SWB: Puppies and prayer shawls

Image a following quote from 'Baby animals' blog.

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Sugar (pictured above) is a white boxer puppy. She is deaf and to complicate matters she was left at the door of animal control facility with a broken leg. Fortunately, a vet was in the parking lot in a mobile van used to spay and neuter and took Sugar into his care. If she had crossed the door at animal control, her fate would have been to be put to sleep immediately because of her injury. Sugar made her way to Atlanta Pet Rescue where her injuries were treated, as you can see her cast. Sugar has healed completely and has been adopted since this image was taken.

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This morning as I was leaving a local elementary school, I was greeted by a gangly white with a few black spots boxer puppy. He was very friendly and proceeded to follow me as I walked through the parking lot. He looked very thin, in need and had some abrasions around his feet, ears and mouth. I looked at this shivering puppy at my feet and decided that the least I could do was get him out of the cold and contact the Humane Society. I took a prayer shawl I had in the trunk of my car and wrapped him up in it as he leaned into my arms and chest. Just as I was about to place him all bundled into the passenger seat of my car; I heard someone shout,"PUPPY!".

I stopped short, and shouted back - "Did you loose your dog?" A woman and her child came walking towards me. They had a piece of rope for a leash and said, "Yes, it's our dog." I told the woman I was about the call the Humane Society, because the dog was in rough shape and looked like he needed some care. Se said, " Well, I just got him last night and his litter mates had beat him up."

It seemed to be a weird explanation and I definitely do not think it was the whole story, but what was I going to do? So, I reluctantly unbundled the puppy and handed him back to his owner. He looked at me with his big eyes as if to say, "What on earth do you think you are doing!"

But, as I got into my car, he did go willingly with the woman and her little girl. He didn't look back after she placed the rope collar around his neck. However, I could not stop looking in my rear-view mirror wondering what his life would be like and thinking that I should have left my prayer shawl with him. It was such a cold morning.

People can be a lot like the thin puppy I saw at the school. Sometimes the needs that people have are not as obvious as that dogs were; but in our souls we can be hungry, our litter-mates can do some damage, and our packs can be dodgy.

I wonder if God ever feels about his children as I did driving away this morning: "How far do they have to walk before they can get inside somewhere warm?", " Is someone going to make sure he's ok?", "Is he happy there?", and " "I wish I was more involved his life."

As my story shows, the heart of a person can become attached to a dog very quickly. How much more, then, does G-d love each one of us? I often think G-d gives us contact with children and animals to help remind us of how precious all his creations are.

How have you experienced the chill of life?
How have you been wrapped in warmth, prayer and found by God?

May you always have a prayer shawl ready and may you never hesitate to give it away...

What has been G-d's bread for you today?

Sunny and rainy day friends

There are two kinds of friends in the world: Sunny day friends and rainy day friends. This is a statement that my Mom used to remind me of when I was in the midst of drama or conflict with one school friend of another. There are lots of people that we define as friends, but they are really acquaintances. Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know you can't outrun a grizzly bear?" "I don't have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!" This story is funny, but it does help define the distinct difference between a rainy day friend and a sunny day friend. The sunny-day-friend is more concerned with watching out for their own health and wellness, than their friends' wellbeing. On the other hand, a rainy day friend is willing to take risks, work fo

FCE - Dog stroke in spine

Kahlúa is our 15 year old dog that we adopted from the Humane Society when she was four. She joined our family and has been with us for eleven years so far. This morning we found her laying on the carpet in the dining room and was unable to get up and go outside. After letting her rest for a few hours, I gave her some bread to eat and she got up. She was wobbly so I scooped her up and took her outside to go to the bathroom. She managed to remain standing for a few minutes, but was back down quickly. Her back legs did not want to support her even though she was trying to walk. By this point, she had begin to cry so I called the vet and they said to bring her in for an evaluation. My kids and I tearfully wrapped her up in a blanket and drove to the vet. It seemed as if we were sitting in the waiting room forever. The vet told me that her heart, eye function, and lungs were great - also taking into consideration her age of 15! The problem seemed to be FCE - firocartilanginous embolism: w

Gifts we have to give

So often people will think of the areas of life that they fall short or what may need some improvement. I think there is some wisdom in knowing where we need some work as humans, but I also feel it is equally important to learn, foster and use the gifts each one of us are instilled with. So here is the challenge or question that I'd like to present: "What gift(s) has God given to you that can be used in the care and ministry of loving others?" How have you seen that gift used in the past? How would you like to use it? If you dream big and I dream big together - how could God work in that big pool of gifts in the lives of others??? Let's share our gifts today and dream of what they can accomplish for God's purpose! 1 Peter 4:8-10 (New International Version) 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,

Uphill idealist

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