IT'S A DOG'S LIFE 

August 24, 1995 

Dear Family:

 There is an unusual greeting used in Germany and is literally translated "how is life". The reply literally translated is "it is a dogs life". During the past several years but more so in the past few months, we of the Thomas family have pondered many questions in our hearts and minds. There has been a considerable portion of hardship, business failures, injuries, sickness, and death. Each time, with out exception, the big WHY question seems to emerge. On occasion I even think we have felt we were the only ones but as you all know when you look around yourself you will see people experiencing the same and even worse trying things. They too are surely asking the big "WHY". I had not thought on the questions, answers or the lessons of Job in many years until at Bobbies funeral, Brother Eddie Smith shared his thoughts about Job. Then I began to remember and look beyond myself for reasons. I re-though the studies of the past few months as we pondered the life of John the Baptist and the experiences of Christ in the wilderness. I began recall what God pointed out to Job. That man has nothing to do with what happens in the wilderness. Who determines what is dark and what is light or where they come from. Who assigns and creates the colors of the feathers of the peacock. Who watches over the eggs of the Ostrich and guides the steps of the wild beast that his steps not break the eggs. Who provides the warmth of the sand to cuddle the egg and bring life to the chick. Who determines the size of the rain drop or the dew, and who provides the cold for the chilling frost. Job's hard head and hard heart was softened and he said to God; JOB 42:5 "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee." I have heard about you and your sayings and now I see you and understand what you are saying. We sometimes become so involved with our participation in a conversation or with our role in life that we forget that God gave us two ears and two eyes which wrap around a brain. The brain should process the information received by the eyes and ears and then if appropriate the mouth should utter intelligible sounds. I think perhaps God felt listening, and looking was twice as important as speaking: therefore, only one mouth was given and not only was there only one but it was given other duties as well. Remember when God created Adam and gave him a mouth there was no one in the garden for him to talk to. Could it be that God gave Adam the mouth for eating, breathing and for singing praises? It certainly couldn't be to curse and criticize his neighbor. I listened as Buddy, my brother, described the Lily of the Valley, and now because I don't recall having ever seen one, I am going to find one, look at it and smell it. Which would be better, walking through life in step with God, consumed in his love, spellbound by His power and the beauty of His creation, or searching out the faults in His creation and shouting with the voice He gave us, "here is a goof and there is a blunder."

God said to Job, "who judges the wicked and the righteous, ONLY I". That being true, Chuck Thomas has no necessity or responsibility to pass judgment on the actions of others. Throughout history people have used judgment, criticism and deception to manipulate and control the opinions of others. We see this type of misrepresentation continually in the O.J. Simpson trial where truth is not presented or the truth is distorted and the distortion is presented as evidence by either the defense or the prosecution in order to change the opinion of the jury. As we watch this case unfold many of us feel that the truth in this case will never be known, but justice will be, for God knows and will rightly judge in the case. The prosecution and the defense in this case both have selfish motives, to win the case not find the truth.

People sometimes do the same thing with the innocent lives of the people around them by adding to or subtracting from the truth in order to win favor from their peers. Geek Spurrier, my stepfather, used to say, "If you don't have something good to say about someone, don't say anything". I think Geek meant more than he said, I thank he felt that you can find something good to say about anyone, and either say the good or do not comment. It is just as easy to praise as to criticize.

The friends of Job said why are you experiencing these things. God must be mad at you, you must be guilty of some horrible sin. But Job knew his only failure was to see beyond his troubles and see God. Job said: JOB 42:6 "Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job realized that all things happen for a reason and that as bad as they may be, the end result is that God is going to cause something good to be the result, and He will be seen as the all loving, all caring, all knowing, all powerful God of the universe. I have said it before and I will say it again, " Wouldn't be nice if we could learn sympathy and empathy without having to graduate from the school of heartache and pain".

 "It is a dogs life". The same as saying it is a great life, for the hound lives to love his master and to be loved by his master. He doesn't worry about a thing because his master will take care of him. Could it be that the big WHY is simply a season, where the seeds of love and understanding that have been planted are perched to break through the sun baked soil of life anxious to produce their fruit and flowers for the comfort and enjoyment of the family.

 ECC 3:1-11 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?" 

None of us know the true and lasting effect of our life and death to the world where we live. It is our portion to give something to those around us that makes this a better world for them because we were here for a season.

 PSALM 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper".

Wouldn't these verses make for a great plan for life and epitaph in death. I like the living letters version; "Oh, the joy of those who do not follow the evil men's advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God: but they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on His law and thinking about ways to follow Him more closely. They are like trees along a river bank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper."

Ones life and epitaph might read:

"A GODLY PERSON WHO DOES NOT HEED THE ADVICE OF EVIL MEN, NOR ASSOCIATE WITH THEM, ALWAYS HONORING AND OBEYING GOD, ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT AND LIVING THE WORD. HAPPY, JOYFUL AND TOTALLY FULFILLED."

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