A friend and I challenged each other to read through the book of Proverbs from April 1st to May 1st.  Simple enough.  We would check in with each other and note what jumped out for us in the chapter each day.  When we got busy, we’d read and catch up posting as we could.  Things were going well and I was enjoying the notes back and forth.  Since she’s out of state, it was like spending time over Tea and sharing new insights together.  It was great and I truly looked forward to each day.

Then, April 26th happened.

The memory of an event from tenth grade became so overwhelming that I could hardly contain myself.  I could hardly read to the end of the chapter before I would break out laughing so hard.  I’d have to start all over again, calm down and try again.  I’d get to verse 11 and it would start all over again, me–hysterically laughing.  I sent my friend my note for that day telling her I could hardly get through today’s chapter.  Not that it was hard to digest the scriptures – but it was hard to remove an old picture in my mind.  Yeah, I have one of those kinds of memories—forever etched!

Here’s the verse:  “Like a dog that returns to its vomit, Is a fool who repeats his folly.”  Isn’t that hilarious??!!!  I can hardly contain myself even now.  What?  You don’t think that verse is funny?  Ohhhh, then you probably need to know why I titled this Blog Post today – “Scripture Repeats Itself With A Dog!!”

Come along for the walk down memory lane….

Long ago, in a faraway land—ok, across town—there were two young tenth grade girls walking to their high school early one fall morning.  It was a pretty day, warm and sunny.  I happen to be one of those girls.  As customary for us, we were talking a mile a minute about a bazillion things.  Come on, it had been almost 12 hours since we’d last talked on the phone before bedtime just the night before.  Lots to say, you know.   So, as I was talking, I noticed across the street to my left,  the dog in this one front fenced in yard that was always outside barking at us wasn’t barking this morning.  Not missing a beat in my story (have you ever talked to me–I’m the one with ADD!) I pointed out that — Ewwww, that dog was puking and eating it back up over and over, and continued on with my story.

When I got about 2 houses down the street – I glanced to my right to get my friend’s take on my story and I realized she wasn’t there.  Where in the world is she?  I stopped and turned around and there she was back two houses on her hands and knees in someone’s front yard.  I hurried back to her and said, “Are you ok – what are you doing on your hands and knees?”  Then it hit me—she had the dry heaves!  She was moved by the dog–literally!  I busted out laughing and said, “Are you trying to copy the dog?”  Now before you go all crazy on me and think I’m heartless, if you read back to a previous post I made about a certain bike accident – this was THE friend that thought I had died, used her foot to check – then told me to shut up when she saw that I was laughing, not crying!

As I’m trying to get her to get up so we won’t be late to school, she breaks out in the heaves again.  Needless to say getting past these last 12 houses until the school door took us forever as my friend pretty much visited the grass up front and personal at about every other yard!  This cracks me up to this day.
But – the story continues.

Throughout the day, when I’d pass her at our lockers or in the hall, all I’d say is  “DOG!” and she’d start up again with the dry heaves.  I even had other people passing her and saying “What about a dog?” and yes it would start up.  For many years, all I’d have to say is…”Remember that dog on 13th street that one morning?” And one hand would go over her mouth and the other hand would hold her stomach.  My Mom, who has lost some of memory from her stroke two years ago, will from time to time think of my friend and ask if I’d seen or heard from her lately.  Then she’ll say – “Does she still almost puke when you talk about that dog?” and she’ll giggle.   Funny memory for others as well!

So many funny memories with this friend over the past 46 years!  Some more funny than others and some (maybe this one) more funny to one of us than the other.  But, memories nonetheless.

Now you understand why I said “Scripture Repeats Itself With A Dog” and why I just couldn’t get past that verse 11 in Proverbs 26!

…..and that’s all I have to say about that!

Tammy