caine

People. This made me bawl. Happy tears. Watch the whole thing. It's so delightful :)

I know I'm late to the game (what a shocker) and many of you have probably already seen this...

but it's so worth watching... Many thanks to my friend Cindy for sharing it with me!

~

I guess it's just good to know that there are still a lot of really good people out there.

Jasmine

True Story  (I just *love* stories like this!) (what a great story for November - the month of THANKS!) (okay, I'll stop messin' around so you can read it) * In 2003, police in Warwickshire, England, opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog. The dog had been locked in the shed and abandoned. It was dirty and malnourished, and had quite clearly been abused. Jasmine In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a female greyhound, to the Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, which is run by a man named Geoff Grewcock, and known as a haven for animals abandoned, orphaned, or otherwise in need. Geoff and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims: to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved. They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home. Jasmine, however, had other ideas. No one quite remembers how it came about, but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It would not matter if it were a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, any other lost or hurting animal. Jasmine would just peer into the box or cage and, when and where possible, deliver a welcoming lick. Geoff relates one of the early incidents. "We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line. One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross. They were tiny when they arrived at the centre, and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee. Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them." "But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits. She takes all the stress out of them, and it helps them to not only feel close to her, but to settle into their new surroundings. She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs, and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose." Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary's resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born. The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, fifteen chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and fifteen rabbits - and one roe deer fawn. Tiny Bramble, eleven weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster-mum role. Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection, and makes sure nothing is matted. "They are inseparable," says Geoff. "Bramble walks between her legs, and they keep kissing each other. They walk together round the sanctuary. It's a real treat to see them." (my fave pic!) Jasmine will continue to care for Bramble until she is old enough to be returned to woodland life. When that happens, Jasmine will not be lonely. She will be too busy showering love and affection on the next orphan or victim of abuse. Pictured from the left are: "Toby", a stray Lakeland dog; "Bramble", orphaned roe deer; "Buster", a stray Jack Russell; a dumped rabbit; "Sky", an injured barn owl; and "Jasmine", the abused and abandoned greyhound, with a mother's heart doing best what a caring mother would do...and such is the order of God's Creation. Oh, how humankind could learn a few things from sweet, loving, accepting Jasmine :) Many thanks once again to my dear friend Wendy, from whom I often receive inspiring stories of hope and love! xoxo    (And for all you doubting tossers, Snopes has verified the truth of this wonderful story and the reality of these photographs which accompany the story. So HAH!)

things are not always as they seem

 I love spring and I love Easter. The world coming back to life again after seeming cold and dead for so many months, reminds me every year of God's infinite wisdom and blessings. What appears dead on the outside or in the flesh, still has a living spirit.  

 Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ chose to carry out God's plan and suffer the Atonement so that we may all live again. I will be forever grateful for his sacrifice and love. I am thankful and humbled that my body may die, but my spirit will live on, and someday my body and my spirit will be reunited. Christ made this possible. Do I truly believe this? Yes. Especially in the spring when reminders of this beautiful miracle are everywhere.

 Things are not always as they seem. Life is eternal, and hope is always, always just under the surface. What would our lives be without hope? I can't imagine living a life without hope. In every bit of life - or death - in every bud and bloom and petal..... there is hope.

~ Happy Easter Everyone! ~

mysterious ways

❤ An injured and ill former soldier finds new life and hope through his dog ❤

Time for another human interest story - this one was so heartwarming to me.

You all know how much I love dogs and am always fighting for animal rights...

This is a true, inspirational story of how God works in mysterious ways,

always watching over us and reaching out to us through the love of others.
Sometimes they just happen to have four legs and fur :)

*video made possible through CNN, article posted by Jessica Ravitz

Man is Saved by God, and by Dog Who Says Grace

The video was meant to simply make some Facebook friends, and his mother in particular, smile.

Steven Boyd, 39, had taught his dog Djaingo how to "say grace," and one late September morning, camera in hand, he coaxed the sleepy pup out to the living room and into prayer.

Front paws on Boyd's thigh, head bowed, man and dog offered up these words:

“Thank you for allowing us to be the man and puppy you've allowed us to be. Father, thank you for our friends and family, their prayers and support and energy that they give us… Father, I do ask a special prayer that you help me to not chase the neighbor's cat and to listen to my master whenever he asks me to do anything.”

What began as a post on Boyd's Facebook page was passed on and shared. It's popped up all over YouTube, appeared on numerous other sites, and it even got play on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

But the story behind Djaingo the praying dog is deeper than it is cute.

Boyd found his way to the dog just when they needed each other most.

The man was sick - had been for more than a year and a half - when he strolled into an animal shelter looking for a temporary escape. It was September 10, 2003, the day before the second anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the memories of that day weighed heavily on him.

For 12 years, Boyd says, he served in the U.S. Army. He says he was, among other things, a sniper, a paratrooper and, subsequently, a counter narcotics operator. He'd been fearless professionally and personally. He'd jumped out of planes, rappelled down cliffs and mountain biked his way across dangerous terrains.

Now, though, he was losing everything. The hospitalizations kept happening. His career was shot. The relationship with the woman he thought he'd marry had ended. The medical questions loomed large. He was dying.

At the pound that day, he simply offered to walk some dogs. He had no plan to adopt an animal. But then, three hours into his visit, his eyes and the dog's locked. He knew, in that instant, they were meant to be together.

The only problem was the dog was already scheduled to die. It was set to be euthanized the following morning. It was too aggressive and could not be trained, the shelter workers insisted. Boyd didn't care.

He begged. He pleaded. And $75 later, the best investment he says he ever made, the duo went home.

The former military man, who lives in Austin, Texas, put that pup through its own boot camp. The dog began to trust his owner, show affection and within six months he'd been transformed. He was happy, loving, sweet.

"He saved my life as much as I saved his," Boyd says.

Along the way, the Australian Cattle Dog was given a proper name - rather than his given name, "Chip." His owner thought back to the time when he'd done some training with the 3rd Royal Australian Airborne. The men had taught him the term "djaingo" – to "go djaingo," Boyd explains, means to go out, get drunk and rowdy, pick up women and have bar fights. And so that tough little dog was named.

Since he first was hospitalized on February 19, 2002, Boyd has struggled. Because of multiple traumatic brain injuries - sustained through military exercises, a car wreck, a rappelling accident and a grenade detonation - he says he suffers from gastroparesis, a paralysis of the gastrointestinal tract. It makes eating and drinking a form of "Russian roulette," he says. It can cause food to sit in his stomach and rot. He has starved himself, unintentionally. For days on end, he can vomit 10 to 15 times an hour. He's broken ribs in the process.

As a result of this illness and repeated, extensive dehydration, he says his weight - 175 when healthy - has dropped to as low as 98 pounds.

By his side, in sickness and in health, has been Djaingo. Boyd's parents live three hours away, and his mother, Cheryl, says she takes solace knowing the dog is there.

He sticks by her son and keeps watch. When Boyd is too sick to take the dog out, he can leave the apartment door open. The dog will run outside on his own "to do his business," she says, and then guard the open door. If her son is in need of medical attention, the dog will alert neighbors.

Having Djaingo has been source of comfort to Boyd. But there was one time when the animal just wasn't enough.

After several days of vomiting four years ago, he thought he'd end it all. He'd had a friend who years ago had committed suicide by drinking Clorox, and from the bathtub's floor, where he was curled up, Boyd eyed the nearby bleach bottle. With the cap off, he prepared to drink.

"I heard it as distinctive as I hear your voice right now," Boyd, his own voice shaking, says by phone to CNN. "I heard, 'Don’t do this.' It was my father God, and I broke down. I get teary-eyed now talking about it."

He'd grown up in a Christian home, "a proverbial 'Leave It to Beaver' family," he says. His dad had been the deacon of their church. His mother is a Sunday school and Bible study teacher. And though Boyd always considered himself Christian, up until that moment he realized he'd been living the Christian life, as an adult, on his own terms.

The debilitating illness that can leave him homebound much of the time, the loss of everything, had in fact saved him, he says.

"It changed everything. I truly feel as if it was God using a 2-by-4, smacking me in the head and telling me to wake up," says Boyd, who described himself as "callous" after his years in the military. "It's softened my heart in so many ways. It's made me realize the things you take for granted in life are sometimes the most important things in life."

He got involved in church. He attends Bible studies when he's able. And as last year's Christmas gift to his mother, who describes herself as a "prayer warrior," he taught Djaingo how to say grace.

"He's a disabled veteran on a very limited income," his mom says. So in lieu of buying each other gifts, she told her son last year that instead they'd "do something, write something or make something" for one another.

What her son and Djaingo did for her touched her heart, she says. And, with the release of the recent video, she's not alone in receiving this gift.

The response has overwhelmed Boyd. He's received more than 5,000 messages from around the globe - including Australia, Russia, Thailand. The friend requests on Facebook have poured in by the hundreds. Djaingo, now with his own Facebook page, is racking up new friends, too.

Boyd has gotten marriage proposals. A grandmother who is going through chemotherapy and lives alone says she watches the video every morning to help her face a new day. A mother whose son has lost faith is hoping that by teaching the dog to pray, her son will feel the connection again, too. Pastors are using the video in sermons.

And all of this, including what it's done for her son, Boyd's mother says, is proof of "God's hand" at work.

"Steven told us he was so lonely. So much of the time, he's apartment-bound. Now he's getting emails from all over the world," she says. "It's given Steven such a boost to his morale. God can take the tiniest thing and use it for good."

Every evening, Boyd and Djaingo say grace together. It's not that the man believes the roly-poly dog, who's actually been mistaken for a pig before, is actually praying. He knows his faithful pet is just doing what he's told so he can get his dinner.

"But it's an affirmation of my faith to have my dog be able to participate," Boyd says. "Who would have thought God would use my fat dog to spread His glory?"

Now if THAT doesn't make your day, I don't know what will :)


P.S. Don't forget to comment so I can add your name to my blog b-day give-away!!!

heartache

We had a rough weekend. There's really no other way to say it. Watching some dear friends go through tragedy and loss as the result of a terrible car accident. No one's fault, just a fluke at the end of an amazing day. And then feeling helpless, our hearts breaking for our friends. And yet... and yet... witnessing a miracle as a sweet, special girl visiting from all the way across the pond, who should not have survived that accident... did. And as seriously injured as she is... continues to improve. Someone is watching over these good people. Someone is sending their blessings of comfort and peace. Our love and prayers are constantly with you, our dear friends - you know who you are  ❤  

I know when you see this posted here, you may think it strange after what I have just explained. But I received this from my friend Wendy over the weekend and it was the first thing that made me smile and warmed my heart. It's silly and funny, yes, but most of all it's heartwarming and sweet. And besides, the orangutan reminds me of Davy :)   

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

hope floats

"To everything there is a season

and a time to every purpose

under the heaven"

I like the new year and all the opportunities it seems to hold. I think it's healthy to say goodbye to the old year, and welcome in the fresh new year with all it's possibilities. Endless prospects, so much hope, the sky's the limit. It's the thought of "new year's resolutions" I struggle with. 

Every year, starting in December, I brace myself for the onslaught of articles, reports, interviews, church talks and blog topics from people and friends who see the new year as a time for self-improvement. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for self-improvement. And these people are sincere. But I think that so many times over the years, I have not had the strength, or motivation, or whatever it took, for my personal resolutions to come to fruition. So the thought of making more every year, only to experience more failure, is very stressful. It takes some of the hope right out of that brand new year ahead. 

But a pessimist, I am not. I have just had to learn that everyone has their own way of doing things. I will admit, it has been somewhat overwhelming for me to visit blogs and read the long lists of amazing goals my friends and acquaintances are up for at the starting gate of this year. Oh, to have such energy! But I am excited to see them reach their goals, and I will be their biggest cheerleader! As for me, I had to do some very deep thinking. And I had to be very honest with myself. I needed to assess where my family members were in the paths of their lives. And I needed to say some sincere prayers to figure everything out. Like, on my knees. And go from there.

I think everyone can relate to needing motivation. There needs to be some sort of motivation involved in order to accomplish something. For example, I have my favorite passages and verses of scripture, like most people. But as far as reading and studying the scriptures daily, that has always been hard for me. Yet I feel it's very important. When I had been able to do it in spurts, my day always went better - but even so, it was still hard for me to be consistent. After years of trial and error, I decided I needed to make a rule for myself. I was an adult, after all, and no one was going to make the rule for me. I knew what worked, I knew what didn't, and if I was honest enough with myself, I could make this work.

For a few years now, every morning after I get the kids off to school, there are a lot of things I need to do around the house. For example: pick up the house, start laundry, unload the dishwasher, etc. There are other things I need to do to get my day rolling - for example: get ready, eat breakfast, look over my "to do" list, etc. And still more things waiting that I am anxious to delve into - for example: work on a craft project, create a blog post, shop for a birthday gift. Well here is my rule: NONE of this can start - NONE of it - until I have read my scriptures and said my prayers. Quick translation: if I want to read my favorite blogs, I have to read my scriptures.  

I guess you could call it a resolution. Perhaps you could call it a goal. For me, it had to be a rule. And there's some sort of motivation involved. There's a by-product involved as well, which is now that my scriptures are being read every day, my day goes much, much better. And more than just learning the scriptures... I feel like I am being blessed for doing something worthwhile. The by-product my friends, is the biggest gift of all.

So back to my hopes for this year. And I do have hopes for this new year of course. They are based on what is most important right now, and much motivation lies behind each one. 

• pray for inspiration and guidance as a mother, on behalf of my children. All 3 boys are in different important stages of their lives right now - each one a unique and critical stage.
• take my health more seriously - age and bad habits have done a lot of damage
• continue creative learning - particularly photography - in order to expand my Etsy store and blog
• let some sad and angry feelings GO
• start recording music again - something I wanted to do last year but never did 

ok - now I can go check Facebook

Spring

When I was a child, Joan Walsh Anglund books were near and dear to me. I think I had nearly all of them. So simple, so sweet. So reassuring. I still keep them tucked away, as they are every bit as precious to me now as they were then. Perhaps even more so. The one above is entitled Spring Is A New Beginning. A lovely little book.

We have had several days of rain here in southern California, which has actually been very nice. But today when I woke up to a cold yet sun-drenched morning, it seemed like heaven had hit the earth. When I arrived home from driving the junior high carpool, I noticed the sun was hitting the little pots of soil where my bulbs are just now beginning to stretch forth their leaves toward the light. It stirred something in me, so I had to take a few pictures. I hope it will stir something in you too. 
Maybe just a little bit of hope.