Patch - a Scottish Collie

Written by James Collins


Scottish Pet Portraits Patch

A Scottish Collie It seems as if I've always had dogs around; in my work as a pet portrait artist, under my feet or occupying my favourite chair at home. And also in memories stretching way back intorepparttar mists of time, by which, forrepparttar 118136 curious andrepparttar 118137 literal, I meanrepparttar 118138 sixties. The first dog I can remember as a toddler was called Bonzo (yes, well, I told you it was a long time ago and I think it was probably quite a fashionable name atrepparttar 118139 time). He was a mutt, no doubt about it; brown, white and orange, and I used to sleep onrepparttar 118140 stairs with him. Then came Jock, named after my father, who didn't live with us atrepparttar 118141 time. He had a rough coat, and I suppose was part terrier (no, not my dad, please concentrate). Later, when I had my own dogs, there was Snooky, who was a collie with a terrier head, then Gub-Gub withrepparttar 118142 beautiful tail, named after Dr. Doolittle's pig because I likedrepparttar 118143 name. She was actually a Welsh Collie, fast and slim, and nothing like a pig. Then there was a Labrador cross, also called Snooky. My wife was for calling her Lib-Lab but I vetoed that. Keep politics out ofrepparttar 118144 kennel, I say. And finally there came Snooky's favourite daughter Bugle (loudest inrepparttar 118145 litter) and little scruffy Pebbles, who was really my wife's dog. The last two are still with us. So you can see that I know about dogs, or so I thought before we acquired Patch.

Patch is a Border Collie. He is not aggressive; in fact he is very lovable and quite gentle with our other two dogs, as long as they know who'srepparttar 118146 boss and as long as they do as they're telt, and fast, like. Ken? (Well, he is a Scot!). I have to admit that Patch is a puzzle. If he doesn't want to do a thing, he won't. It's as simple as that. He can't be tricked, flattered or scolded into doing something, because he's not that easily impressed. But there are ways to manage him. If you want him to follow you; walk away. You know, likerepparttar 118147 Horse Whisperer. It's not because he doesn't relate; he really loves us and he is obedient in his own way. He will sit, go down, give either paw and 'talk'. He just doesn't seerepparttar 118148 point of doing something he doesn't want to, all right?

Pastors and politicians; It's my party, I'll cry if I want to

Written by Rev. James L. Snyder


Gary Hemsely was running for some county political position — I've forgotten which one now. What I do remember is that he was a member of my church atrepparttar time.

Sometimes a pastor can get betweenrepparttar 118135 Rock of Ages and a politician without trying too hard. That seemed to be my predicament with Gary. In all things political, I have maintained one basic philosophy: Ask not what your country can do for you, just get out and vote.

I must admit, there are times when it is tempting to throw caution torepparttar 118136 wind, roll up my pant legs and wade intorepparttar 118137 political arena. After all, Christians wererepparttar 118138 first ones inrepparttar 118139 arena inrepparttar 118140 "good ole days." The problem, as I remember fromrepparttar 118141 history books, none of those early Christians ever came out of that arena.

If you think about it, there are some similarities between a preacher and a politician. Perhaps this is why some preachers dabble in politics.

The most obvious similarity would be inrepparttar 118142 area of communications. Both make their living by giving speeches of some type. The preacher gives his weekly sermon whilerepparttar 118143 politician gives his political oration.

The only difference between a sermon and a political speech is wind velocity. A good politician can change his views on an issue in mid-sentence. Not many preachers have mastered that slight-of-tongue technique.

A good sermon has three points, somewhat related to each other, and progresses toward a conclusion. A good political speech is pointless and related to a raging Nor'easter.

Another important similarity betweenrepparttar 118144 preacher and politician is in giving promises.

The man of cloth deals primarily withrepparttar 118145 promises inrepparttar 118146 Good Book. Someone has maderepparttar 118147 claim thatrepparttar 118148 Bible contains more than 30,000 promises. I cannot verify that number.

I have never stopped to count them. I do know that there are promises for every aspect of life and these promises are available to us throughrepparttar 118149 gracious work ofrepparttar 118150 Lord Jesus Christ. The most important thing aboutrepparttar 118151 promises inrepparttar 118152 Bible is that they are not contingent onrepparttar 118153 preacher's ability.

The man ofrepparttar 118154 campaign stump also makes promises. Unfortunately, nobody has ever tried to count these, as most count for nothing. These political promises range from anything to everything.

No politician would ever think of expressing his view on an issue without first checkingrepparttar 118155 latest poll onrepparttar 118156 subject. The politician's goal is to tellrepparttar 118157 people what he thinks they want to hear.

Someone once observed that if allrepparttar 118158 people who sit through political speeches were lined up three feet apart, they could at least stretch and sleep more comfortably.

The successful politician is an expert in foul play. I can sum up most political promises nicely: A chicken in every pot and a potshot at every Turkey.

A third similarity betweenrepparttar 118159 preacher andrepparttar 118160 politician concerns money. Both have a lot to say aboutrepparttar 118161 subject.

Behindrepparttar 118162 pulpit,repparttar 118163 preacher talks about tithing. Unfortunately, tithing is one of those spiritual disciplines carelessly bantered about and abused.

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