I Choose You

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”  Psalm 139:13-16

Sophie Sue

~The little runt squawked like a loud bird every time I picked her up!  I had my heart set on choosing the runt of the litter, but I began to have my doubts.  When our dog, Carlie, had her four miniature schnauzer puppies, I was getting ready to move into my own apartment which meant that I was going to get to raise one of the puppies on my own.  Well, as you can imagine, it was very difficult choosing one.  Carlie gave birth to three females and one male whose names were based on their size:  Big Guy, Big Girl, Medium Girl, and Little Girl.  Yes, I know, we were so creative.

From left to right:  Big Girl (Sophie), Medium Girl, Big Guy and Little Girl

I already had the name, Sophie, picked out so at least that narrowed it down to choosing from the three females.  I thought I knew that I was going to pick Little Girl because she was the runt, but the squawking sounds she made were incredibly obnoxious, so I decided to spend more time with Medium Girl and Big Girl.  They were both sweet, so now, I wasn’t sure.  Until one day when I picked up Big Girl.  I was holding her up to my face, and I was talking to her.  “Hi, sweet Big Girl!  Are you going to be my puppy?”  



Then, playfully, I spit my tongue out at her and she spit her tongue out right back at me!  I was amazed.  I did it again.  And she did it again.  It was then that I knew that she was the one.  She was my Sophie. 

The day Sophie spit her tongue out at me!

 I had no idea that this little puppy that I was holding was going to be my best friend.  I had no idea how much love I was going to have for her, and I had no idea how much I was going to learn from her.  I had no idea how grateful I would be for choosing that “Big Girl”!   

Years later, I read in a book that animals actually choose us; we don’t choose them like we think we do.  They choose us!  And that little puppy looking into my eyes; listening to me talk to her; watching me spit my tongue out at her; knew what she had to do because she wanted me to be hers!  Isn’t that an interesting way to look at that?

Here’s another interesting thought…God chooses us too!  We are all here on purpose… to do God’s purpose!  He chose the right sperm and the right egg when each one of us was conceived to make us exactly the way He wanted us to be.  He chose every little detail about us and, more importantly, He loves everything about us.  We are His creation and even though we beat ourselves up when we look in the mirror because we may not like something about ourselves, God made us that way and He loves us exactly the way we are!   Really, God?  Even the wrinkles? The stretch marks? The gray hair?  The pointy nose? Oh, sorry, just a little moment between me and God.  And do you know what He said?  “Yes!  I love you exactly the way you are!”  The bible tells us in 1 Samuel 16:7 “…the Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

This week, I pray that you can accept yourself as you are and love yourself just as our Father made you---a beautiful, wonderful being!  In fact, right now, spit your tongue out at yourself in the mirror and say, “God, I know you chose me, so help me to choose myself exactly the way I am.  You made me.  You love me.  No matter what I think of myself at this very moment.  Help me to see what you see, Lord.  Help me to love myself exactly the way I am!  And help me to focus every day on what is in my heart and who you've made me to be.  And help me to live every day for Your purpose for my life.   In Jesus’ name!  Amen!"

Dedicated to "Little Girl", the runt, the squawking bird, Lucky, who I didn't end up choosing but my parents did.  Even though she was the runt who had seizures, never quit squawking like a bird when someone she didn't like picked her up (which was everyone but a select few), was paranoid and jumped in fear of everything, we loved her anyway.  In fact, Lucky ended up living longer than every puppy in that litter---surprisingly outliving Sophie by 5 years.  I was with Lucky at the very moment she was born and at the very moment she died.  Good bye, little Lucky!  We will miss you!

Sophie and Lucky--See?  You can just see the paranoid look on Lucky's face.



Sophie, Carlie (the momma) and Lucky