It has been raining all day.  A soft, slow pitter patter that soaks into the ground instead of running off.  It is very unusual to have a rain like this in Oklahoma, so close to August.  Usually everything is burnt up by now.  We have set record cool days as well.  I am certainly not complaining.

Squig is afraid of rain. And noise, and strangers, and, and, and…. I had to carry him out into the yard and set him down two or three times today.   I couldn't get him to go outside by himself.  He was shaking all over in fear before I could get him back into the house.  Of course we both got soaked.  Why is he afraid of rain?  I don't get it.  Bo, on the other hand, isn't afraid of anything.  Bring it on.  I didn't know dogs had personalities until we got Squig.  I thought a dog was just a dog--like Bo.

But Becky's three dogs, Maya, Annie, and Max; and Pat's two dogs, Cowboy and Riley are also as different as night and day.  Becky is babysitting a border collie named Sadie and she is unique as well.

When I was growing up, I thought all families were alike.  When I went to school, I thought all the people in my class had Christian parents, big loving extended families that ate together every week, and went to church three times a week and nobody ever said a curse word.  How little I knew about them.  My life was perfect.  Many of theirs weren't.  I must have had my head in the sand.

At my high school reunion this month, we all sat around a talked about how little we really knew about each other's lives.   Some of them went through great difficulties.  Had I known, I could have been a better friend.

You can live with people, go to work and to church or ballgames or whatever,  and never know they are hurting unless you take time for them and listen.  Listening is hard work.  I wish I had been more observant.  All I can do is try to be more observant now.  In Genesis 4:9 we hear the first question that a man asks of God.  "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Of course you are.