Welcome back

It's been awhile since I've written, so let me explain how my life has changed in the past few months. My life no longer seems like my own. My schedule seems to revolve around little Samantha Dustbunny. Except for the hours that I am away from home, she is constantly at my side, demanding my attention in one way or another.

Sammie is a people magnet. We go walking through the neighborhood shortly after I arrive home from work every day. Despite rumors that small dogs are not good with children, this little Shih Tzu/Yorkie mix loves EVERYONE! As we walk the neighborhood, she is drawn to the children every bit as much as they are drawn to her. But even I was amazed when one older woman with whom I was unacquainted came running from her house to meet Sammie. She had seen us from her window and loved Yorkshire terriers and wanted to see her up close and personal. We have come to know by name some of the more macho-looking teenage boys, as well as the smallest child.

That is the thing about Sammie. She is impossible to ignore! When she greets someone, her whole body shakes with excitement. Now that she is a mature 6-month old, she has learned not to overwhelm small children with her enthusiasm most of the time. When we began our walks and she would jump up on them, I would explain that Sammie loved people, especially children. Now as we walk down the street, the moment a child sees us, I hear "Sammie!" as they come running. The other day, we were greeting some of the young women of the neighborhood on one side of the street, while Michael who is nearly 4 called to us from the other side of the street-- "Come to our house! Come to our house!"

What is truly amazing about all of this is that, almost without exception, the children exclaim, "She loves me!" They don't proclaim their love for Sammie, but rather, they note Sammie's love for them.

These daily occurrences have helped me to understand more fully the words of the Apostle John who wrote of Jesus Christ, "We love him, because he first loved us" (1st John 4:19). Jesus' every action was dictated by his love for us, his willingness to show the way and open the doors that lead us back to our heavenly home. It is because of his love for us that he was willing to take upon himself the pain of our sorrows and the burden of our sins.

Superheroes aren't afraid of love or of loving, but their love is not necessarily brazen. They are willing to make the first effort to extend themselves to others, but they don't demand others' love in return. They know that love has the power to break down the barriers that separate us from one another and to promote unity, and will patiently continue to extend their love until the recipient is able to respond. As John wrote in the previous verse, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear ... " (1st John 4:18) Pure, unconditional love is never self-serving, but benefits all how are exposed to it. Superheroes offer that kind of love.