morning to take Penelope on her first walk of the day I noticed our cats, Kat and Churchill, were no where around. As I walked across the porch a large white pit bull came running around from the side porch. As I froze the dog ran over and licked me on the leg. I was expecting Penelope and me to be his breakfast. I quietly, quickly went in the house afraid to walk Penelope. Every time I looked outside the dog was lying on the porch. Youngest son later ran it off with the broom. The dog was probably harmless but you never know these days. He had a collar so he probably just escaped his yard. When the cats came home we went for our walk. I am petrified of dogs I don’t know. Roanoke doesn’t have a leash law so I’m careful when I go for a walk with Penelope. Now I have a ground hog and a pit bull to be aware of.

Still raining but we need the rain to cure Alabama’s drought. The bamboo are soggy and hanging their heads. The rain did not bother the finches and cardinals’ appetites. I ran out between the rain showers to put seeds in two of the feeders. The little bed of sunflowers is so pretty under the oak tree. Had fresh squash from my garden for supper. So delicious! Everything is so green and lush from all this rain and the grass is really thriving in the flower garden, unfortunately.

As I watched the twilight come alive, I thought of the quote by Voltaire, “Paradise on Earth is where I am.” I’m sitting in my reading chair in my 106-year-old family home that needs some cosmetic love, some new windows and a few brick bannisters and I’m so happy to be here. This is my paradise and I’m grateful to be where I am. I feel God’s presence here. Paradise is a place of perfect beauty and happiness existing on earth as opposed to heaven. God wants us to enjoy our time on Mother Earth. He wants us to prosper and do well. And he wants us to be a blessing to those around us.

Micah 6:8 reads,”He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah lists three principles of what God asks us to do during our time on earth — to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with him. To do God’s justice means to care for the vulnerable, to confront evil, and to make right which is wrong. To act justly is to treat people fairly and respectfully. We should strive to fulfill our obligations in a manner consistent with the Bible’s commandments.

God call us to love kindness, a concept that seems to be really hard for some folks. God calls us to love others and put others ahead of ourselves. God calls us to love people we don’t even like. The world could use a big dose of kindness. Everyone is so busy on their life’s treadmill, pushing others away, not taking time to listen, trying to get ahead, trying to win the rat race. They’ve already won the race and don’t even know it. We need to try to love people as Jesus loves us, treating others with dignity and respect.

The third principle of what God asks of us is to walk humbly with him, letting him teach us spiritually through our prayers and our Bible studies. We need to interact with God throughout the day to receive his strength and guidance. He is always in our hearts and always by our sides. We need to put our faith in God and humbly follow the path God has chosen for us. Walking with God makes everything possible. “Those who walk with God always reach their destination,” Henry Ford.

“A man who walks with God can walk anywhere.” — Oswald Chambers