Good morning, DearOne.

Do you see her?

In the midst of leaves that have all turned their color, in the middle of the creek there is one little black wienie dog. Ellie. We were on the creek yesterday cutting cedar limbs for my flower barrels. She smelled a critter and went laser-beam focus on a mission.

She didn’t think about getting muddy.

Or, what the onlooking cattle might be thinking.

Or, what others might think.

Or, if the protocol was right.

She was just courageously doing her job. The kind of courage it takes to be different than everything that might hold her back and cause her to fail.

And yet, isn’t that what we are called to do?

We are called to….

be courageous & not follow the crowd?

to do what is right & godly & hard?

to make a difference in the lives around us?

to live wisely?

kindly?

peaceably?

sacrificially?

to sacrifice and build each other up in the process?

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Wake up.

Be courageous.

Stand apart.

Stand alone.

Dare to be different.

Go.