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A special thank you to Erin Burnside of Elkins High
School and all the riders that came to the benefit trail ride for SWAP. As her
Senior project Erin raised over $400. for SWAP. Kudos Erin. If we had 100 kids
do this as their senior project or even just as a fund raiser, they could pay to
feed all our horses for a year!! Please consider us kids when you are doing your
volunteer projects for school or if you want to do a fund raiser this summer.
One kid with the desire to help can make a huge difference, just like Erin did.
Bravo for a job well done!!
Congratulations
to our Executor for her selection and award for the International Who's Who of
Professional and Business Women for 2006/2007. Kudos!!
Yehaa, Kudos again to our Executor for her selection to
receive the National Leadership Award by the Republican Party.
Click here to put
a horse into our adoption program
Click here to
see what we have learned over the years and with thousands of horses.
If you can't adopt, think about a gift to one or
all of our horses: supplies, tack, dewormers, a donation, fly spray, or a new
halter. Click here to be a sponsor to
one of our horses
Great Goals for 2008:
1. Spend
an hour a day with your horses, not just feeding, training and turning out, but
real quality time doing something that is enjoyable for the both of you.
Grooming or hand walking is a great way to bond with your horse and good for
both you and the horse.
2. Get
your loved ones more involved in your horses. Divorce is the biggest reason we
see horses coming back to us. Don't just share the work, share the fun too and find
something they really enjoy doing with horses.
3. Learn
a new discipline, go to a clinic, a horse show, or equine affaire. Come to one
of our clinics or watch a training video. If you are an adopter you can check
out books and video's from SWAP's Library for just shipping costs. Take a lesson at least once a month or Bring your adoption horse
here and we will help you. The better you are, the more fun you will have.
4. Make a
plan for your horse after you are gone or if you have a major injury, let your
will executor know your plans. Make a plan for emergencies or financial bumps
along the way for your horse. Have a plan if you or your horse gets injured,
even for the tough times of year like winter (or summer down south). Ask friends, family and neighbors
to be part of your plan. Most people can not resist someone when they are asking
for help for the welfare of an innocent animal.
5. Get yourself healthy and in better shape to
prevent injury, to live a long life and to more enjoy your horses. Eat 1-1-1
(one ounce of dark chocolate, one ounce of fresh walnuts, one glass of red wine
daily) and 2-2-2 (2 servings of fresh vegis, 2 of fresh fruit and get 2 sources
of fat free calcium). Drink 100 ounces of spring water a day, get a whole
house water filter. Change over to Sea-salt. Take one teaspoon of apple cider
vinegar every morning to keep your body alkaline (cancer and disease can not
grow in an alkaline body). Eat more fish and chicken and less red meat. Get a
good air cleaner and do daily deep breathing exercises, get outside in the fresh
air and sunshine for at least 1/2 hour every day. Get away from high fat food,
processed foods, fast food, can or boxed food, sugar or artificial sweeteners,
soda and don't eat anything if you can't read all the ingredients and know
exactly what is in it. Clean all vegis and fruits thoroughly, buy organic, buy
ocean caught fish, not farm raised, buy fresh meat and raw milk, not packed or
processed. Eat only natural carbs (potatoes, rice, oats) bake/broil or steam
everything. Use your microwave for only heating water, it kills the nutrition
value in food. Get 8 hours of sleep, reduce stress/risk (reduce commuting by car
pooling, tight schedules, cell phone use in the car, watch or read the news only
once a day or better yet once a week, stay clear of
negative people
and those very negative chat rooms and bulletin boards). Stop Complaining and be
Thankful for what we each have. Do one hour of walking, yoga or weight
training every day and it will make you strong, lean, look great and you'll get
wonderful complements from friends, coworkers and loved ones and the horse work
will be easier and more enjoyable.
6. Read
at least one book on training your horse and one on care each year, if for nothing
else but just inspiration. SWAP has a great
library of books/videos that adopters can check out for just the cost of mailing
it. Click here to
see our Library
7. Get
carrots/apples every time you go to the store, your horses will love you for it and
always come running when you call. Don't feed candy or anything sweeter. Carrots
are sweet enough. Get rid of the sweet feeds and you'll get rid of the hot horse
once and for all.
8.
Realize that if you are having a problem with your horse, more likely than not,
the problem is you. Learn more, practice more, ask in a different way, be
patient, change their environment or daily schedule to better suit them. Taking
better care of a horse always brings out the best in that horse. Good
feed/hay, time to rest in a quiet stall out of the elements, lots of fresh water, time to be with you and time to
just be a horse, time with their buddies, farrier and vet care always done is a
good start. The biggest part of this relationship puzzle is you, not the horse.
If you are struggling, then you need to learn more and get better.
9. Ride
at least once a week, regardless of weather. Use this time as your down time for
healing, your therapy, your time to relieve stress and the pressures of daily
life. Even if you don't ride, go sit and read a book in the pasture with the
horses or sit in the barn and listen to them munch on dinner, away from the
crowd and noise of your day. Enjoy the peace and quiet, enjoy hearing happy
horses eating dinner or grass in the pasture.
10. Spend
time leisurely grooming your horse once a week. Rubber curries are shine makers.
You will have a beautiful horse and a very loyal friend who will do anything for
you.
11. Come and spend a week at SWAP HQ,
volunteering and focusing on helping a horse and giving will change your life
plus it will be the best vacation you ever had. Help
an animal in need, whether fostering, being one of our state reps that goes out
to check on our horses in their homes or helps us approve adopters in their
area. Find horses in need and help us find them homes. Buy a horse at a slaughter
auction, get it fat and trained and we'll help you place it into a good home. Foster and
volunteer for your local small animal adoption program. I promise, the good
things you do will come back to you a hundred times over. Every person has a
talent they can offer and if you help one horse or one dog or cat find a good
home, you have changed their life forever.
12.
Know that every goal is obtainable and it starts with a single step.
Take that first step today!! No matter what it is or how big, YOU CAN DO IT!!
Every goal that is written down will come true (really!). Every famous person,
every great or notable scientist, author, trainer/rider, parent or friend
started out as just a thought, just a goal. Remember to take one step today to
reach your goals.
13. Start
every day with thinking about, what is the most important thing I can do
today to change my life and make it better. Do that one thing and in 30 days
your life will be totally different. Can you imagine what your life would be
like if you did that for 60, 90 or even 365 days a year. The opportunities are
endless.
14. Want to keep your horse sound for life? (That should be every horse owners
number one goal) do a
long slow warm up (cold muscle is easy to injure, a warm one is nearly
impossible to injure). The very best cool down is hand walking your horse for 1 hour after every work out.
Yes, get off the horse and walk with it. Its great exercise for you and a good
time for you to bond. Stop riding your horse during cool downs and stop using a
hot walker, do something good for you and the horse, hand walking. Its also the
best rehab for over work and injuries, the only thing better is hydro therapy
and swimming your horse. Allow soft tissue and hard tissue to
become more conditioned before going into any training program... that usually
means 3 months of at least 3 days a week for soft tissues and 10 months of work for bones to become strong
enough to jump or do any strenuous training program. Don't start any upper level
work, jumping or extensive training until the horse is fit and at least between
age 4 and 6 and has been conditioned for at least 10 months (especially if the
horse has never been jumped/worked or not been jumped or worked in the last
year).
15. Appreciate what you have and be thankful.
Instead of looking at what you don't have, look at what you do. Thank those
people who have helped you and supported you. The more you give, the more that
will come back to you. When you give something away or give something to
someone/something in need, you make space in your life for something good to
come to you. We are all very blessed, if we just take a moment to look
around and enjoy those things.
16. Get used to using favorite mantra's and visualizations
every day, simple ones that are easy to remember, like 'I can do this, I will do
this', 'this isn't going to get the best of me' or even, 'I deserve the best' or
'the gift of love, caring, and support always comes back' and take two minutes
every morning as you wake and at night as you go to sleep to visualize the life
you want, the you you want to be, Our thoughts become things, what you see
is what you get, if you expect the best, the best will happen, change your
self-talk from negative to positive and I promise your life will change for the
better..
17. Each person is put on this earth for a reason, each of
us has a mission. What is yours? Seek and you shall find, finding is a journey
... in the journey and the search you'll find your life purpose. If you died in
your sleep tonight is there something you haven't done that you need to do or
want to do? Someone you need to mend fences with, burnt bridges to fix? People
you need to tell them how much you love them? Have you fulfilled your purpose in
your life? Ask yourself, Why am I here? How can I make this better? Who do
I want to be? Who am I suppose to be? What reason was I put on this earth? What
is my purpose?
18. Be an inspiration to your family, co workers and
friends. We all fall on our face, we all make mistakes, we all get discouraged,
most times we all get up and try again.... sometimes we need a nudge. Instead of
being negative or doing negative things, be their inspiration. You do believe
they can do it, so why not tell them. If their self talk is negative, then you
be their positive self talk.... eventually they will start to say it and believe
it too. Life is self fulfilling, failure feeds on itself or causes more failure,
achieving does as well. So if you or your love ones are in a negative cycle,
break the cycle by changing your thoughts, your self talk, achieve something
small to get yourself and your family back into the cycle of achievement.
19. We all file a flight plan every single day for our
life. Where is your flight going today? Just like a pilot flying, the winds, the
gravitational pull will change your flight plan and take you off course, so you
must make small corrections along the way to make sure you make your
destination. Have you selected your destination? Have you picked the steps in
your flight plan to get there? Every goal is really that easy, pick the goal and
figure out how to get there. The easiest way to pick your flight path/plan is
find someone who has done it before you, then do what they did. Its all baby
steps you know. Just keep an eye on that destination and keep saying...."here is
my destination, this is where I'm going, this is where I am now, this is how I'm
going to get there.... I will arrive at this time on this day. You can do
it..... its just like getting in your car to go to the store, its just deciding
where you want to go and how to get there, then take that first step. You can do
it!! No matter how big or how outlandish you may think your dream to be...
it is obtainable.
20. Laugh every day and try (as hard as it is sometimes)
to find the positive and the humor in each situation (and have at least one bite
of a truly decadent desert once a week). Life is just too short to not enjoy it
thoroughly.
21. We learn the most and do our best work when we have
fallen on our face, when we are struggling, when we are worried, scared or
frustrated, when we anguishing over something or troubled by it. It is then that
you have true motivation, when you think clearer. The most brilliant ideas come
to people when they feel lost, frustrated, or at the bottom, helpless or
hopeless. Cherish these times because its when you can come up with your best
ideas to your biggest problems and challenges. You see, there is a reason for
the rainy days.
22. You can't make everyone happy, its useless to try and
wasted energy to think you can. 50% of all people will not agree with you at any
given time, don't worry about it and don't let it stop you. 50% becomes a lot of
people when you are in the public eye. As long as you are not hurting anyone and
you believe you are doing the right thing, then go ahead and do it. If you are
wondering what is the right thing to do, its usually the harder thing to do, the
toughest path to take. The easy way out is rarely the right thing to do.
Instead of worrying over what someone thinks of you or says about you, do
something amazing and outstanding to inspire them or at least have them sitting
on the side lines being jealous, secretly saying, "wow, she has guts". One
person with purpose becomes the majority, one way or another.
This should
probably be taped to your bathroom mirror where one could read it every day.
1. There
are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least
15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only
reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you
4. A smile
from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every
night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean
the world to someone.
7. You are
special and unique.
8. Someone
that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you
make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10 When you
think the world has turned its back on you take another look.
11 Always
remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
Good
friends are like stars.......
You don't
always see them, But you know they are always there.
"Whenever
God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another,
I would
rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole
truck load when I'm gone.
Always in hope and admiration, Celeita
| | 
 MERRY
SWAP CHRISTMAS 2007
"May the dreams and wishes of the
season, live with you all through the year"
(click here to see our Christmas appeal to make a holiday
donation)
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It's the night before Christmas, we're out in the barn
Blanketing horses to keep them all warm
They're eating their dinners, tucked in
cozy stalls
Not aware that it's Christmas or any
special day at all
They can dream of spring pastures from
their pine-scented beds
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No visions of sugarplums dance in their heads
But we people are thinking of merry
parties and such
Maybe feeling a little sad at missing so
much
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This season is special but the horses
don't know
We've got work to do before we can go
We finish the chores and head on inside
To get ready for dinner and our own
yuletide
It's nearly midnight, the carols are
sung
I remember a story I was told when I was
young
How at midnight on Christmas Eve
The creatures of the barnyard can speak
to us with ease
I am called to the barn, I wade through
the rain
I know I must go, I can't really explain
I slide open the door, pause for a while
Then slowly walk down that dimly lit
aisle
A nicker from Debonair, a wink from PC
Sleepy old Maiden waking to see
Big Dawg rustling his bedding, a snort
soft and light
Each horse gave a greeting as I walked
through the night
I thought about parties bright lit and
warm
The ones we don't go to 'cause we have
the barn
And vacations and holidays that we don't
get
When we're working long hours for bills
to be met
Walking all the way to the end of the
aisle
I stop to stroke Dancer, it brings me a
smile
She snuffles my face, hot breath on my
skin
It starts me to thinking about my
horses, my kin
I could be at parties with laughter and
mirth
But where I am right now is the best
place on Earth.
Merry Christmas
everyone and Thank you for your
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continued
support and friendship!
From Everyone at
Crossed Sabers Stable and
The Second
Wind Adoption Program
Home at SWAP
 the
barn at SWAP
arena and barns at SWAP
arena and barns at SWAP
(click here to see our Christmas appeal to make a holiday
donation)
The Big Wheel
In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75
cents in my pocket.
Their father was gone. The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their
sister was two.
Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared. Whenever they
heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide
under their beds.
He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries. Now that he had decided to
leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either. If there was a
welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew
nothing about it. I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put
on my best homemade dress, loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove
off to find a job.
The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town.
No luck. The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I
tried to convince whomever would listen that I was willing to learn or do
anything. I had to have a job.
Still no luck. The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town, was an
old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop. It was
called the Big Wheel. An old lady named Granny owned the place and she
peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids. She needed
someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning. She
paid 65 cents an hour and I could start that night. I raced ho me and called
the teenager down the street that baby-sat for people. I bargained with her to
come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night. She could arrive with her
pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep. This seemed like a good
arrangement to her, so we made a deal.
That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked
God for finding Mommy a job. And so I start! ed at th
e Big Wheel. When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and
sent her home with one dollar of my tip money--fully half of what I averaged
every night. As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager
wage. The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and
began to leak.
I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before
I could go home. One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go
home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires! There was no note, no
nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires. Had angels taken up residence
in Indiana? I wondered. I made a deal with the local service station. In
exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office. I
remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do
the tires.
I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.
Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the
kids. I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old
toys. Then hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to
deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches
on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to
repair.
On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel.
These were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe.
A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were
dropping nickels in the pinball machine. The regulars all just sat around and
talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before
the sun came up.
When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning I
hurried to the car. I was hoping the kids wouldn't wake up before I managed to
get home and get the presents from the basement and place t! hem unde
r the tree. (We had cut down a small cedar tree by the side of the road down
by the dump.) It was still dark and I couldn't see much, but there appeared
to be some dark shadows in the car-or was that just a trick of the night?
Something certainly looked different, but it was hard to tell what. When I
reached the car I peered warily into one of the side windows. Then my jaw
dropped in amazement. My old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with
boxes of all shapes and sizes. I quickly opened the driver's side door,
crumbled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat. Reaching
back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was whole case of little
blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to
go with the jeans. Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes. There was
candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham
for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There was pudding and Jell-O
and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was a whole bag of laundry supplies
and cleaning items. And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little
doll.
As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most
amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude. And I will
never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.
Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung
out at the Big Wheel truck stop....
THE POWER OF PRAYER. I believe that God only gives three answers to prayer:
1.
"Yes!"
2.
"Not yet."
3.
"I have something better in mind."
TWAS THE NIGHT
BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE
WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF
THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY
CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
TO ALL THE SOLDIERS, SAILORS, MARINES AND AND AIRMEN AND WOMEN,
HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS, BE SAFE, COME HOME SOON. WE ALL LOVE YOU!!
http://web.icq.com/shockwave/0,,4845,00.swf "CLICK ON SANTA AND EACH OF THE
DEER".
Happy
New Year!!
Horses New Year Resolutions
- I CAN
walk and poop at the same time. I can, I can, I can.
I will NOT stop and poop or urinate every time I pass the same spot in the
arena.
I will NOT leave when my rider falls off.
My stall is NOT my litter box. When I have free access to my paddock, I will
NOT go back inside to pee.
I will NOT roll in streams or try to roll when my human is on my back.
I will NOT leap over large nonexistent obstacles when the whim strikes.
I will NOT walk faster on the way home than I did on the way out.
I promise NOT to swish my tail while my human is cleaning my back feet.
I promise also NOT to choose that particular time to answer nature's call.
I will NOT bite my farrier's butt just because it is there.
I will NOT confuse my human's blond hair for really soft hay.
I will NOT wipe green slime down the back of my human's white shirt.
I will NOT blow my nose on my human.
I will NOT try to mooch goodies off every human within a 1 mile radius.
I will NOT lay totally flat out in my stall with my eyes glazed over and my
legs straight out and
- pretend I can't hear my human frantically screaming
"Are you asleep?"
I will NOT chase the newbies into the electric fence to see if it is on.
I will promise NEVER to dump the wheelbarrow of manure over while a human is
mucking my stall.
I will NOT grab my lead rope in my mouth and attempt to lead myself.
I will NOT have an attitude problem. I won't, I won't, I won't!
I will NOT pull my new shoes off the very next day just to prove that I can.
I am neither a beaver nor a carpenter. I promise I won't eat or remodel the
barn or the new fences.
I WILL forgive my human for the very bad haircut, even though I look like a
freak.
I accept that not every carrot is for me.
I will NOT do the Arab Teleport Trick when a bad/naughty/awful Horsasaurus
Monster breathes at me.
I will NOT jump in the air and turn 180 degrees every time I see a stranger.
I will understand that strangers are NOT carnivorous.
I will NOT shy at familiar objects just for fun.
I will NOT bite the butt of the horse in front of me during the trail ride
just to say "Hi".
I WILL put my ears forward and cooperate when it comes to photos.
|
Dog's New Years
Resolutions
I will
stop trying to find the few remaining clean pieces of carpet in the house
when I am about to throw up.
I will not roll on dead squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs, etc.
I will not eat other animals' poop.
I will not lick my human's face after eating animal poop.
I will not eat my own vomit.
I will not eat any more socks and then re-deposit them in the backyard after
processing.
I will not chew my human's toothbrush and not tell them.
I will not chew crayons or pens, specially not the red ones, or my people
will think I am hemorrhaging.
When in the car, I will not insist on having the window rolled down when
it's raining outside.
I will not drop soggy tennis balls in the underwear of someone who is
sitting on the toilet.
I will not bark each time I hear a door bell on TV.
I will not walk under the big dog when he is peeing.
I will not steal Mom's underwear and dance all over the back yard with it.
I will not play tug-o'-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.
The sofa is not a face towel. Neither are Mom & Dad's laps.
My head does not belong in the refrigerator.
I will not bite the officer's hand when he reaches in for Mom's driver's
license and car registration.
I do not need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm lying under the coffee
table.
I will not roll my toys behind the fridge.
The garbage collector is NOT stealing our stuff.
I must shake the rainwater out of my fur BEFORE entering the house. |
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Only for Love (our favorite Christmas story)
The young couple had made their usual hurried, pre-Christmas visit to the
little farm where
-
dwelt the elderly parents with their small herd of horses. The
farm had been named Lone Pine
-
Farm because of the huge pine which topped the
hill behind the farm, and through the years
-
had become a talisman to the old man
and his wife, and a landmark in the countryside. The old
-
folks no longer showed
their horses, for the years had taken their toll, but they sold a few foals
-
each
year, and the horses were their reason for joy in the morning and contentment at
day's end.
Crossly, as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted the old
folks. "Why do you
-
not at least dispose of "The Old One". She is no longer of
use to you. It's been years since you've
had foals from her. You should cut
corners and save where you can. Why do you keep her anyway?"
-
The old man looked
down as his worn boot scuffed at the barn floor and his arm stole defensively
about the Old One's neck as he drew her to him and rubbed her gently behind the
ears. He replied
softly, "We keep her because of love. Only because of love."
Baffled and irritated, the young folks wished the old man and his wife
a Merry Christmas and
-
headed back toward the city as darkness stole through the
valley. So it was, that because of the
leave-taking, no one noticed the
insulation smoldering on the frayed wires in the old barn. None
saw the first
spark fall. None but the "Old One".
In a matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the hungry flames
were licking at the
-
loft full of hay. With a cry of horror and despair, the old
man shouted to his wife to call for help as
he raced to the barn to save their
beloved horses. But the flames were roaring now, and the
-
blazing heat drove him
back. He sank sobbing to the ground, helpless before the fire's fury.
By the time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing ruins were
left, and the old
-
man and his wife. They thanked those who had come to their
aid, and the old man turned to his
-
wife, resting her white head upon his
shoulders as he clumsily dried her tears with a frayed red
-
bandana. Brokenly he
whispered, "We have lost much, but God has spared our home on this eve
of
Christmas. Let us, therefore, climb the hill to the old pine where we have
sought comfort in
times of despair. We will look down upon our home and give
thanks to God that it has been spared."
And so, he took her by the hand and helped her up the snowy hill as he
brushed aside his own
tears with the back of his hand. As they stepped over the
little knoll at the crest of the hill, they
looked up and gasped in amazement at
the incredible beauty before them. Seemingly, every glorious, brilliant star in
the heavens was caught up in the glittering, snow-frosted branches of
their
beloved pine, and it was aglow with heavenly candles. And poised on its top most
bough, a
crystal crescent moon glistened like spun glass. Never had a mere
mortal created a Christmas tree
such as this.
Suddenly, the old man gave a cry of wonder and incredible joy as he
pulled his wife forward.
-
There, beneath the tree, was their Christmas
gift. Bedded down about the "Old One" close to the
trunk of the tree, was
the entire herd, safe. At the first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door
ajar with her muzzle and had led the horses through it. Slowly and with
great dignity, never looking back,
she had led them up the hill, stepping
daintily through the snow. The foals were frightened and dashed
about. The
skittish yearlings looked back at the crackling, hungry flames, and tucked
their tails under
them as they licked their lips and hopped like rabbits.
The mares pressed uneasily against the "Old One"
as she moved calmly up the hill
and to safety beneath the pine. And now, she lay among them and
gazed at the
faces of those she loved. Her body was brittle with years, but the golden eyes
were
filled with devotion as she offered her gift---
Because of love. Only Because of love.
WeeWeeChu
One beautiful December evening Pedro and his girlfriend Rosita were sitting
by the side of the ocean. It was a romantic full moon, when Pedro said, "Hey,
mamacita, let's play Weeweechu."
"Oh no, not now, lets look at the moon" said Rosita.
"Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I play Weeweechu. I love you and it's the
perfect time," Pedro begged.
"But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon."
"Please, corazoncito, just once, play Weeweechu with me."
Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll play Weeweechu."
Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang .....
"Weeweechu a
Merry Christmas,
Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
"Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
and a Happy New Year."
MERRY
CHRISTMAS!!!!!
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim
light, I gazed round the room and
I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic
in
rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a
winter
delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by
love
I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I
started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he
said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "
It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December," Then he sighed, "That's a
Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home
while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.
GOD BLESS OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN THE MILITARY !!!!
A different Christmas Story
The story goes that some time ago
a mother punished her five year old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive
gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and she became even more upset when the
child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next
morning and then said, "This is for you, Momma."
The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her anger flared
again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her
daughter in a harsh manner.
"Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed
to be something inside the package?"
She had tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Momma, it's not empty! I blew
kisses into it until it was full."
The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her
little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is
told that the mother kept that gold
box by her bed for all the years of her life.
Whenever she was discouraged or
faced difficult problems she would open the box
and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put
it there.
In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden
box filled with unconditional love
and kisses from our children, family, friends
and GOD. There is no more precious
possession anyone could hold.
Arlington at Christmas
- Arlington
National Cemetery
Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.
Know the line has held, your job is done.
Rest easy, sleep well.
Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.
Peace, peace, and farewell...
Readers may
be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the
Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not
only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done
this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school
kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making
this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest
parts of the state.
I was walking around in a store. I saw a
Cashier hand this little boy his money back
saying
"I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to
buy
This doll."
Then the little boy turned to the old woman
Next to him: ''Granny, are you sure I don't
have
Enough money?''
Enough money?''
The old lady replied: ''You know that you
Don't have enough money to buy this doll, my
dear.''
Then she asked him to stay there for 5
Minutes while she went to look around. She left
Quickly.
The little boy was still holding the doll in
His hand.
Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him
Who he wished to give this doll to.
"It's the doll that my sister loved most and
Wanted so much for this Christmas. She was so
sure that Santa
Claus would bring it to her."
I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus will
Bring it to her after all, and not to worry.
But he replied to me sadly. "No, Santa Claus
Can't bring it to her where she is now. I have
to
Give the doll to my mommy so that she can give
it to
My sister when she goes there."
His eyes were so sad while saying this. "My
Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that
Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I
Thought that she could take the doll with her
to
Give it to my sister.''
My heart nearly stopped.
The little boy looked up at me and said: "I
Told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need
her
To wait until I come back from the mall."
Then he showed me a very nice photo of him
Where he was laughing. He then told me "I want
mommy to take my
picture with her so she won't forget me."
"I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have
To leave me, but daddy says that she has to go
to be
With my little sister."
Then he looked again at the doll with sad
Eyes, very quietly.
I quickly reached for my wallet and said to
The boy. "What if we checked again, just in
case you
Do have enough money?''
"Ok" he said "I hope that I have enough." I
Added some of my money to his without him
seeing and
We started to count it. There was enough for
the
Doll and even some spare money.
The little boy said: "Thank you God for
Giving me enough money!"
Then he looked at me and added "I asked
Yesterday before I slept for God to make sure I
have
Enough money to buy this doll so that mommy can
give
It to my sister. He heard me!''
"I also wanted to have enough money to buy a
White rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to
ask
God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy
the
Doll and a white rose.''
"My mommy loves white |
