He has plenty of legendary energy and intelligence of finest sheepdog in world. I usually take a tennis racquet and ball on our walks in woods to try, in my optimistic way, to tire him out. We live in a hilly, and fairly wild part of Highlands, and I only have to say to him, "Patch, that way", or even just point, and he'll be there, waiting for ball, whether it's up brae or across a burn. And yet, for all his intelligence and boldness, he is sensitive and easily frightened. At first hint of a raised or angry voice (it wouldn't be mine, you understand), he goes to pieces and hides... Yes, our boy is difficult at times, but always fascinating, and I don't have to tell you that we love him to bits.

He was a gash and faithful tyke As ever lap a sheugh or dyke; His honest, sonsie, baws'nt face Aye gat him friends in ilka place.

His breast was white, his towsie back Weel clad wi' coat o' glossy black, His gaucie tail wi' upward curl Hung o'er his hurdies wi' a swirl. The Twa Dogs Robert Burns Gash = wise sheugh = ditch sonsie = cute bawsn't = striped like a badger towsie = shaggy gaucie = large hurdies = hips Six months ago my Patch died, and I have to learn to get along without him. I now have a Border Collie pup crossed with Something Else. He has none of nervousness of Patch. He is a friend to all world. And yet...and yet...If he doesn't want to do something... We do not forget, but we move on.

James Collins www.pet-portraits-scotland.com

The truth of matter is, we present our tithes and offerings to Lord, not for a blessing but because we have been blessed already. Any other take on this subject does not carry biblical authority. The tithe belongs to God.

Behind political platform, politician talks about taxes. One wants to raise my taxes.

Another wants to cut my taxes. The lips may say, "No new taxes," but heart of every politician says, "expand old taxes." It all depends on what your definition of "is," is.

It has taken me years but I have finally figured out my income tax.

First, list as dependents your wife, two children, car and three goldfish. Now multiply your age by six and seven-eights and subtract your telephone number. Add those figures, divide by your social security number and multiply by number of electric lights in your house.

Now you have your gross income, which, after dividing by your chest measurement and subtracting your blood pressure you finally get amount owed to government.

Don't tell me I don't listen to those political speeches.

This brings me to my dilemma with Gary Hemsely. He was running for a political office and wanted my support. What I do in that voting booth is between me and nobody else.

I smiled at Gary and said, "Gary, I'll support you as best I can," which I thought would be end of it. Gary took me more seriously than I thought.

"Pastor," he said to me, "would you mind if I gave my campaign speech in church this coming Sunday morning?"

There are those rare times when a preacher must evolve into a politician and this certainly qualified. I saw two problems to this.

First, Sunday morning worship is no place for a political speech. People might confuse their tithing with taxes, which would be taxing on collection plate.

More important, Gary could say less in one hour than most people could say in three minutes, but it usually took him two hours to say it. He won National Stuttering Championship four years in a row, more than anyone to date. There was no way that I could allow this, but I did not want to hurt Gary's feelings.

I finally looked him in eye and said, "I'm sorry Gary but we just can't do that. It is a matter of separation of church and state, and you don't want to be accused of violating that. It wouldn't be good for your political career."

Gary saw rationale of my argument and matter was settled.

Some critics of Jesus once tried to stump Him on matter of taxes. He replied, "And Jesus answering said unto them, ‘Render to Caesar things that are Caesar's, and to God things that are God's.' And they marveled at him." (Mark 12:17 KJV.)

A good citizen, no matter what political party affiliation, knows difference and does both.