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Gifts

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You know, it’s amazing how your perspective changes – sometimes by the year and sometimes by the minute. I was a pretty happy camper yesterday because Jackie ate well and seemed to be doing fine even when I came home from work. But then after dinner she started having intestinal problems again – to the degree she’d had them a few weeks ago. In ONE minute, my entire mood and perspective changed.

But this time it was different than it was that first time. I mentioned Steve Sisgold in another post and he has to come up in this one too. When he was helping me through all this with Jackie he asked what had I gotten out of this and what gifts had I received. I was taken aback.  I thought ” how the heck could you possibly think of gifts at a time like this?”. But, since I know Steve is a very, very smart man, I didn’t say it. I let him go on when he realized I wasn’t sure what was going on.

  He told me that this would be a pretty rotten experience if I didn’t look at it and be thankful for the gifts that I had gotten – not only from life but from Jackie as well.  I did that. And this time, I just “felt” them instead of making a list of those gifts. Many of them you can’t list.

So, last night instead of decompensating like I did before, I thanked God for all the blessings I’ve received from Jackie in her 12 years (I’ve had her 10) and for all the blessings I’ve received not only from her but from my friends – friends like Heather Bestel who has a new product release (Magical Meditations 4 Kids) that I’m sure you’ll want to take a look at and I’m going to be writing about soon. She is so busy with her launch of this long awaited wonderful product BUT she took the time to reach out to me and support me through this entire event. Then there’s Steve Sisgold as I mentioned. There’s Susie, Joyce and so many other friends and colleagues at work that I’m overwhelmed by the love and caring they’ve all shown. They know that Jackie is really all I have left.

Take some time to look at all the gifts in your life – do it daily. When things seem to be going wrong even if it’s just a disagreement or perhaps a not-so-good encounter on the phone, stop for a few seconds and either go over in your mind or even just jot down FIVE gifts you’ve received – it doesn’t matter when you received them, just remember them and be thankful for them. Yes, this is like gratitude and there’s nothing wrong with it being like gratitude. But it’s more than that too.

Don’t wait to have to be hit over the head with a sledgehammer. Do it NOW.

Til we talk again later – please keep us in your thoughts and prayers

Terrie

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Love

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Where’s my food? As I’m still working with my doggie, Jackie, trying to nurse her back to health, I’ve realized that there are many things I’m doing differently in the last two weeks that just “isn’t me” – and it’s all because of Love.

So take some time today and ask yourself what you do, or even what you would do, for love? What would you do that takes you beyond where you are this minute.

Here’s some examples from my life:

I’m cooking for Jackie twice a day (granted it’s just boiled lamb or hamburger but it requires extra time and effort). Anyone who knows me knows that that’s just amazing because I am NOT a cook.

I’m not staying late at work to “catch up” nor am I going to work early to “get ahead”. I’m spending as much time with her as possible.

I’m taking her for at least one walk a day and sometimes two. As soon as we get up at 4 a.m. we’re out the door. She has a doggy door so I don’t NEED to do that but it’s something she enjoys.

I’m essentially living at the grocery store (not really). I would go to the grocery store once a week or once every two weeks before – probably because I don’t cook..ha ha…but now I’m going almost every day to get something different (whe I was trying to find what she’d eat) or to stock up on what works. This takes alot of time too.

I’m having to say “no” to things that I know would be bad for her – her biscuits for example. That’s hard.

I’m taking time off work to take her to the Vet. I don’t even care if it’s in the middle of the day.

You see, my priorities have changed even though she should have been my first priority all along. And as such, my activities have changed.

What do you do for love? Answer that question and examine what love is all about. I’m finding out more and more each day. I hope this helps you find out too.

Terrie