Sandpaper People

When I was in college, I went to Antioch Community Church in Waco, Tx.  At the time, Robert Herber was the college pastor.  I remember very clearly Robert talking about sandpaper people.  In case you aren't familiar with sandpaper people, they are those who are rough around the edges (at least in your eyes) and refine you.  How do they refine you?  Most often by being different and annoying you. 

Here's the deal:  we ALL have sandpaper people in our lives.  Somewhere, someone in your life refines you because they cause you to be more patient or somehow become more like Jesus.

Today, I was thinking about a current sandpaper person in my life.  I was thinking about how the person drives me insane; I mean really crazy.  Sometimes I think about how different life would be without this person.  My imagination tells me I'd be calmer and happier.

But let's be honest.

This person would be replaced by another sandpaper person.  So... unless I want to live on a deserted island (which, honestly, sometimes sounds AMAZING), I'm stuck with at least one sandpaper person in my life. 

Then.. It hit me.

What if I am someone's sandpaper person?

Wait, what?  I, Leah Gatlin, could be that person that another person feels their life could be better without?  I am that person who is refining someone because I drive them bananas?  Whoa.  More than COULD is a PROBABLY.  There is PROBABLY someone out there who I annoy.  Thankfully, said person is super gracious and kind.. because I don't know who he or she is. 

So, in case the person for whom I am sandpaper is reading this, thank you for choosing grace, love, and patience with me.  Thank you for not losing your mind and telling me exactly what you think of me and how much easier life would be without me.

Now I'm going to go try to have a little more grace, love, and patience for my sandpaper person.  I'm going to ask God to show me how HE sees this person.  There is something unique this person has to teach me; there is something of Him that I can only get through this person.

That changes everything.  Sandpaper person, I love you and am thankful for you. 

Adventures in Dog-Sitting: Preamble

In order to truly appreciate this post, you have to understand my history with dogs.

Birth- early high school:  Terrified of dogs.  Ter.rif.ied.  Somewhere in high school, I got over this morbid fear and downgraded to great disdain.

Junior year of high school:  Family I was a nanny for got a dog.  Dog later attacked my best friend.  Dog and I got along fine.

Fall, 2007: Consider getting a dog as I had just moved into an apartment by myself.  In God's infinite kindness, my friend gets a dog.  All desire to have a dog is now gone.

January, 2008:  Dog-sit two dogs via just checking in on them.  One, a spiteful peeer.  The other, a pup.  Within 3 days I had cleaned up a wet mess and had the pup poop on the carpet and drag his rear through it.  Called friends in Florida.  They assured me they would take care of it.  At the same time, friendships were dissolving, my then-boyfriend was in the hospital, and I later found out I had a stomach virus.

Spring, 2008:  Go over and check on a dog.  It had gotten out of the gate in that apartment.  For weeks you could still smell the evidence.  The dog also howled for hours when I was gone.  Vow to never again dog-sit.

June, 2012: Go over one night and feed/play with 3 dogs.  Couldn't get the alarm to set. Had to call the alarm company.  Forgot to lock the house (in Moore) until I got back to Norman.

July, 2012:  Co-worker says, "Sure seems like you dog-sit a lot."  Me:  "Um.. really.. no."  Talks about me staying at her house to watch her 2 dogs and a cat.  At the end of the month, it falls through.

August, 2012:  Former professor asks me to dog/house sit.  Luckily, I like his dogs.  Plus, it sounded like it could be fun.  Enter:  adventure of 2012.