I watched as a boy was riding his bicycle near my home. My neighbor had put up a wooden hill so the kids could learn to ride their bikes up the hill and jump off to the other side.This boy started off fast, but when he got near the hill he slammed on his brakes. He tried this several times but never made a successful jump!

My thoughts went many years later to another 12-year-old boy. He lived with his mother, Mary, and his earthly father, Joseph. He also had brothers and sisters and they played together with the other kids in their neighborhood. One day the family and many other families living in their town went to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem, The boy, whose name was Jesus, did not want to play with the other kids but wanted to be alone. He watched as people brought their animals to be slaughtered and burned at the altar for their sins. He also went into where the scribes and teachers were and talked with them.

The scribes and teachers were very surprised that Jesus answered every question put to him and they talked for quite awhile. Meantime, his parents were worried about him and it was time to go home. They found him there with all the scribes and teachers and when they asked him he said, “Don’t you know I must be here in my Father’s house?” He did go home with his family and the Bible tells us he was helpful and obedient to his parents.

Isn’t it strange that story is the only one telling about his childhood? I believe he knew that day at the temple, what he would have to do. Before that, he was just a little boy playing games with the neighborhood kids. Now, he would wait until his Father told him to enter his ministry. And, that he would die for all the people’s sins, in place of all the animals he had watched slaughtered at the temple. That story was the only one needed to be included in the Bible. Anyhow, I am glad that story was written, aren’t you?

I am having loads of trouble with my dog lately. My dog, Sonny, has arthritis in his back legs and he can’t walk very well. He is nearly deaf and can’t see very well either. He has trouble finding his way back from where he started out. that indicates to me that he has a form of Alzheimer’s disease. But I love him.

He used to sleep on my bed with me and I didn’t mind that a bit. Now he still wants to somehow get up on my bed to sleep but he can’t make it. I, at age 91,I can’t pick him up either. He isn’t a big dog but he does weigh 32 pounds! I guess that’s on me feeding him too much, but I think it’s because he can’t move around like he did. I bought a cage and am trying to train him to use it, at least at night, but he would rather cry and whine on the floor beside my bed. And he has to go outside at least twice every night.

You can easily see that I don’t get enough sleep! But I love him. Love is on our minds in February because of Valentine’s Day. If you watch even a little television you will find you not only love candy and flowers, which is something you give to someone you love, but you should consider everything from cars to ladies underwear.

Let me tell you what the Bible says in 1 John chapter4(NIV)” Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” We must love our neighbor, our Church family, our real family members and God. Of course, we love that special one as well. In another verse, Jesus said we are to love our enemies and pray for them. In today’s world, there are so many enemies, so many really bad people, it’s hard to do that.

I still love my dog and I wonder how I can get a little more sleep. Do you have any ideas?