When I walk my dog, it is only natural to do some
deep thinking. Sometimes, I pick up on something I’ve seen on Facebook, read in
a book, or saw on TV. I never know where the errand thoughts will find their
inspiration.
I had just seen a pastor (who is also a sceptic)
say on a video, that we can’t take the Bible literally, but we can get great
inspiration from it. He says the stories in the Bible are about a time and
people who no longer exist. This was on my mind as I walked the dog yesterday.
I can still remember the smell of the New
Testament Bible that I read as a child. It had more than a new book smell, it
had a pleasant aroma all its own. I remember my grandma’s Bible with the
colorful gold-leafed pictures in it. It was a wonderful, magical book.
The thing I didn’t know as a child was that the
Bible was written by forty different authors over a span of approximately 1500
years. This alone accounts for some of the variations in the stories of the
same events.
Among my random thoughts, I thought about the
differences in how eye witnesses tell their versions of what they have seen.
Each of us has different viewpoints and biases, and though we each tell our own
truths, they may vary significantly.
These are the things that cross my mind when I
walk my dog. Somedays, my old dog sees the cat, and all thoughts go out of my head
as I try to rein her in.
When Jim and I walked our two big dogs, I sometimes
shared my “walking the dog” deep thoughts with Jim. He and I often thought
alike, but when we had different philosophies, it made for interesting
conversation.
Jim had no fear of death and likened it to closing
one door and opening another. He and I both found solace and comfort in the
great outdoors and in certain churches. We tried several different churches
over the years, and I might find myself at odds with their priorities. When we
visited one church, I told Jim I felt like I’d been at church, but God wasn’t
there.
People are different and each must find the faith
that suits them. Some people grow up in a certain church and never question it.
Other inquiring minds have to search for the correct church that aligns with
their beliefs.
After years of searching, I finally found my
match. I need to be inspired and uplifted. I want to hear a message that I hear
with not only my ears, but also with my heart and soul.
I need the feeling that church complements a walk
in the woods and a sense of awe as to how this earth and all the creatures came
to be. I still see no need for ticks, flies, and other pests, but maybe they
have their place in the ecosystem.
I want to walk my dog with peace in my heart, and
thinking deep thoughts, while I enjoy the early fall weather. I want to relish
the beauty of fall without thinking about the arctic blast of winter when deep
thoughts are replaced with shivers.
Copyright October 2026 by L. S. Fisher
https://earlyonset.blogspot.com
