I love this story not only for young Kieran, but for a young friend of mine with the same condition on her right ear. My little friend can actually hear through her little “flap” better than she can her other ear, but it is great to know that this cosmetic surgery is available to these children if they desire it. It is seen as cosmetic, but really, it is emotional. I am proud of this little man’s courage.
Category Archives: Find the Good Friday
Find the Good Friday: Baby Meets Mom For The First Time
There are so many words for this. Sweet, adorable, heart felt, loving…get ready to get your cute on.
I want one.
Find the Good Friday: Never Leave A Man Behind
This story of Marine Lance Cpl. Myles Kerr going above and beyond to never leave a man behind touches me so. You know that this little boy’s life was changed as Cpl. Kerr fell back to run with him. Cpl. Kerr may have ended up with the slowest time in his age group, but he won the race to me!
Another absolutely amazing story comes out of Peru. This story has the potential to change the lives of so many many people that it brought tears to my eyes. In Peru their annual rainfall is .5, however humidity is 98%, so engineers at UTEC designed a billboard, that’s right, a billboard that collects the humidity and dispenses water. It is amazing. You must watch it here.. I know this was an inspired invention.
Find the Good Friday: A Match Made In Heaven
I love a good romance or friendship story. My heart has a special connection with those the world sees as disabled or handicapped. I love dogs, and stories of rescues. My Enos was on his way to the pound, a high kill pound when we rescued him.
So you can imagine the feeling in my heart as I read the story of Eve and Dillon this morning in the Huffington Post.
So sweet.
Find the Good Friday: Fire Fighter’s Promise and Love To His Family
Men in uniform have always had a place in my heart, no, not since Top Gun, they were not wearing uniforms in the volleyball scene. It is the sacrifice and service that they and there family give. Men in uniform, and women I suppose to men, I do not know, have that appeal like no other. Today’s Finding the Good story though heart wrenching, reminded me again of the sacrifices and the appeal of those in uniform.
Quoting from the Deseret News about Andrew Ashcroft, killed with 18 of his fellow fire figthers last month near Yarnell, Arizona.
“About six months ago Andrew was in charge of our family home evening,” she said, referring to a common practice among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to gather weekly as a family to strengthen faith and family bonds through scripture study, games, treats and prayer. “His lesson was aimed at our children (ages 6 and younger) about how we all need to be good so we can be together as a family forever. As part of the lesson he got us all these white rubber wristbands. He said they would remind us to be good, so we called them our ‘Be Good bracelets.’
“The kids and I wore ours for a few days, but then we took them off and only wore them once in a while,” she continued. “But Andrew promised me that he would wear his until it fell off his wrist — because it was so worn out — or until the day he died. To him, it was a symbol of his commitment to me and to our family and that it was forever. So he wore it all the time, and he told me he looked at it a lot. It reminded him of us, and it made him want to be a better man.”
Juliann said she had no expectation that Andrew’s “Be Good bracelet” would survive the fire. “It was just a cheap thing,” she said, “and it was made of rubber — not exactly fire resistant.”
But when she saw it among Andrew’s effects — one of only a handful of items to make it through the blaze intact — she said she was overwhelmed by what she called a “tender mercy.”
“It was a miracle that it survived the heat and flames,” she said. “I just see it as a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. Andrew made me a promise, and he kept it. And God wanted us to know that he kept it.”
“He was a good man,” Juliann said simply, powerfully. “A lot of us claim to be the things that we are only aspiring to be. We go through the motions, but it’s not really inside us. Andrew was just good. He wasn’t perfect — no one is. But he didn’t pretend to be good; he was good.”
Find the Good Friday: Man’s Best Friend and Heroic Teens
Today I have two stories that I want to share:
Love of A Best Friend
I am a dog lover. I admit to being nervous around pit bulls and chow chows, but if the owner has raised them correctly, then I will love on them if the owner stays beside me. I just love dogs. They bring me comfort. When I went to my new psychiatrist this week an office mascot lab-mix roamed freely. She is beautiful, and helped calm me. Though my blood pressure was still high, I was not nearly as nervous.
A dog’s unconditional love can help turn a dark night into day. Many tears gently licked away by my furbabies, laughing until my sides hurt at the silly things they have done, and their enduring patience with a mom with mental health problem makes our bond so strong. They bring so much joy into my life. My family has always had at least one dog.
Years ago we had our “last one”. His name was Chance, as in last chance. Dogs bring joy, but they also bring sorrow when they pass over the rainbow bridge, or someone comes into your yard and steals them. My parents did not want to torture us with another lost pet, so Chance would be the last. Not many years after he came into our family, someone yet again, took another of our Pekingese.
Our home seemed empty without a pet. We had hamsters, canaries, guinea pigs, a cat, and fish. We loved them, but not at all like the dogs. There is something special about dogs. It was not too long before we jumped back on the dog band wagon.
Now that all four children are grown, my parents have two Chihuahuas. My oldest Sister has two Chihuahuas. My next sister a Chihuahua. My Brother a Labrador. A month after I was married we adopted our first Lab-mix, about a year and a half later we rescued our next Lab-mix, two years later we purchased our female Labrador, and a few months after that we purchased our male Labrador. How many is that? Ten dogs, I should say we love dogs!
A couple of years ago I read the tender story about John and Schoep, his dog. John would take Schoep swimming to help Schoep’s arthritis. During the swim, John would let his dear friend rest on his chest in the water. The comfort of being in the arms of his best friend and the gentle rocking of the waves would calm the old fella into a restful slumber. It touched me deeply. The connection and trust between these two friends. John’s tender devotion to Schoep, makes my heart and eyes tear up. The image below by Hannah Stonehouse Hudson / Stonehouse Photography went viral.
Last night on John’s Facebook page he announced that Schoep had crossed the rainbow bridge. Schoep was 20.
Today has a very nice story about this sweet companionship.
My heart goes out to John.
Heroes on 2 Wheels
I am so proud of 15-year-old Temar Boggs and his friend Chris Garcia, who followed Temar’s gutt feeling. A feeling that I know must have been Holy Ghost.
Temar and his friend been hanging out and helping an elderly lady move a couch when they heard that a 5-year-old girl was missing. He and his friends immediately joined the search. Temar following his gut feeling on what direction to go and that “he was going to find her.”
He did indeed find her, as after following the car on his bike for 15 minutes, the abductor let the little girl go.
The following link has an interview with Temar and more details. I am so grateful for his deligence and bringing little Jocelyn home.
Related articles
Find the Good Friday: Become As A Little Child
This article was found in the Huffington Post.
The Utah Food Bank received the most memorable donation in their history… but it’s not what you think. It wasn’t a lot of money, but it was from someone very special, making the donation incredibly touching.
Three little kids, Aidan, Sofia and Zach, decided to give their hard-earned money to people in need. They sent in a check for $36.50 to the food bank along with a touching note. This is what it said:
“Dear Utah food bank,
I wanted to contribute the money I made from my lemonade stand to help feed the hungry.”
The Utah Food Bank was so impressed with the children’s genorosity, they posted the letter and story on Facebook, where it received lots of shares and like.
Yesterday I received and email from Happify.com that stated, “In a study by scientists at the University of British Columbia, participants were given envelopes of either $5 or $20, and instructed to spend the money on themselves or on someone else. The result? Participants who blew the bills on others were happier than those who’d spent the cash treating themselves—regardless of the amount.”
It warmed my heart that sweet Aidan, Sofia, and Zach served those in need. It touches me beyond words they worked for the money and then selflessly and charitably gave it away. I love that the letter is written by Aidan, what joy they must feel. That will be a feeling that stays with them and encourage them to continue to selflessly serve for the rest of their lives.
What tender examples they are!
Blogging With A Schedule, and A Daily Twist?
I have read on several blogs that daily schedules and themes create interest and depth to your blog. It also promotes the blogger AKA me, to deeper and wider range of thinking. WIN WIN!
As I have thought about this idea, I decided to embrace it. Of course since this is my therapy blog, as things come up that I feel I need to blog about, even if they do not fit into the daily theme, I will blog. I will also continue to participate in challenges and “Daily Prompts” because I like how they stretch my mind.
The theme schedule I created for myself is:
Mayberry Monday:
Flashback with me on Mondays to the days when TV was fun, clean, and truly family time. I might includeYoutube videos, theme songs, and who knows what. I hope to jog some of your happy memories as I sit in my parents living room watching TV, occassionally arguing with my siblings about who had to get up and turn the channel.
Tell All Tuesday:
In my 39 years of life I have done some crazy things. Tuesdays will be dedicated to those funny and sometimes not so funny situations that I have gotten myself into and gratefully survived.
Wishful Wednesday:
Hopes and dreams make dark days bearable. When you are in the depths of severe depression you do not dream for a better day, because it does not seem to be part of your reality. Wednesdays, I am going to “force” myself into a daydream and take you along on the adventure.
Take A Look Thursday:
Photography is my new hobby. It brings me moments of joy. Thursdays, I will give you a glimpse into my world as I learn photography.
Find the Good Friday:
Finding joy in inspirational and uplifting stories that I have seen in the world around me. Friday will be a day dedicated to sharing those hidden people interest stories that touch my heart, and hopefully touch yours too.
Silly Saturday:
I want to laugh. I want you to laugh. Saturdays are for laughter. It might be one of those off the wall inventions that I see, or a joke I heard, or picture I saw, but we are going to laugh together.
Songs of the Heart Sunday:
Sunday being the Sabbath is a day I will share a song or other message building my testimony and strenthened my faith in Jesus Christ.
I am excited about the themes. I hope that as I begin this new phase in my blogging adventure I will stretch myself more as a writer and heal myself as a person.
I want to encourage comments and discussion on all of my posts as I engage with my blog family and new friends waiting to be met.
Reclaiming My Narnia 