Welcome back..........

WOW! Has it really been 7 months since I've written. How swiftly time moves when you are in the business of life. My negligence is a sign of how busy that life has been. Busy, stressful, but most of all blessed!  If you had told me 2 years ago, when I was fresh out of an 18 year marriage, broken, lonely, jobless and wondering with almost every breath, what God had in store for me, that today I would be so happy, I would have laughed you out of the room!  (and yes, I know that last sentence broke every grammatical rule there is, but this is MY blog, and I can write how I want). Truly, It is amazing what God can, and will do for you. I am blessed because I have a safe, secure roof over my head, a great job, wonderful friends and family, and God is showing me how to truly love others even when they don't conform to what I always thought they should be. I have met people whom I might not have given a second glance, or become friends with had God not allowed me to open my heart. By doing so, He has shown me friends I would never want to live without. I can't cover everything in this one post, it would take you all night to read it, but I will be posting over the next few weeks, maybe months on how my life has been blessed and enriched, and ways I've grown.

A little glimpse here is how I have been blessed by animals. One particular animal is named Scarlet; Last fall my daughter, Beka was living with me for a short period. She met a young woman, Hilary, who was fostering a pit bull named Scarlet. Scarlet had a rough story; she had been found, shot in the head for eating out of someones garbage, half dead. The good samaritan  that found her, took her to the vet, where her life was saved. Hilary needed a foster home for Scarlet, and my daughter offered our home. When Beka told me, I was like,"You did WHAT??"  Well, I couldn't really say no at this point, since she had already committed us (maybe I needed to BE committed!), so I agreed, and Hilary brought Scarlet over. Other than Beka's dogs Mali and Diamond, and then my dog Luna, my pit bull experience was limited. I don't know what I was expecting, but what I met was a whirlwind of energy, kisses, tail waggin hot mess! If Scarlet were human, she would be one of those people that never shuts up and is always so happy, people can't help but be happy too! 

Her antics won her many fans as I posted on my Facebook page about her antics, and daily life with her. She loved kids and humans of all ages, and would lick the cookie crumbs off a baby's hand faster than a baby wipe!  She did too! Just ask little Darby!  Scarlet stayed with us until a new foster space opened up for her. THREE girls and their attitudes was too much for my busy life, so she went to stay with Hilary, where she has taken over the front seat of the car on errands.   Things that Scarlet taught me:

1. You always have a reason to live-she did!  Even if you can't see it-by choosing not to live, literally or figuratively-you are depriving someone else of the blessing of your love and friendship.  She still wags her tails and talks crazy when I go see her.  That's a love that can't be beat.

2. Get over it-she did!  Being shot in the head? I mean, really! At least she was found by someone and saved. Most dogs in her situation die, alone and helpless. The human lesson there? Get over it! There is always someone worse off than you. So when you're feeling sorry for yourself cause your love life is in the dumps, or you've got a back ache or car trouble; Thank GOD that you have a life to live, a back to hurt and a car. Look around you and find someone to go bless-whether it be an animal-by walking them at the shelter or building them a fence (more on that in another post!), or a human-by taking them a meal, calling them to check on them, or just letting them know you care.  Opportunities to bless are all around us, we just have to see them. I miss them a lot, and it makes me angry because that means I was putting my focus too much on me, and not others.

3. Wag your tail!  Well, for us humans, this would more likely mean SMILE!!  ( Although I have been known to wag my tail, as have some girlfriends of mine that shall remain nameless...........for now) Smiling is contagious! When I went to Haiti, there was quite a language barrier (except when I would remember the random helpful French word), but a smile is a smile in any country.

So take a lesson from Scarlet-and enrich your life by digging in your paws, hanging on for the ride and spreading joy. 

Stay tuned for more random musings on things I've learned and blessings I've been fortunate enough to experience!

Love to you all~
Rhonda

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