Close Call.

Dodger glanced outside the window and sighed.  Another Christmas Day come and gone.  There was always a bit of letdown after the presents and the food and the family and friends had all gone.  It was a rainy day- not the kind of rain he liked, either.  His phone began to ring and he looked down.  The number was withheld.  Probably another telemarketer.  He ignored it and continued to stare outside the window.  The phone kept on ringing, however, until he finally stuffed it in the couch cushion to make it be quiet.

      "Yeesh, the thing never quiets down!  Whew, I think I'm getting a little grumpy.  Maybe I just need a bite to eat or something.  Mom and Dad are still out shopping for the New Year Bunco party.  Shoulda gone with them.  Well, I can at least grab some pie from the fridge."

      He approached the refrigerator and swung it open.  To his surprise it was empty, with not so much as a water pitcher inside.

      "Oooookay.  So where did all the food go?"

      He walked back into the living room a little perplexed.  His phone was still ringing, number still withheld.

      "Ugh, fine!" he grumbled, pushing the answer button, "Hello?"

      From the other end of the line came a strangely familiar voice that he couldn't quite place.  "Hello, Dodger?"

      "Speaking.  What is it?"

      "I need you to listen to me."

      "Doing so."

      "Okay.  You went to the refrigerator a few minutes ago and found it empty."

      "What?  How did-"

      "You're currently staring out the window on a rainy day in your living room."

      "Hey!  Stop spying-"

      "Not spying, Dodger."

      "Than who are you?"

      "I'm sorry I can't say, but I can tell you this.  Get your mother's phone- NOT your dad's, and call Lilly this second."

      "What?  Why?"

      "Because she is about to cross a crosswalk and a motorist will be coming through who won't be paying attention."

      "That doesn't even-"

      "Dodger.  Please.  Call her now."

      Dodger picked up his mother's phone and dialed Lilly.



      "Wow!  I can't believe how crowded everything is today!" remarked Lilly.  "It's almost as if everyone had to be somewhere.  Well, I'll cross here and then I can go to Dairy Queen."

      As she approached the crosswalk her phone rang.  "Oh, it's Dodger's mom.  Better pick it up.  Hello?"

      "Hey, Lilly?"

      "Oh, hi, Dodger!  What's up?"

      "I'm not sure.  I need you to do something for me."

      "Yeah?"

      "Wait for the traffic cycle at the crosswalk to go all the way through once.  Don't cross yet."

      "Hold on, how did you know I was at a traffic light?"

      "I'll have to tell you that in a moment.  Just hang on, okay?  Wait for a cycle."

      "Well, okay.  The light just turned green for me to cross though."

      "I know, but just stay put."

      "Sure thing- WOAAA!"

      "Lilly!  What happened?  Are you alright?"

      "Yeah, yeah.  Someone just sped through the red light without even slowing down!  He would have clobbered me for sure!  Whew, I'm glad you warned me because- Dodger," Lilly's voice sank to a whisper, "How did you know to warn me?"

      "Can you come here?"

      "Will you answer my question?"

      "Not here.  I have a feeling you wouldn't hear my answer over the phone.  Let's just say..." his voice trailed into a bunch of static, and the call dropped.

      Lilly stared at her phone for just a second, then looked up to see a taxi cab approaching the crosswalk.

      "Taxi!"

     

Merry Christmas Again!

Dodger:  We take a pause, on this day,

Lilly:  To remember why we celebrate,

Dodger:  Astounding love, and sacrifice,

Lilly:  The God who gave us all new life!

Dodger:  Through every trial, thick and thin,

Lilly:  His love still lets us start again.

Dodger:  It's nearly Christmas, God is love,

Lilly:  Evidenced by His gift from above!

Dodger:  Merry Christmas, everyone!

Lilly:  From all who are here, and God's own Son!

Nervous Knocker.

Author's note: Apologies for the long pause between stories.  Dodger and Lilly has been one of our favorite projects for as long as we've been doing this, but the author was rather unsure what direction to go next with the characters.  Thankfully, Dodger and Lilly can hit the scene again, but their storytelling is going to be a little different.  We hope you enjoy the change.  God bless!

As Dodger and Lilly both stepped towards the door he felt a growing sense of foreboding.

     "Lilly?"

     "Yeah, Dodger?"

     "I'm still nervous."

     "That's okay.  Hang in there.  We just need to meet the neighbor."

     With that, she swung the door open, just to realize that there was someone directly in the doorway.

      "Nervous, huh?" said the unexpected visitor.  "Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.  Oh, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to eavesdrop.  Um, my folks made me come here...hope I'm not intruding.  Name's Timothy, and to be completely honest, I'm scared to meet you.  It's not that I don't like you or anything- I'm just really bad at meeting people."  Their visitor shuddered.  "Um, if you don't mind, I'll leave now."

     "Wait!" cried Dodger.  "You weren't interrupting.  We'd be glad to have you stay for a while if you don't need to be any place."

     "Um, well, my sister's kind of waiting for me."

     "Oh!  Well, can she come over too?"

     "I'm sure she could, but, I'm not sure she would."

     "Why not find out?" asked Lilly.  "We'd be happy to accompany you!  I don't bite, I promise.  I'm afraid I can't guarantee the same thing about Dodger."

     "Lilly!" Dodger protested, but their visitor smiled a little.

     "You can come, but please try to be quiet."

     "Not a problem!" Lilly replied cheerfully.

     As they walked across the street Dodger wondered to himself.  How did a family of Opossums find itself in the busiest neighborhood in the city?  If the whole family was this shy then they would have a hard time adjusting.  Well, perhaps if he avoided talking too much he could help the new neighbors get more comfortably settled.

     "Just a second," said Timothy as he reached for the doorknob.  "I need to make sure she's not in the backyard."

     He stepped inside and closed the door, leaving Dodger and Lilly on the porch.

     "Um, Lilly?"

     "Yeah, Dodger?"

     "You don't suppose..."

     "That he left us standing here on purpose?  Oh, come on, Dodger.  Stop being so suspicious!"

     "I'm not being suspicious.  It's just that I'm a little worried that we scared him off.  He really seems shy."

     "You're making a big deal out of nothing."

     Ten minutes later, though, Lilly looked less sure.

     "I'll try the doorbell," said Dodger.  When he pushed the button, however, there was no sound.  "Well, maybe the knocker will work," he remarked.  This time there were sharp clattering sounds, but no response came from the other side.

     "Dodger, I hate to say it, but I think you're right.  I think he left us out here."

     "So it seems, unfortunately.  Well, we know his name.  We'll probably meet him at school soon, don't you think?"

     "Unless he's really good at hiding.  Still, I wonder why he let us follow him and then left us outside?  Kind of rude."

     "Maybe he forgot about us."

     "How could he?  We've been standing out here ten minutes- we even walked with him all the way to his house?  What is he, Dory from Finding Nemo?  Brother!"

     "Well, I wouldn't worry about it.  Maybe next time we'll have a better result."

     "Next time?  Dodger, I wouldn't even bother.  His first act as your neighbor was to ditch you on his porch!"

     "No, his first act was to introduce himself.  His second act was leaving me on the porch."

     "And your point would be?"

     "Well, I dunno.  It's just that first impressions aren't everything.  You said so yourself.  I don't want to risk a friendship over a misunderstanding.  Let's go home, Lilly.  I'm going to keep trying, but for right now I just want hot chocolate."

     "Okay, Dodger.  I'm still kind of annoyed."

     "Well, try to let it go.  After all, you know what Colossians says about 'bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection (3:13-14 NKJV).'   If we're going to even have a shot at being friends with Timothy, we may have to bear with him a while.  Let's give him a second chance."

     "All right.  I think I can handle that."

     "I know you can.  Let me get the teapot started.  There."

     "You seem pretty determined to make a friend, Dodger."

     "I suppose, but really I just want to try to do what I think Jesus would do.  After all, He loves us, and that's never going to change, so if He didn't give up on me, I'm not prepared to give up on someone I hardly know."

      "Good point.  Hey, that kettle started whistling pretty quickly!"

      "Yeah, it heats up fast.  Can you get the marshmallows out of the pantry?"

      "Sure thing."

      "Thanks."

      "A toast!"

      "To what?"

      "Making new friends."

      "Alright then, a toast to new friends!"

Who's the New Guy (or Girl)?

Dodger:  Well, I've finally finished unpacking!  Thanks for checking out the place!

Lilly:  It's amazing, Dodger!  You guys really chose a nice home!

Dodger:  Thanks.

Lilly:  Have you met any neighbors yet?

Dodger:  No...to be honest, I'm a little nervous to meet them.  Everyone around here seems either way older or way younger than me.  Last night I heard a funny noise from the kid next door's house, so I'm kind of not excited about meeting the family there.

Lilly:  What kind of noise?

Dodger:  Sounded like a dolphin attempting to play the tuba in a hot air balloon traveling towards the sun.

Lilly:  How would you...never mind.  Well, we should still introduce ourselves.

Dodger:  I know, but it's kind of a scary prospect!  I'm not sure what to say or how to say it.

Lilly:  Well, I think we ought to go over there and try.

Dodger:  Nah, I- I just can't bring myself to do it.

Lilly:  You're letting fear stop you?

Dodger:  I guess so...it's not like I'm the first.

Lilly:  No, you're not, but what good does it do to avoid relationships because something might happen?  That doesn't help anyone in the long term.  Come on, don't be shy.  Maybe this kid needs to know Jesus, or knows some awesome stuff about Jesus that we could learn! There's no good in not trying, Dodger.  It just implies that we don't trust God to look out for us.  "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18 NKJV)"  Fear just stops us from loving others as God intended and from trusting in His love.  No more arguments.  Let's meet the neighbor.

Dodger:  Alright, alright.  You've convinced me.  Let's go say "hello".

Lilly:  After all, Jesus loves you both, and that's not about to change!


What is Dodger's neighbors' name, and is it a Pac-Man or something else?

Let us know by tweeting @dodgerandlilly or by emailing theibulldogstudios@gmail.com!

Dodger and Lilly will find out in November!

...and Lilly?

Lilly:  Well...here we are.  Another weekend, another day, with you, friend.  I wonder where Dodger is right now?  You know he had to relocate, so he's probably getting settled in.  I won't lie to you, I'm a little bummed out.  I miss him a lot, and his move came so suddenly.  I remember how much fun we all had.  It won't be quite the same without him, will it?

Dodger:  Without who?

Lilly:  DODGER!  Where did- how did- IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU!

Dodger:  Wow, Lilly!  If I didn't know better I'd think you thought I moved to the moon!

Lilly:  Well, no, but...how are you here?

Dodger:  To be honest, if I explain I'll feel a little sheepish.

Lilly:  I'm waiting...

Dodger:  Okay.  Yes, we were moving.  Yes, it was because of my dad's job.  No, it didn't mean we were going far away.  In fact, I'm actually thirty minutes closer than I used to be.  And here I was all panicked.

Lilly: What!?  That's amazing!  Why did you guys move just to be a half-hour closer, though?

Dodger:  Apparently it's policy that all employees be within a certain mileage from the company's location.

Lilly:  I- can hardly believe that good fortune!

Dodger:  Well, I can.  I was all up in arms last week over moving, and I didn't even consider that it might be a good thing!

Lilly:  I don't think you can be "up in arms", Dodger.

Dodger:  ...Okay, well, at any rate, it makes moving a lot easier.

Lilly:  I think we both have Someone to thank for that.

Dodger:  I already have, several times.  I also apologized for flipping out on Him, since, well, I kinda did last week...

Lilly:  I guess now we have to ask ourselves a hard question, though.

Dodger:  What's that?

Lilly:  What if you had moved far away?  What if we were too far apart to meet in person ever again?  Would you still trust that God knew what He was doing?  In fact, would I?

Dodger:  I like to think so, but the only way for me to know that for sure would have been if it had happened that way.

Lilly:  Yeah...I guess you're right.

Dodger:  On the other hand, I can look back at this as an example in case something else happens where I don't know what God is doing.  Even if whatever it is doesn't work out like this did, I'll still be able to remember this event and, hopefully, use it to encourage me to trust God.

Lilly:  Good point.  These little markers in our lives can really help when things become hard.

Dodger:  I'll say they do.  Anyways, I actually do have to finish unpacking my room.  Sorry to get going so soon.

Lilly:  That's alright, Dodger!  We'll see you soon.  Hey, bring one of your new neighbors along next time!

Dodger:  Will do!  Thanks for hanging out with us!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!

Growing Pains.

Dodger:  That does it.  I'm done!  So done!  I mean, I can't be more done right now!

Lilly:  Whoa!  Dodger, what's the matter?  Why are you so freaked out?

Dodger:  Because I'm moving!

Lilly:  What? You can't be serious!

Dodger:  I am serious!  I can't believe it, but there it is.  I'm moving.

Lilly:  Where?

Dodger:  I don't know.  No one in my family seems to know.  Apparently my Dad's about to get a new job and we have to relocate.  We listed the house this morning.

Lilly:  Dodger, I...that...ah...I...

Dodger:  Just say it!  It stinks!  All my friends are here!  All my memories are here!  EVERYTHING FUN IS HERE!  Now I have to leave it all behind!

Lilly:  I'm so sorry.

Dodger:  Yeah...me too.  It's just, we've done so much together!  Now I have to just give it up?  I mean, how am I supposed to keep hanging out with you guys if I have to go somewhere else?

Lilly:  I don't know, to be honest.  I- really don't know.

Dodger:  It's really discouraging.

Lilly:  Yeah...

Dodger:  I'm calming down a little now.  Sorry for the outburst.

Lilly:  It's alright.  It's no fun, moving away, either for the person moving or for everyone who will miss him.  You can't despair, though Dodger.

Dodger:  Can't I?  I've already started.

Lilly:  No, no.  Don't give up just yet.

Dodger:  Why not?

Lilly:  Well, what if God has some plan to make this all work out?

Dodger:  That's easy to say, but much harder to believe.

Lilly:  I know.  In fact, so does the Bible.

Dodger:  What?

Lilly: Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth once about the trouble he had in a particular place. "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.  Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. (2 Corinthians 1:8-11, NKJV)"
Dodger:  Lilly, I'm moving.  Not dying.

Lilly:  I know that, but the point still stands.  Paul gave up believing that he'd even survive his troubles, and God still brought him through.  We've got to trust in him.

Dodger:  Sure, but...Lilly, not everything has a happy ending!

Lilly:  I know, Dodger, but this isn't the end.  If anything, it might be a new beginning.  Listen, God is faithful.  Even if this all results in you having to move and us not seeing much of each other anymore, at least you're in God's hands.

Dodger:  Yeah...still, that's a lot easier to say than to act out.

Lilly:  Yes it is.  I guess this is where that faith you and I talk so much about meets the road, huh?

Dodger:  I suppose so.  Well, pray for me, will you?  I really don't want to go.

Lilly:  I'll be sure to.  Hang in there, Dodger.  God's got your back, as always.

Dodger:  All right.  After all, Jesus loves us, and that's not about to change, is it?

Lilly:  Nope.  It never will.

Dodger:  Well, hopefully I'll see you all next week.

Lilly:  Yep.  See you then.

Dodger:  Okay.









(Bible translation New King James Version)

Proclamation of the Christ-Follower.

Dodger:  Hi there!  Lilly wrote a little something today and wanted to share it with you.   It's for anyone who follows Jesus, whether they're overjoyed, discouraged, peaceful, or somewhere in between.  She also had it published on Childlike Faith.  After she's done we're going to head out.  Thank you for joining us this week!  Okay, Lilly, take it away.

Lilly:  Thank you, Dodger.  Well...here goes:

You know what’s more important than my failures?

God’s success.

You know what’s more important than my insecurity?

God’s immovability.

You know what’s more important than my mistakes?

God’s perfect record.

You know what’s more important than my emotions?

God’s faithfulness.

You know what’s more important than self-focus?

Fixing my eyes on Jesus.

You know Who makes all the difference in my life?

God does.

It’s not about my plans, my abilities, my failures, my feelings.

It’s about a God who cares about all of those things, knows me up close and personal, and loves me anyway, despite all my shortcomings.

There is no other name by which people can have peace, love, joy, or salvation.

God is the defining factor, the turning point around which my life revolves.

This is my proclamation. 

I will follow him - all else aside, I will follow Him.  Not because of what I’ve done, but because of what He did for me.

He is the King of Kings, God of all, and yet He thought I was worth dying for.  Nothing will change His love for me, or His power to save. 

I can’t outdo Him, and I don’t want to.  I want to learn how to live in grace.  It’s not easy, but I can do it.  It’s not human, and that’s wonderful. 

I will live in peace with God, knowing that He has great plans for me.  Through thick and thin, joy and sadness, glory and shame, so help me God, I will follow Him.

Not by my strength, but His.  When I fail, He’ll forgive, and He’ll keep me from falling.

I renounce fear, unholy anger, and pride.  I may still slip and engage in them, but they will not define me.  God will.

Thank You, Jesus.  Thank You very much.  So be it.

Check and Double-Check.

Dodger:  Hey there!  I don't know about you, but my Summer vacation is over...man, I can't believe it zoomed by so fast!

Lilly:  No joke!  It's almost ridiculous how quickly it went by, and I'm full of dread.

Dodger:  Dread?  Why?  I thought you were excited for school.

Lilly:  I was, until I heard about Mr. Scerge.

Dodger:  Mr. Scerge?  What about him?

Lilly:  He's my new science teacher.  I've heard he's the toughest teacher in the whole school.

Dodger:  So?  I thought you liked teachers who stretched your efforts.

Lilly:  I do.  What I don't like is that Mr. Scerge will fail you just for having to get a drink of water in his class.  He also steals your pencils and eats them.

Dodger:  Lilly, that's ridiculous!  Where did you hear all this stuff?

Lilly:  I dunno.  Everyone at school knows.  It was on my Twitter the other day.

Dodger:  Who tweeted it?

Lilly:  Jerry Rigking.

Dodger:  The school bully?  You're letting something he posted on Twitter motivate your entire feelings about going to school?

Lilly:  Well...

Dodger:  Lilly, I don't think Jerry is really your best source for knowing about a science teacher.  Don't you think you'd better find out for yourself?  Maybe look him up online or something?

Lilly:  You think I should?

Dodger:  I do.  We actually have an example from the Bible.  It's not exactly the same situation as yours, but it makes sense to apply it here.

Lilly:  What is it?

Dodger:  It's in Acts 17.  We may have talked about these guys before.

"The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.  Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:10-11, ESV, boldface added)"

Lilly:  I'm a little confused.

Dodger:  Basically the Berean Jews wanted to know if Paul was telling them the truth about God.  They wanted to be sure that the Bible confirmed what he was saying, so they looked it up.  I think we let rumor determine way too much of what we do.  What if we did like the Bereans did and checked things before blindly believing them?  That might save us a lot of confusion and trouble, both about school and about God!

Lilly:  Good point...alright.  I'll look up Mr. Scerge before I pass any more judgment on him, and 'll be sure to look at the Bible before I pass judgment on what someone tells me about God.

Dodger:  Nice double whammy.  Well, we have to pack our backpacks back up again and finish some homework.  Thanks for coming by today!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!



(ESV refers to English Standard Version of the Bible, Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

See-Through?

Dodger:  Hey there!  How was your week?  Mine was a little bit hectic.  Lots of travel.  You would not believe the number of advertisements I saw just getting around.  I feel like there's an ad for everything!  TV shows, pizza, legal services, insurance, websites, the list goes on and on.  It's kind of crazy.  Lilly, what about you?

Lilly:  After the theme park I actually came down with a cold, so I stayed inside most of the week, but yeah, I know what you mean.  We let a lot of advertising into our homes too.  I don't think I'd mind, but a lot of it is really fake.  I just know that all the promises on those products can't be real, but they can be pretty convincing.

Dodger:  Well, those ads are made by professionals in that field.  One of my best friends is a communication major in college, and he's been studying how advertising works.  They target their audience, which is why some of those messages are so persuasive.  They usually tell a story to make their ad really stick.  Come to think of it, that's not really all that new.

Lilly:  How so?

Dodger:  Well, people have always advertised their products.  Sometimes, though, the advertising was the product.

Lilly:  What?

Dodger:  Well, if you read about some of the prophets in the Old Testament, you find out a lot of them were even more fake than our commercials, and God wasn't too happy about it.

Lilly:  Fake prophets?

Dodger:  Yeah.  You see, they'd tell people something they claimed to have heard from God, only it wasn't true.

Lilly:  Why would they do that?

Dodger:  Same reason advertisers do what they do now.  It was lucrative.  You could make a lot of money, telling people what they wanted to hear.

Lilly:  But, wouldn't that lead people to believe the wrong things about God?

Dodger:  It did.  In fact, it got really bad.  Eventually God's people were living completely sinful lifestyles, but because the prophets insisted that everything was okay, no one felt any need to change.

Lilly:  No one was telling the truth?

Dodger:  Oh, some were, but not as many people wanted to hear them, and they were often in trouble for speaking the truth.

Lilly:  Yikes!

Dodger:  Well, it didn't end well.  Eventually God's people lost their land, and they had to start all over again because of their sinful lifestyles.  It's a sobering reminder to check what we hear against what God actually says.  Sometimes we hear nice things that sound like God said them, when He really didn't.

Lilly:  Like "The Lord helps those who help themselves?"

Dodger:  Right.  That's not in the Bible anywhere, but a lot of people will say it is.

Lilly:  So, the best bet then is to read the Bible so we actually know what's in it.

Dodger:  Right!  You can't be fooled by a lie when you know the truth.  Don't do what everyone else is doing just because it's popular.  Large groups of people have been wrong in the past.  Instead, study God's Word so you really know where to stand, and then, when you hear something that is supposedly about or from God, you know where to look.

Lilly: Plus, by knowing the truth yourself, you can share it with others.

Dodger: Right. Paul's letter to Timothy says it well: "When Christ Jesus comes as king, he will be the judge of everyone, whether they are living or dead. So with God and Christ as witnesses, I command you to preach God’s message. Do it willingly, even if it isn’t the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient.  The time is coming when people won’t listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear.  They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories.  But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard to tell the good news and to do your job well (2 Timothy 4:1-5, CEV)."
Lilly:  Whether it's popular or not, when you know the truth, it sets you free.

Dodger:  You got it.  Well, we better get going.  Thanks for joining us today!  See you next time, and remember that Jesus loves you, and that's not EVER going to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!







(CEV Refers to Contemporary English Version)

The No-Stop Summer.

Dodger:  Hey there!  Is it just me, or is summer just flying by?

Lilly:  I can't even believe how time has zoomed past.  It's almost unbelievable!

Dodger:  Still, this is as good as it gets.  Warm weather, great friends, life is truly beautiful.

Lilly:  I agree...although, this isn't as good as it gets.

Dodger:  Right, right.  We're going to a theme park tomorrow.

Lilly:  That's not what I meant, Dodger.

Dodger:  Well, what did you mean, then?

Lilly:  I mean there's even more for us in store than this summer, or even this life.

Dodger:  Riiiight...and you're of course referring to heaven?

Lilly:  Yes.  I think sometimes we tend to kind of put heaven in a box and forget how wonderful it's going to be.  It's not just floating on clouds and playing harps - there's going to be all sorts of people, and food, and most of all, it never stops!  A life with God, forever and ever...I'm not sure there's even a way to quantify how amazing that's going to be.

Dodger:  I think, though, that Revelation does describe a little bit of it. It's chapter 21, verse 4, and it says this: "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (NKJV).”
Lilly:  A world without any kind of pain.  Now that's an amazing promise.

Dodger:  It's the promise God gives us.  Today may be great, or it may be terrible- but every day with God can be rejoiced in, because one day we'll see Him face to face.

Lilly:  It's like the unending summer!

Dodger:  Yep...only ten quadrillion zillion billion jillion times better.

Lilly:  Well, that's awesome.

Dodger:  It is indeed.  Hey, we'd better get going.  I got to go to bed early so I'm fresh for tomorrow's roller coaster rides.

Lilly:  Me too.  Thanks for visiting us today!

Dodger:  It's always fun hanging out with you.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!

We'll Get Back to You...Soon! :)

Dodger:  Hey there!  How are things going?  Hope you've been enjoying all the sunshine.  Lilly and I wanted to let you know we'll be out of town until the end of July, but we look forward to running into you again in August!

Lilly:  Thanks for hanging out with us.  Dodger and I are going to celebrate National Ice Cream Day, and then we're heading out.  You might hear from us on Twitter, though.  Hope you have fun!  See you next month!

Dodger:  While we're gone, remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!

Wall Keep Going.

Dodger:  Hey!  It's good to see you!  Has life treated you well?  I sure hope you've been having fun.

Lilly:  I just got finished with a blog post, so I was definitely having a good time.  What's up?

Dodger:  I was going to ask you that.  Did we get any mail?

Lilly:  Yes, actually.  Not the paper kind- people send us less and less of that.

Dodger:  Yeah.  So is it an email?

Lilly:  Yep.  Let's see here.  "Dear Dodger and Lilly, don't you realize that nothing you say is going to make that much difference?  The world is such a busy and sad place- what makes you think people have time for all your advice and old-fashioned Bible quoting?  Why even bother?  Those friends of yours are probably annoyed by all your yakking.  Tone it down, why don't you?  Insincerely, Sue Percinical."

Dodger:  Ouch.

Lilly:  I don't think we've ever had a message like that before.  That was, well, pretty harsh.

Dodger:  Well, we still need to answer the question.

Lilly:  How?  She just asked us why we don't cut it out.

Dodger:  Right.  So we need to tell her why.

Lilly:  So...

Dodger:  So we'll start with Nehemiah.

Lilly:  Dodger, are you referring to the guy that headed the building of the wall in Jerusalem?

Dodger:  Yep.

Lilly:  Well, why?

Dodger:  Because he was faced with that question all the time.

Lilly:  Come again?

Dodger:  I'll give a short background.  Nehemiah was a royal official in King Artaxerxes xourt, er, court.  He was also from Israel and Judah, which had been burned to the ground years ago by King  Nebuchadnezzar.  The city was still in a dumpy condition, and Nehemiah wanted to do something about it.  So he went to Artaxerxes and asked for permission to help Judah.  By God's grace, permission was granted.

Lilly:  So far, so good.

Dodger:  Right.  He goes to the city and checks it out, and it's a real dump.  Afterwards he meets up with a bunch of people and basically says "Let's fix this!"  They all agree and get started.

Lilly:  Cool.  But, um, what's it got to do with us?

Dodger:  Well, other people are very angry when they find out what Nehemiah is doing.  In fact, at one point they even joke that if a fox jumped onto the wall being built that it would all fall to pieces.

Lilly:  Insulting, but go on.

Dodger:  Well, oftentimes Christians serving God face the same thing.  He gives them a mission, they pursue it, and are nearly instantly attacked by people who hate both them and what they're doing.

Lilly:  Why?

Dodger:  Well, it's not people, really.  Paul makes it pretty clear that we're not fighting people at all.
In his letter to the Church in Ephesus he says, "We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world (6:12, CEV)".   The battle is always between God and the devil, ultimately, but the good news is that God wins every time.  Nehemiah did eventually finish the wall, and Jerusalem was given some cleaning up.

Lilly:  That's cool.

Dodger:  So that's why we're here.  The world is in a busted up shape, and when we talk about God's Word and principles we help build our piece of the wall, so to speak.  It's not like it's a piece of cake all the time, but who knows?  We might be able to make all the difference in the world without it.  So that's why we do it, Sue.  God's got everything in His hands, and we want to shine His light bright as we can, anywhere, anytime.

Lilly:  I think you nailed it, Dodger.

Dodger:  It's not just us.  Everyone can do their best to honor God.  It's certainly not popular, but you will change the world.  Anyways, thanks for visiting us!  It's great to see you!  Have a blast, and remember that Jesus loves you, something that will never change!

Lilly:  Ciao!

July 4th, 2015!

Dodger:  Woo-hoo!  It's the 4th of July!  Independence Day!

Lilly:  Happy 239th birthday, United States!

Dodger:  As you celebrate today, remember to pray for our nation, and thank God for the gift that is freedom!

Lilly:  Thank you, to all who've fought to defend that freedom!

Dodger: Have a great day!  I'm gonna go light some firecrackers.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that will never change!

Lilly:  Happy 4th!

You Want a Peace of Me?!

Dodger:  Okay!  Thank you...no, really, I got it.  Good bye!

Lilly:  Who was that on the phone?

Dodger:  Someone REALLY insistent on arguing with me.

Lilly:  Really?  Why?

Dodger:  I don't know.  I think he just wants to pick a fight.

Lilly:  I see.  Well, where did it start?

Dodger:  Beats me.

Lilly:  Surely it happened somewhen.

Dodger:  That's not even a word.

Lilly:  Well, at any rate, the question still stands.  Why is this person arguing with you, and when did it start?

Dodger:  Well, I guess it started when we disagreed about the number of pepperonis on a take-and-bake pizza.  He said 70, I said 120.  I overestimated, and he counted it as a personal victory.  Since then he has tried everything he can to score one over on me, trying to strike up an argument about pretty much everything.  I don't know if he'll ever stop, but I find it vastly irritating.

Lilly:  Hmm.  Well, why do you keep arguing with him?

Dodger:  Because the things he argues about are silly, and he doesn't know what he's talking about!  Someone has to set him straight.

Lilly:  Um...Dodger?  That...doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  If you want to stop arguing, shouldn't you just do that?

Dodger:  Well, I can't just let him think he's right all the time!

Lilly:  Uh-huh.  Dodger, do you mind if I read you something from the Bible?

Dodger:  I'd never mind that.  Fire away.

Lilly: Okay. It's a story about a king of Judah, named Amaziah. He's just finished up with a military victory against the people of Edom, and it's made him pretty pleased with himself. Here's what happens next: 

 "Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.” And Jehoash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, “A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife,’ and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle. You have indeed struck down Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and stay at home, for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?”

     But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah.  And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home.  And Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem for four hundred cubits, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.  And he seized all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king's house, also hostages, and he returned to Samaria. (2 Kings 14:8-14, ESV)"

Dodger:  What a mess!  Why did Amaziah insist on picking a fight with Jehoash?

Lilly:  My guess is that he let a victory make him prideful, and it led to disaster.  Dodger, this person who keeps arguing with you is a little bit like Amaziah- insistent on fighting because he expects to win.  Honestly, though, he's just hurting himself.  You have the chance, though, to respond differently from Jehoash.  Instead of going out to the battlefield, so to speak, how about taking Paul's advice to the Romans: "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (12:18, ESV)"

Dodger:  How?

Lilly:  Instead of fighting the battles he picks, choose your battles.  Decide what's really important, and focus on that.  Who cares how many pepperonis are on a pizza?  That doesn't change people's hearts and lives.  It's just a pizza.  No, what matters is that you try to show this person the love of God by refusing to argue with him.  Try changing the subject, and if all else fails, you could just try saying "I don't want to argue about this with you" and walk away.  It might make him mad, but it might also one day lead to a change of heart.  You won't get anywhere by trying to beat him at his own game.  Instead, ask God to show you how to talk to him in a way that honors God and shows love to him.  Trust me.  You'll find out it's a lot easier pretty fast.

Dodger:  Okay.  I'll try that. Thank you, Lilly.  Looks like I needed a reminder.

Lilly:  We all do at different times.  I had a friend like this guy, once.  She wanted to bicker about everything, until one day I decided I would not argue anymore, regardless of her reaction.

Dodger:  What happened?

Lilly: We became great friends, she accepted my invitation to Church, and she's followed God ever since!  I don't know if it always works out that way, but hey! It's worth a shot!

Dodger:  I'll say.  Well, I better get ready.  He said he'd call in 30 minutes or so, and I want to be ready to stop arguing.  Thanks for visiting us again today!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!

Doing Dad's Day.

Dodger:  Whew!  What a day.  I can't believe all the stuff we did today to celebrate my Dad.  Not that he doesn't deserve it.  He definitely does.  Still, that was probably the biggest meal at the fanciest restaurant I've ever eaten...er...biggest meal ever eaten at the fanciest restaurant ever seen.

Lilly:  We stayed home.

Dodger:  That's it?

Lilly:  Well, Dad just took us to church and then brought us home.

Dodger:  Didn't you guys plan anything?

Lilly:  Of course.  My dad never saw it coming.

Dodger:  What?  What did you do?

Lilly:  Ordered 31 flavors of gourmet ice cream delivered to our house with his name on it and a movie.

Dodger:  Wow!

Lilly:  That might sound nice, but he really deserves it.

Dodger: Yeah, he's a great guy.

Lilly:  You know, I don't think I could ever repay my dad.

Dodger:  Me neither.  He's done way too much for me.

Lilly:  Good thing it's a gift, then.

Dodger:  Yeah...but...

Lilly:  What?

Dodger:  I was thinking...what about people who don't have really great dads?  Not everyone who has the job does it well.

Lilly:  That is sadly true.  You know, though, we can all rely on having a great Father.

Dodger:  You mean God.

Lilly:  Affirmative.

Dodger:  Yep, He's good.

Lilly:  He gave us everything, we could never repay Him, and it's all a gift.  Sounds familiar, huh?  I think this is one of those times where it's appropriate to consider the Father's love for us with a very simple and yet powerful message: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16, NIV)."  He wanted all of His children to be safe, so He gave us His Son.  That, is amazing.

Dodger:  Amen to that.  Well, see you next week!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not going to change!

Lilly:  Happy our Father's Day!

Playing Favorites?

Dodger:  Afternoon!  How has life been treating you?  I hope you've enjoyed the day so far.  It's starting to warm up quite a bit around here.

Lilly:  I'll say.  Yesterday I couldn't cool down no matter where I was.

Dodger:  Why not just find a room with air-conditioning?

Lilly:  If ours wasn't broken, I'd take that advice, but, it is, so, I can't.

Dodger:  Ooo...that's too bad.  Maybe we can lend you guys a few fans.

Lilly:  That would be great.

Dodger:  Okay.  I'll look into doing that after we finish here.  So, I got out of school.

Lilly:  You mean WE got out of school.

Dodger:  Yeah.

Lilly:  Pretty exciting.

Dodger:  Yeah.

Lilly:  Summer is just full of opportunities.

Dodger:  Yeah.

Lilly:  Are you going to just keep saying that?

Dodger:  Yeah.

Lilly:  OK.  Just wondering.  Seriously, though, this is going to be great!

Dodger:  Ye-

Lilly:  DODGER.

Dodger:  ...I agree.

Lilly:  Thank you.  So...any messages?

Dodger:  Nope.

Lilly:  Emails?

Dodger:  Nope.

Lilly:  Letters?

Dodger:  Nope.

Lilly:  Tweets?

Dodger:  Nope.

Lilly:  Well, then, do you have anything you wanted to talk about?

Dodger: Nop-

Lilly:  DODGER!

Dodger:  Sorry.  It was hard to resist.

Lilly:  How so?  You didn't resist at all.

Dodger:  Okay, okay.  Good point.  Anyways, I've been thinking about playing favorites.

Lilly:  You've been thinking about doing it?

Dodger:  No, about what it means.

Lilly:  Oh.  Why?

Dodger:  Well, it's something I think we all do a lot more than we realize.  I mean, we all have favorite things.  I prefer Nintendo consoles, Hershey's candy, and Papa Murphy's pizza to other options in the game, candy, and pizza categories.

Lilly:  True.  There's nothing wrong with having a preference, though, is there?

Dodger:  No.  There's not.  What about when you have a preference on the way you treat people, though?

Lilly:  Such as?

Dodger:  Well, if you treat someone a certain way based on first impressions and someone else another way, just because they seem different.

Lilly:  I'm not sure I get it.  Everyone is a little different, so we should all be treated a little differently, right?

Dodger:  Um...I'm not really saying it right.  Oh!  Maybe this will help.  Can you look up James' letter, chapter 2, for me?

Lilly:  Sure.  Here it is.  Begin at the first verse?

Dodger:  Please.

Lilly: M'kay. "My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.  For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1-5, ESV)"
Dodger:  Hold it for a second there.  Do you see what James is getting at?

Lilly:  Well, I think so.  It sounds like he's saying that we shouldn't play favorites just because someone is rich.

Dodger:  I think you're right, but I'll bet it goes even further.  You see, as far as God is concerned, we're all special, all unique, regardless of hair color, wealth, background, or whatever.  None of us is better than anyone else, but sometimes we act like it by giving some people better treatment, and I think that that's what James is saying exactly not to do.  Jesus died for each and every one of us, so when we act like some people are better than others, we're telling God that some of His children are less valuable, and that's certainly not right.  Even though society acts like this, we shouldn't.

Lilly:  So how do we avoid playing favorites?

Dodger: Well, we take James' advice. "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. (James 2:8, ESV)"  In other words, we determine that we treat everyone with respect and as equals. This doesn't mean that everyone is the same, rather, it means that everyone is valuable to God and should be treated that way.  That's how we, as Jesus followers, should treat others, no matter where they come from.  It's not always as easy as it sounds, but it's the right thing to do, and who knows?  Perhaps by treating a new person as an equal you may inspire them to do the same for others.
Lilly:  In that case, remind me not to play favorites.

Dodger:  We can all work on that.  Well, Lilly, we better get going.  Thank you for joining us!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's never going to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!

Friendly Fire.

Dodger:  Right, then.  I can understand that, but I don't really think it makes a whole lot of...oh!  Sorry.  I was just talking on the phone.

Lilly:  Who was that?

Dodger:  Just an old friend.

Lilly:  Old friend?  Who?

Dodger:  You guys never had a chance to meet, actually.

Lilly:  Well, you didn't need to hang up on him.

Dodger:  Her, actually.

Lilly:  Her?

Dodger:  Yeah.  Her name is Zippy.

Lilly:  Zippy?

Dodger:  Short for Zipporah.  That's kind of a mouthful, so I just call her Zippy.

Lilly:  Oh.  Why didn't you mention her before?

Dodger:  She never came up in conversation, I guess.

Lilly:  Well, you could have at least said she existed.  Does she know about me?

Dodger:  Sure!  I've told her tons about you.

Lilly:  So she knows all about me, and I didn't even know she existed until now.  Thanks a lot.

Dodger:  Hey...it's not on purpose or anything.  I live right near you, but she's in another state, so when we talk I can't just chat with her about what we've been doing, which I can actually do with you.

Lilly:  Well, yeah, but...couldn't you have told me you have another friend who knows all about me?

Dodger:  I guess it was just a miscommunication.

Lilly:  Ehm-hm.

Dodger:  I never meant to keep her a secret or anything.  Hey, please don't let it get to you.

Zippy:  Yeah, Lilly.  Dodger meant nothing by it.

Lilly:  Who's that?!?

Dodger:  Oh, Zippy!  I'm sorry, I must have forgot to hang up!

Zippy:  It's perfectly fine.  No problem.  Lilly, it's great to actually hear you.  I always hoped I'd get a chance to meet you, even over the phone.

Lilly:  Hi.

Zippy:  Dodger actually didn't tell me about you until about three weeks ago.

Lilly:  Oh?

Zippy:  Yeah.  I asked him what he'd been up to and he said "Just hanging out with Lilly and some other friends" and then I stopped him and asked who that even was and then he told me about you, so, it took a while.  It wasn't personal.  Really.

Lilly:  ...wow.  Well, thanks, Zippy.  I, um, guess I owe you both an apology.

Dodger:  Nah.  You didn't do anything.  It was really my fault, actually.

Zippy:  I wasn't even bothered.  You have nothing to apologize for.  No worries!

Lilly:  Well, actually I do.  You see, I became a little jealous just now.

Dodger:  Why?

Lilly:  Well...I was a little bothered that you had another friend I didn't know about, and my imagination made me think maybe you'd done it on purpose and, well, now I'm just embarrassed.  I shouldn't hve allowed myself to get to worked up over something so silly.

Zippy:  Totally forgiven.  Truth be told, I had the same problem when Dodger told me about you.

Lilly:  Really?

Dodger:  Yeah.  She sounded a little suspicious at first, but quickly warmed up to you.

Zippy:  I also realized, just like you, that jealousy is a dangerous matter.

Lilly:  No kidding.  It's destroyed a lot of really good things in the past.  I'm glad I got mine under control quickly.  Proverbs isn't kidding when it warns us about jealousy.

Zippy:  Which verse?

Lilly:  I...can't remember the exact reference. The verse mentions other unpleasant things.  Dodger?

Dodger:  Let me think.  Yeah, I got it.  Proverbs 27:4-

"Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? (ESV)"

Zippy:  Hm.  Sounds pretty intense.

Lilly:  It IS intense.  We both know how quickly jealousy can grab hold if a person isn't on guard against it.  We were both upset with Dodger, and I nearly became upset with you for no good reason.  Jealousy will wreck lives if it's not checked.

Zippy:  Wreck lives...oh, the Bible has a pretty sad story on that.

Dodger:  Lilly and I talked about it once.  In First Samuel 21-22 we read about King Saul of Israel and the priests of the Lord.  A servant of Saul named David is running away because Saul wants to kill him.  Apparently Saul is jealous of David for several reasons, including David's fame and the fact that God promised him the throne.  Saul tries chasing him down, and one of the earliest examples of the events brought on by this tragedy is an ordered massacre of peaceful people.

Lilly:  I remember that story.  It's really terrible.  Not only are people killed, but it shows just how far from God Saul had become.  He had priests killed because one of them had talked to David while he was running away.  He gave David food and a sword without knowing that David was actually running.  In other words, he did nothing wrong, and he and his entire city were slaughtered all because Saul's jealousy made him into a cruel and senseless villain.  Thankfully jealousy doesn't always end that way, but it does show how powerful jealousy can be.  I guess it's a pretty sober reminder, huh?

Zippy:  Yeah.  Of course, jealousy isn't something to be scared of.  Instead we just need to not let it into our lives.  After all, we're all faced with decisions on how to act.  It's just up to us to choose what's right, and jealousy is pretty easy to avoid when you focus on God and what He's done for you.

Dodger:  Being jealous isn't even the same as being tempted to be jealous.  We all sometimes feel a little jealous, but when that happens we can take it to God, and He'll help us to get rid of it.

Lilly:  He really does have all the answers.  Well, Zippy, I hope I can meet you in person sometime!

Zippy:  Likewise, I'm certain!

Dodger:  I need to head out.  Thanks for talking with us!  Don't ever forget that Jesus loves you, and that's NEVER going to change.

Zippy:  Zippy, out!

Lilly:  Ciao!

Happy Memorial Day...and Thank You.

Dodger:  Happy Memorial Day.

Lilly:  Yes indeed.

Dodger:  We wanted to say thank you to those who gave their lives to keep us safe and free.

Lilly:  To those who lost family members or friends, thank you as well.  We'll remember your sacrifice.

Dodger:  Indeed we will.  Jesus said "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends (John 15:13 NKJV)."  Thank you for showing such sacrificial love.  God be with you.

Waiting Time: God-determined.

Dodger:  Whoo-hoo!!!

Lilly:  I haven't seen you this excited in weeks.  What's up?

Dodger:  Well, I've made plans to go camping right after school lets out.

Lilly:  Neat!  Where at?

Dodger:  Yellowstone National Park.  I can't wait to go!  It's going to be awesome, living life on the rugged edge.

Lilly:  Rugged edge...heading there with your folks, then?

Dodger:  Yes indeed.  My dad put it all together.  Only thing is that he won't say exactly when we're going.  Wants it to be a surprise or something, I guess.

Lilly:  Well, that's kind of cool.

Dodger:  Frankly, I find it kind of irritating.  Why not just tell us when we're going?  That sure sounds a lot easier, at least logistically.

Lilly:  Yeah, but the last time your dad surprised you with the departure time for a trip it was because he went and arranged it just when your favorite band was performing.  He's got a real knack for excellent timing.

Dodger:  That's true.  I can't disagree with that.

Lilly:  Say...that reminds me of something I read today in 2 Peter.

Dodger:  Hm?  You mean Peter talks about camping?

Lilly:  No, he talks about timing.  It's right near the end of his second letter.  Check it out:

"Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”  For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.  But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.  But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (3:1-9, NKJV)

Dodger:  That's a lot to take in.

Lilly:  Well, basically what Peter is saying is that people will question God and doubt that Jesus is coming back because earth seems to just keep on spinning.  In other words, it's been so long in human years that some people just don't believe or even laugh at the concept that Jesus is coming back.  Peter reminds us, though, that God doesn't always just immediately do things.  In fact He always has a reason for His timing.  In our case, God keeps the world spinning because He really wants people to come to Him and be saved.  That's not the only example, of course, but it is an important one.

Dodger:  So...God wants people to be saved so much that He'll wait for them?

Lilly:  God waits for us a great deal, actually.  So it follows that we should be willing to wait for Him.  You see, God plans everything for our best.  Sometimes He waits a long time for us to come around and actually let Him work in us.  Other times He just kind of drops the evidence of His work right in our laps.  That being said, He always works on His timing, so it's not like we can hold up God.  The important thing is to remember that He always knows what He's doing, and has the big picture set up for our benefit.  We can't always see it, and we may have to wait for it, but God is always at work.  He'll keep His promises, even if it seems to take a while.

Dodger:  I guess that that's a bit like what my dad does.  He plans things a certain way without telling me everything so I'll be even more pleasantly surprised and blessed.

Lilly:  Yep.

Dodger:  Well, if I can wait for God, I can definitely wait for my dad.  They both know what they're doing, after all.

Lilly:  You got that right.  Just look at the times God uses timing in the Bible.  A few examples include Abraham, Sarah, and their son Isaac, the Exodus of Egypt, and even the birth of Baby Jesus!  It may not always be obvious why God chose the timing He did, but it always worked out for the best.

Dodger:  Well, sweet!  Thanks Lilly!  I'll remember to wait on God in the future, even if it feels like I'm waiting a long time.  Who knows?  He might even help me grow closer to Him with His timing.

Lilly:  Amen to that.  Well, I think we'd better call it.

Dodger:  Yeah.  Thank you for hanging out with us today!  It's awesome to have you around.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!



(NKJV Means New King James Version)

First Person First.

Dodger:  Hey there!  How are you?  Is life treating you well?  Things have finally begun calming down this past week, so Lilly and I should be stopping in more frequently for a while.

Lilly:  It's good to be back.  Say, Dodger, didn't you get a text message asking for help recently?

Dodger:  Um...I dunno.  Haven't checked...how would you know?

Lilly:  Um...a friend of mine wanted to ask us some advice and said he would text you.

Dodger:  Why me?

Lilly:  My phone broke.

Dodger:  Oh.  Okay.  I'll check in that case.  Hmm...here's something.

Lilly:  Is it a new number?

Dodger: Yep.  It says, "Hi, d&l. Question. How do i keep doing prayer and the Bible? I can't fit it in my schedule, but there might be something i'm missing. Any tips? Thx!

Lilly:  Interesting question.

Dodger:  So you hadn't heard it before?

Lilly:  Nope.  That's my friend, though.  No doubt about that.

Dodger:  Cool.  Well, let's see.  I guess the answer to that isn't perhaps as simple as it sounds.

Lilly:  Not when everyone's doing a hundred things a day.

Dodger:  I wonder if that's the problem.

Lilly:  Come again?

Dodger:  Well, time management is a skill that takes time to learn, time many of us don't have.  It doesn't help that there are distractions available to take up the time we do have.

Lilly:  How do you mean?

Dodger:  Well, for example, even if I'm doing nothing, I can still check my email, social networks, shop online, verify appointments, or watch cat videos, just to name a few options.  Those tasks often consume more time than we realize, and although they aren't bad, they aren't as important, really, as setting aside time for God.  Of course, this isn't to say that your friend is doing those things, or that everyone who does has their priorities all wrong, but I think we often think we have less time than we do.

Lilly:  The illusion of time travel...traveling away from us, that is.  Some sort of personal time and relative dimension in space.

Dodger:  Sure.  What it comes right down to is that taking time to read God's Word and talk to Him is essential.  Even if one's schedule is hectic, reading engaging with God needs to happen, not because God will come down on you if you don't, but because He wants to be with you.  You see, we often think of spending time with God as if we're setting apart a time and place for him.  Considering, though, that he runs time and owns all places, it becomes apparent that in actuality God has set aside the entire day to be with you.  All you need to do is accept the invitation, and when you do, you get closer to God and vice versa.

Lilly:  That's pretty awesome!

Dodger:  Yeah, it is.  It's not like you have to super-regulate yourself.  Being with God requires self-control, sure, but it's important to remember that it's not a religious ceremony, and there's not one right way to do it.

Lilly:  So what do you recommend, then, for someone who hasn't found time yet?

Dodger:  Well, here are a few ideas, a list that is by no means exhaustive.

Dodger's Tips on God Time

1. Downsize - Find things you really don't need to be doing and toss them.  There might be more than you realize!
2. Prioritize - Determine that you will not do a certain thing (or things) until you've had the time to engage with God.
3. Early Rise - Try waking up a few minutes early to be with God.
4. Be Time Wise - In your "extra" minutes (the kind you have while waiting for the school bus) try talking or listening to God.
5. Use Retries - If things don't go as you planned, don't give up.  Try again next time.
6. Ignore Lies - You can do this.  Don't let anyone, especially the devil, say otherwise.

Of course, these don't work for everyone.  I've tried early rising, and, to be honest, I think that only God could want to talk to me first thing in the morning.  Find a niche that works and stick with it.  You'll be glad you did.

Lilly:  Thanks for the ideas, Dodger.

Dodger:  No problem.  I'd be willing to bet our friend here has some ideas of his own.  Hey!  Maybe you can tell us about them!  If you have any ideas, tweet us @dodgerandlilly, and tell us what you come up with!

Lilly:  I guess we'd better get going, Dodger.

Dodger:  Yeah, we should.  Thanks for joining us!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  TTYL!

Keeping You Near.

Dodger:  Good grief!  What a week!

Lilly:  I think you mean, what a month.  We haven't been in since the beginning of April!

Dodger:  Oh.  Well, it's still been a long week, and a rough one at that.  Yikes!  Where are my manners?  Good to see you again, friend.  Sorry it's been so long since we hung out.  I've been kept on the move for a while.

Lilly:  He's not kidding.  Dodger has barely had time to breath since we saw him last.  I've never seen anyone so ready for summer vacation.

Dodger:  If only it wasn't still so far off.  Oh, but I'm tired.  I don't think I can take any more of today, or the last week.  I, really don't know what to say.  I'm so exhausted.

Lilly:  Hang in there.

Dodger:  I've been doing that!

Lilly:  No need to snap, Dodger.

Dodger:  You know, I've just about had it with trying to remain calm!  Do you have any idea what my week was like?  Even the weekend was brutal!

Lilly:  Okay!  I understand.

Dodger:  I don't think you do.

Lilly:  Hey, Dodger.  What...what's wrong?

Dodger:  Aside from the fact that I had two loved ones in the hospital this weekend, nothing!

Lilly:  WHAT?!  Dodger, why didn't you tell me?

Dodger:  I didn't want you to worry.

Lilly:  But I'm your friend!  It's my job to know what's bugging you!  Who cares if I might worry?  Isn't it more important that I know and try to help?

Dodger:  I guess.  Whatever.

Lilly:  Now, none of that.  Who was it?

Dodger:  My cousin and my grandma.  Car accident.

Lilly:  My goodness...I'm sorry!  Are they okay?

Dodger:  Yeah.  Some broken bones, nothing more.  Except a great deal of anxiety and nervousness.  See, it happened two days ago.  They were supposed to visit, but the time came and neither of them had arrived.  I thought it might be just that they forgot, so I called, but they didn't answer.  So then I called my uncle and grandpa, and they said that they had both headed here together.  I began to get real nervous and then my mom came up and said we needed to go visit them at the hospital.  That scared me.  They're okay, but...good grief!  That was way too close for my comfort!  What if something worse had happened?

Lilly:  I...I'm sorry.  That's rough.  At least they weren't too badly hurt.

Dodger:  THEY WERE IN A CAR WRECK!

Lilly:  Yes.  That's scary.  Really scary.  I hope that something like that never happens again.  Ever.  Since you know they're okay, though, why are you still scared?

Dodger:  Because I never expected it.  It was beyond my control, and I didn't know how to handle it when it happened.  The car was totaled, Lilly!  I...the...oh, forget it.  Where was God in this?  I know He did something, but I couldn't really feel Him!

Lilly:  Yeah, that's kind of rough stuff.  I don't blame you for being freaked out.  When things like that happen it can really sometimes feel like God's not even in the same place, huh?

Dodger:  Kinda.  I mean, I'm not really angry with God...not at all.  In fact, I'm thankful that all He let happen was some broken bones.  But, it didn't feel like He was there.  I knew He was, sorta, but, it was just too surreal to really...I dunno.  God is our Father, so why didn't He, you know, at least prepare me for the news, or help me keep calm, or reassure me that everything was okay?  Why did He let me sit in suspense?

Lilly:  Ehm...would you have wanted God to tell you there was an accident?

Dodger:  I dunno.  Probably not.  That might have made it feel even weirder.

Lilly:  Did you get a chance to pray when you found out?

Dodger:  Of course.  I always have a "chance" to pray.

Lilly:  Did you?

Dodger:  Yes.

Lilly:  Did you hear God say anything?

Dodger:  I might have.  I felt like I was being told that it wasn't as bad as it sounded and I didn't need to be afraid.

Lilly:  That sounds like it could have been God.

Dodger:  It didn't really calm me down, though.

Lilly:  Perhaps not, but, at least what you heard ended up being true!

Dodger:  Yeah.  That did happen.

Lilly:  You know, Dodger, sometimes scary things happen and we cry out to God and you know what?  It doesn't always make us feel better right away, at least, not apparently.  Sometimes we're still afraid and even panicky.  That doesn't change God's presence, though.  He was still in charge of the situation.  He still had your relatives in His hands.  God heard your prayers and your fears and you know what?  Even though He knew He was in total control of the whole thing, He was still sad for you and your relatives.

Dodger:  Really?  How do you know?

Lilly:  Well, have you ever read about Lazarus?

Dodger:  Who?

Lilly:  You know, the man in the Bible that Jesus raised from the dead in John 11!  Mary and Martha are friends of Jesus and send for His help when their brother Lazarus is sick.  He comes and sees Lazarus dead, and even though He can and will bring him back, Jesus still cries (John 11:35, NKJV, please read in context).  He's got everything in His charge and still has sadness for His creation, the people He loves.  Dodger, God was not aloof during this crisis.  He was involved, He was there, and He felt for you, your cousin, and your grandma.  You might not have felt it, but it still happened.  Does that answer your question?

Dodger:  I hadn't thought of it like that.

Lilly:  When we don't feel God it can seem like He just isn't there.  God is always there, though, and He is constantly looking out for us.  When things go wrong, He's just as sad as we are.  We need to remember that sometimes.  There's no shame in needing to take time and remember.  Hard things happen and it takes time to get the reminder, but when we turn to God for comfort, even if we aren't aware of it, He is still working in our hearts and making things better.  Don't forget that.

Dodger:  Thanks, Lilly.  I needed a reminder.

Lilly:  I'm glad I could help.  Remember, Dodger, Jesus loves you.

Dodger:  And that's not about to change.  Yep, I understood that reference.   I guess we need to head out.

Lilly:  Yep.  Ciao for now!

Dodger:  Later!







There You Are
-Lilly


God, why did this happen here?
Can't you see it's caused me fear?
I can't stand this kind of stuff!
Lord, please, stop it!  It's too tough!
Can't I at least see your hand?
God, just help me understand!
I know you're there. I'm sure it's true,
BUT I'M UNABLE TO SEE YOU!

"Dear child, I promise I didn't leave.
It's hard to suffer or be bereaved!
Believe me, I know, it's happened so oft,
It has hardened hearts that were once soft.
Yes, I'm still here, and I love you.
I'm sorry that this happened, too.
I promise it'll work out for the best.
Keep trusting me. I'll take care of the rest.
You might not feel me, but I'm still here.
I completely understand your fear.
I'm holding you now. We'll make it through.
Believe me, child, that's what I do."

Happy Easter!

Dodger:  Happy Easter!

Lilly:  Happy Easter indeed!  He is risen!

Dodger:  He is risen indeed!  Okay, that was not meant to sound like we're trying to rhyme with each other.  It's something we say because of Jesus' resurrection, because this is the day we celebrate it.

Lilly:  Of course, it didn't necessarily happen today.  In fact, unlike Christmas, we actually celebrate Easter at a different day each year.  Sometimes it's in March, other times it's in April.

Dodger:  Either way it usually includes a lot of candy, egg-hunting, and Church-going.  Speaking of Christmas, though, I can't help but think about how they're related.  You can't really celebrate one without the other.  If it wasn't for Christmas, Jesus wouldn't have been able to die for us and be resurrected, but if it hadn't been for Easter He wouldn't have paid for our sins and given us life with Him, making Christmas rather unimportant.  The two of them are tightly connected.

Lilly:  Say, can we read one of the Gospel narratives about the Resurrection?

Dodger:  Sure.  Let me provide a quick background to make sure everyone's on the same page.   Jesus, God's Son Who came to earth as a man without losing his deity, is dead and in a tomb.  He was crucified by the Romans, and although He did nothing to deserve this crucifixion and could have stopped it at any time, He still went through with it.

Lilly:  Hold on for just a second.  Could you quickly explain crucifixion to us?

Dodger:  Well, okay, but not in great detail.  Crucifixion was a very painful method of execution that the Ancient Romans used on certain criminals.  It involved making the person to be killed carry a heavy wooden cross to the place where he would die, then once he arrived, they would nail the person to the cross, only these nails where the size of railroad spikes and they went through the hands and feet.  The person would then hang there, usually until he suffocated.  It was embarrassing because everyone could see you, and it lasted for hours.  Jesus Himself died after He gave up His spirit (John 19:30).

Lilly:  Okay.  Thank you for explaining, but that sounds terrible!  Why would Jesus do it if He could have just stopped it?

Dodger:  Well, Jesus originally came to earth to bring us redemption from our sins and life with Him forever.  We separated ourselves from God by sinning, doing things wrong that hurt ourselves or others, but always Him.  The penalty everyone deserves for this would is death and separation from God.  God didn't want that to happen because He loves us, so He sent Jesus.  Even though Jesus is God's Son, and so fully God, He still experienced separation from God when He took the guilt for every sin that any of us have ever done.  It was basically the equivalent of one day closely knowing the most wonderful Person in the universe, and the next day having that Person reject you.  It was even worse than the physical pain.

Lilly:  This story is making me sad.

Dodger:  Well, it can be hard to read.  It was a terrible experience, but don't get too down.  Now that we've finished the background story, we can move on to Easter!

Lilly:  Sounds good.

Dodger:  It's been three days since Jesus died.  The tomb He was buried in is in a cave, where a large rock has been rolled to keep the tomb covered.  A woman named Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus when He was alive, is coming to the tomb to visit.  I'll have the Bible take it from here:

"Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.  Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”  Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.  So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.  And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.  For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.  Then the disciples went away again to their own homes."  (John 20:1-10 NKJV)
Lilly: That sounds scary.  I can't imagine what it would be like if a friend I knew was buried one day and missing the next.  I think I would cry.

Dodger: You aren't the only one. "But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.  And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.  Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”  She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”  Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”  She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”  

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”  Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. (John 20:11-18 NKJV)

Lilly:  ...I think I would have been stunned out of my senses.

Dodger:  Well, it was certainly a surprise for everyone involved.  Other Gospel accounts tell us that the disciples didn't believe Mary or others who said they'd seen Jesus resurrected.  Jesus eventually revealed Himself to all of them.  "Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.  So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:19-23 NKJV)

Lilly:  What a neat story!

Dodger:  It is neat.  It's more than a story, though.  It redefined the relationship between God and man.  It brought reconciliation, and gave everyone, everywhere, the opportunity to be children of God, adopted in grace, saved from sin, and given life forever.  Jesus destroyed the barrier between us and God, and defeated death in one weekend.  Talk about impressive.  I can barely finish my homework over one weekend.

Lilly:  Perhaps this is the first time you've really heard what Easter's about.  Maybe you already knew, but haven't ever thought about doing anything about it.  Or you might already know and have done something about it.  Whatever camp you may be in, Easter is truly something to celebrate.  If you've heard about Jesus, but never actually met Him, now's your chance.  He's right in the room with you, waiting to introduce Himself.  If you'd like to accept the gift He gave you through His death and resurrection, you could pray something like this.

Dear God,  I've made mistakes and sinned against You.  I don't deserve to be with you of my own accord, but because Jesus came down and died on a cross, I know I can be reconciled with You and have a relationship with You, forgiveness for my sins, and life with You forever.  Because You raised Him from the dead after three days, I also know I can have eternal life.  I believe this with all my heart, God, and I'm saying it out loud.  Please come into my heart and take away my sin.  Thank You for the gift of Easter.  I love You Lord.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Dodger:  In a sense, Easter is about new beginnings.  If you just said this prayer or something like it and really meant it, congratulations!  The Bible says you are a new person!  You may not feel new, but God listened, and believe me, He's already doing amazing things in You.  He loves you very much, you know.  Easter's one of our biggest reminders of that.

Lilly:  It is indeed.  Thank God for Easter.

Dodger:  Amen to that.

Lilly:  Have you heard about today's egg hunt?

Dodger:  Sure!  Does it start soon?

Lilly:  Yep.  I think we'd better head over there.

Dodger:  Alright then.  Thank you for visiting with us today.  Happy Easter!  Jesus Christ is risen!

Lilly:  He is risen indeed!




(NKJV Means New King James Version)

Willow Trust.

.

Dodger:  Hello again!  How's life treating you?

Lilly:  We're glad you came by today.  We were just reading a book on trees for school.  There's one tree we think is really interesting in here.  Check it out!

Dodger:  Here's the picture:

Lilly:  It's the golden weeping willow.  Have you ever seen one?  I do see willows sometimes, but the golden teary-eyed kind aren't very common where I live.  Anyways, we were looking at how their leaves extend so close to the ground.  They almost look like vines, with all the branches hanging about the way they do.  When the wind blows it's really easy to see, easier than it would be with a regular tree.  Of course, they aren't the only willows that do this, but it was the first willow we've read about.

Dodger:  One of the neat things about willows is that they have strong roots.  The other day I was walking through a garden and I noticed a willow had poked its root right under the sidewalk and broken up the concrete.  That's a lot of power when you consider that trees don't even perceptibly move.  What's funny is that the leaves look really weak.  All it takes is the slightest gust and they float every which way.

Lilly:  Hey, something just occurred to me.  Have you ever thought that God might be like a willow tree?

Dodger:  Um...no.  Why?

Lilly:  Well, think of it this way.  Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches, right?

Dodger:  Yep.  That's John 15:5.  I don't really see what that has to do with willows, though.

Lilly:  Well, part of what Jesus was saying was that we need to remain connected to Him.

Dodger:  Okay.

Lilly:  So what about this:  Jesus is like a willow tree, and we are like willow branches.  Jesus is strongly rooted.  Nothing can pull Him up, because He is God.  The branches, when the wind comes, may feel like they are being blown about all over the place, but the truth is that they are still connected to the willow tree, which is actually taking care of their needs by providing nutrients and keeping them from flying away.  We sometimes see storms coming our way, and we ask God where He is in the middle of them, but the truth is that while we reach out to Him He is holding onto us!  He's not going anywhere, and He'll make sure that when the wind passes, we are still safe in His arms.

Dodger:  Wow.  That's actually a pretty neat analogy.

Lilly:  There's a lot to be said for the examples God gives us in nature.  When the wind blows, God isn't distant.  We just feel blown about, that's all.  He's right there, loving us like He always does.

Dodger:  Thanks for pointing that out, Lilly.  That's pretty cool.

Lilly:  God is good.  That's all I can say.

Dodger:  I guess we'd better call it.  Thanks for stopping by.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Bye!





(Image credit: "Salix alba Morton" by Bruce Marlin - Own work: http://www.cirrusimage.com/tree_golden_weeping_willow.htm. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salix_alba_Morton.jpg#/media/File:Salix_alba_Morton.jpg)  Thanks, Bruce!