Devotion: Lessons From A Stray Kitten

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"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) Stray cats always appear on our doorstep. Most of the time, they are adult cats that disappear after we feed them. Recently, however, Norman discovered a tiny kitten at the edge of our driveway. He was utterly helpless. He limped and trembled as he followed Norman around the yard. My daughter and I watched while Norman and our son, Josh, fed the kitten and made a shelter. We cared for the kitten for three days. When no one came to claim him, we called the rescue shelter. During those three days, Josh became really attached to the little kitten and named him Knoxville. Because our daughter has … [Read more...]

Devotion: Missing The Comfort Of My Cat

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"The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 31:8) Throughout the first 26 years of my life, I think we always had a cat and I guess in some ways I used to take that for granted. Sure there were short periods of time when we didn't, when something had happened to the previous cat--and I recall getting into trouble when a friend and I bought home a new kitten unexpectedly. We got home before my parents came home and my mother was about to reprimand us, when she saw the beautiful face of the tabby kitten. We survived, because she fell in love with her, despite wanting to tell us we never should have bought it without asking … [Read more...]

He Wants to Fish

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"Mom, I want to go fishing. It's free!" I pick up my son from day camp. It's 4 PM. It's 95 degrees. Today they fished at the lake during camp. He has his pole his Grandpa got him 2 years ago. He's used it twice. Now he wants to fish more. I could barely walk down the paved trail to sign him out of camp. My feet are swollen, sore. I am faint from the heat. I hope to make it back to the car. I joke about that, but sometimes I wonder. He stops. He sticks his chest out. His lip curls up. "You aren't seriously going to have a tantrum over this, are you?" I ask. . . calmly of course. I am not one for unplanned battles. Walking down a boat landing and onto the dock is non-negotiable. I have no need to feel guilty. Grandpa … [Read more...]

Devotion: A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine

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"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:21-23) You have heard the saying, "Laughter is the best medicine." If it isn't the best, it is right up there at the top of the list. I'm not particularly known for my sense of humor. Too often I am serious and at times even morose. Yet I soon realized after my operation that I had better find a sense of humor or otherwise go insane. Going through a colostomy is an awful business. The procedures, tests, exams, pain and suffering beforehand, and the recovery and adjustment afterward require a certain mindset. You cannot afford to be overly serious. If you haven't got a sense of humor, you had better develop one, because you will need humor as … [Read more...]

Devotion: Hug Something!

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“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27) During a time recently where everything in my life looked pretty bleak – I was reminded of something someone did for me many years ago. This lady had been treating me regularly for some time and one day when I arrived in the waiting room for my appointment, there was a huge teddy bear sitting in one of the chairs. She was aware that at that time, I was not only in severe physical pain; I was also distraught from a bad reaction to some medication and feeling let down by some poor care from a medical professional. I was really in a bad way – both physically and emotionally. She came out to the waiting room to meet me and pointed … [Read more...]

Eat Out for a Fraction of the Cost

Wanting to have a nice dinner for a special occasion but just can't justify the expense? Lisa has used a great service called Restaurant.com . You go in & browse the restaurants listed in your area & then you buy a "gift certificate" online that you present at the restaurant. Only the certificate isn't full price! You can buy a $25 gift certificate for just $10. Be sure to read if any restrictions apply (some expire a certain number of days after your print out your coupon, etc.) They also send constant discounts on the certificates. They send out coupons frequently so you can get $25 Gift Certificates for only $5. It sounds too good to be true, but Lisa (RM Founder) has used it at about 5 different restaurants. Related articles … [Read more...]

Ever Feel Like You are Herding Cats?

When this commercial played during a "Best Super Bowl Commercials" TV show Lisa laughed out loud & replayed it a few times for her family. Now you too can enjoy this moment thanks to YouTube. Whether you have cats, dogs, children, or gr&children, we're sure you've had moments where it felt like you were herding cats! See below or click here to play. httpv://www.youtube.com/v/Pk7yqlTMvp8&hl=en … [Read more...]

Feeling Anxious? Quick Solution

Feel anxious about something like a holiday family get together coming up? Here is a quick tip that I've found works. Escape to the bathroom for a few minutes & run warm water over your wrists for about 30 seconds. The warmth & mild pressure washing over your pulse points will help your heart slow down to the normal rate. Now you can go back out there with a smile on your face & your heart beating at a normal pulse again. … [Read more...]

Why Your Dog Needs a New Bed This Christmas

Do your feet trip over Fido instead of hitting the floor? If so, you aren’t alone. According to researchers at the CDC, 87,000 falls that required emergency care last year happened because cats & dogs were under people’s feet So treat your pet to his or her own bed, away from busy traffic areas in your home. If you find him sneaking up on you, you may want to consider adding a bell to his collar. We know he won’t be thrilled with it, but it’s better than you being bedridden for a week or longer. Related articles Top 12 Bizarre Pet Accidents (abcnews.go.com) Health Benefits of Pets | CDC Healthy Pets Healthy People Cats: A Calming Influence on People with High Blood Pressure … [Read more...]