tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752089233899851812024-03-13T20:58:39.074-07:00Giving Service BackThis is a blog about life with a Service Dog and life as a Retired Disabled Veteran. I cover all sorts of topics hang on and have fun.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-58403825370079520932018-06-06T14:17:00.000-07:002018-06-06T14:24:59.689-07:00Is Your God big enough?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica";">So, here we are again, time has past us by while I failed to write yet again on a regular basis. I have come to the conclusion that my writing is just going to be an irregular thing. I would love to be one of those people that have the ability to sit down and write on a whim regularly with meaning. Oh believe me I actually sit down and write almost daily but I just never seem to be able to take my personal rants that I use to attempt to understand my life better, and put them into a format that I deem acceptable for public consumption. Of course I would say that there are many people out there that have read my blog and decided that it is not ready no acceptable for public consumption and to them I only can say I am sorry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica";">I do ultimately write to help clear thoughts in my head and hopefully glorify the one God that has brought me through the fires and created the person I am today. I share this stuff with others because I feel that if I am able to help one person by my trials and travels then I am doing what God has asked me to do. </span><span style="color: grey; font-family: "helvetica";">“God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: "helvetica";">― <b>David Livingstone </b></span></div>
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<b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CCmUQVrTfLw/WxhNqxGKVcI/AAAAAAABE38/02OSa2O9fPI7fMeJJol6n5Np4CNgs5AOwCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-06-02%2B17.49.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CCmUQVrTfLw/WxhNqxGKVcI/AAAAAAABE38/02OSa2O9fPI7fMeJJol6n5Np4CNgs5AOwCLcBGAs/s320/2018-06-02%2B17.49.50.jpg" width="213" /></a></b></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica";">Lately I have been working through the Judgment and Glory thoughts. What does that really mean to me and how does it relate to my world?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica";">I read more than the average person, (The average number of books read a year, varies between 4-12 books depending on where you look). I read an average of 2-4 a week but that is because I am retired and have the time and have found that reading has given me back the ability to put thoughts straight in my messed up brain. For those that have never read my blog or know my history I have a TBI so memory and recall are a major issue. Over the past 2 years I have made leaps and bounds in my ability to recall things by lowering my stress and increasing my brain activity. I will also add that my mission to serve others has increased ten fold, which has healed me in ways I never saw coming. It is absolutely a miracle to think that by changing the focus away from me and looking towards others to help as a tool for God, heals me. All I had to do was get out of my own way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica";">Here we go I guess that is as good a lead in as any for what seems to be touching my heart today. I read a book “You Don’t Get Your Own Personal Jesus” By J.D. Greer, and in that book there were some great thoughts on God that I had been wrestling with over the years. I have always understood that God is Almighty and all Powerful but yet sometimes when people explained “their god”, how they understood him I would recoil. I have over the years done my fair share of reshaping my vision of “my god” to fit into “my world”. I wanted to be comfortable with “my god” so I would pick and chose the parts of the bible and stories that appealed to my way of thinking. (Not something that is all that unusual, we are humans and well we like to think things to our level.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica";">This last book really struck me to the core. I am sure that those that have read my blog over time have seen the changes in how I have become much more God centered and less Kent centered. Hopefully everyone agrees that is a good thing. While I do not think that Kent was the worst thing on the block I know that I was not what God wanted me to be. He has been pushing me for sometime and I have been resisting with all my might. Guess who has been fighting the losing battle? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica";"> </span><span style="color: grey; font-family: "helvetica";">“It's not about finding ways to avoid God's judgment and feeling like a failure if you don't do everything perfectly. It's about fully experiencing God's love and letting it perfect you. It's not about being somebody you are not. It's about becoming who you really are.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: "helvetica";">― <b>Stormie Omartian<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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In the reading of this book one of the illustrations given was during a conversation, where Christ was mentioned as the only way to salvation. Not directly quoting but the understanding the other person in the conversation had was that no God would ever be so narrow as to have only one way to salvation. They happen to have been flying during this conversation and Greer made a comment about being grateful that the pilot was not as open minded about his job and decide that they could land the plane in other places other then the runway the Air traffic controller had just told them to. While this conversation may seem off the wall for some it hit home for me. How often had I placed my own human understandings and values on “my god” so I could fit my life into what I wanted. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aPSsOokGpoc/WxhOVQ93W6I/AAAAAAABE4M/PCuxMTwt5GwlwUZdDKrabeOmJ9seKL_hACLcBGAs/s1600/2018-04-30%2B16.58.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aPSsOokGpoc/WxhOVQ93W6I/AAAAAAABE4M/PCuxMTwt5GwlwUZdDKrabeOmJ9seKL_hACLcBGAs/s320/2018-04-30%2B16.58.10.jpg" width="320" /></span></a>Time and again I landed or should I say crashed because I always knew better or knew that my god knew better than to be so rigid. I was thinking about my own experience as a father. As my children were growing up I made rules so that they would remain safe and stay on a path that would hopefully grow them to adulthood. When they did not live up to those rules I would punish them in some way because they had not done what was expected of them. So often I forget that God does not have grandchildren, every one of us is his precious child. How come it is so easy for me to understand the logic of rules and rigidness when I am in the position as father yet as the child I fail to accept it?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once we as humans can understand that last paragraph the forgiveness of God has to be the next thought, at least in my mind it does. In my last blog, I mentioned about the reboot program and coming to terms with so many of the things I had to do and experience while in the military. Today as most days I still wrestle with my humanness. That inability to accept that God, therefore myself can truly be forgiven is a concept that blows my mind. Also what is forgiveness all about is another huge sticky mess some days. We all do things “wrong” on a regular basis if you’re like me. I was out driving earlier today and I was doing the mental sparring on forgiveness in my noggin, you know the why must I and how can I be forgiven for the things that I have done. Not because I am in that place at the moment but because it all came up in the readings I have been doing. I love how God has this ability to spur thoughts in my head that touch my heart not always when I am struggling but when my head is in a good place also. </div>
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I mentioned the scenario of the father and the child and the bridge to my thoughts on forgiveness now let me see if I can actually complete this thought. When I was deep in my depressions and not wanting to believe that I was forgivable, I could not wrap my head around the concept that God would actually forgive me. I understood that he gave his only son to wipe away my sins, not just forgive but abolish, remove, give me a clean slate. I understood that but then I still held myself to the fire, held in my brain like a poker that would continue to push and prod me every time I thought of the things I did, even though I said I understood Gods level of forgiveness. I then thought of my children, trying to think of some transgression that would allow me to close the door on them and make it so I could not forgive them. I could not come up with anything. No matter what happened I afforded them forgiveness in my mind. It was a no brainer. My love for them outweighed the crimes that they could possibly do. No matter how bad I would be there to support them. I would be there with Gods words of forgiveness also being one of the first in line to make sure they understood that God is so loving that he gave his only Son to die on a Cross. Die with common criminals so that we all could find salvation in him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When I look at my reaction and understanding with my own children it makes my relationship with God so much easier to understand. It is so easy to over complicate things and over simplify things. Forgiveness is not for others it is for me! When I forgive, it is to release me of the bondage of self. Each and every one of us will stand in front of our maker as individuals and be held accountable for our own actions. My forgiveness towards others releases my mind and body of the sins of humanness. The thing inside of me that I hold above someone else when I do not forgive, that thing that stands between God and myself if I do not forgive others until I allow God his place as the judge. </div>
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Needless to say I have written more this time then normal that is for sure. Hopefully some of this makes sense but the bottom line is that I write to glorify his name and make all this stuff a more understandable everyday in my mind. I am so grateful today to have all these tools in my bag to live life in a Godly manner. Stay tuned as I continue to grow and of Course God in dyslexia doG IE… Mike is forever showing me how to really forgive and live a peaceful life. You should have seen him this past weekend working the crowd as I took pictures at a church function. What a blessing he is in helping to bridge the gap of my personality and other people. <o:p></o:p></div>
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God Bless<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-80747374567630621132018-04-26T15:18:00.001-07:002018-04-26T15:26:44.184-07:00Reboot, Combat Recovery Revelations!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wz39ewasFsw/WuJKW4XfXEI/AAAAAAABE0U/Bdi9_YZvfWoel6VUJ1Zs7OwcHCDZSfwlACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_2312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="1334" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wz39ewasFsw/WuJKW4XfXEI/AAAAAAABE0U/Bdi9_YZvfWoel6VUJ1Zs7OwcHCDZSfwlACKgBGAs/s200/IMG_2312.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12pt;">So here’s a blog like I
doubt I have ever done before. I am in a Reboot, Combat Recovery class that has
been absolutely wonderful and very eye opening. While it has been many years
since I served on Active Duty in the Army the Military still lives inside of
me. It was a piece of my person something that I became not just something that
I lived through. Many other Veterans will probably understand that statement
civilians probably not so much. Last nights “Homework Assignment was to start
writing about my life” Not just as a soldier but life as a whole. So that is
what I am doing here and sharing openly in hopes to get others to see how my
changes and life today may be able to guide them to seek out and make changes
in their lives.</span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkEu0HbowKA/WuJL_XhoraI/AAAAAAABE1A/viwx1wIJqL8VFMKkrGtwNzazEIsGNpCnQCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-04-01%2B08.03.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkEu0HbowKA/WuJL_XhoraI/AAAAAAABE1A/viwx1wIJqL8VFMKkrGtwNzazEIsGNpCnQCLcBGAs/s320/2018-04-01%2B08.03.40.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">When I joined the Army
I was 17 and knew I wanted to be a soldier more than anything. I was looking
for the Challenge that I had seen immortalized on Screen and Books. I knew
nothing of true brotherhood, comrades or anything about being a man. I was a
boy seeking to find myself by meeting someone else’s, standards. As I succeeded
and met the standards I sought higher standards. I knew no other way except to
challenge myself as I moved along this path I was on. I became addicted to the
adrenaline that was produced by doing the dangerous and succeeding. This became
my way of feeding my inner self and how I based my value system. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I was a Christian,
spelled with the lower case on purpose. I went to church when I would I read
the Bible sometimes but never really studied it (unless there was an alternate
purpose for my being in a study group). I was self-absorbed self- centered and
based most of my values on what was in it for me. So pretty much I was a fairly
normal young man. I had a good upbringing as a youngster which I thank God for
today. Yes I had a father that was an Alcoholic when I was young but that is
not an excuse for who I am or was. It is just a fact of how my life was when I
was a child. I did not have an exclusive hold on a bad experience in life
allowing me to be something I should not have been. I say that because I did
believe for a longtime that in fact my “Story” was unique and did allow me to
be special with special circumstances I could justify bad behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K7rrnj3UAjc/WuJLqZAXVeI/AAAAAAABE04/1AZTMYbA6g4YZnKazBGdVKVkHl-_VMFkACLcBGAs/s1600/2018-04-21%2B06.56.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K7rrnj3UAjc/WuJLqZAXVeI/AAAAAAABE04/1AZTMYbA6g4YZnKazBGdVKVkHl-_VMFkACLcBGAs/s320/2018-04-21%2B06.56.00.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica";">I myself delved into alcohol and thanks to that same man I just mentioned who was an alcoholic while I was growing up (he had sobered up by the time I was 13) I found my way to AA and was able to find a way to stop myself from a long life of abuse of drugs and alcohol. I stopped drinking at 16 which probably also kept me from being killed in many other situations. Tell me that God doesn't look out for fools cause I won on all counts there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">On a side note, I will
tell anyone today that life is not a test, there is no bad thrown in to lives
to see how we will act, react or get through some things. Life is Life. God
knows us before we know us and he has his plan for us before we ever take our
first breath. What happens while we have free will and we learn to become his
children is part of growing up and testing our boundaries. Much like when we
raise our children they test their boundaries and we as parents have to allow
them to work things out so that they can come to us willingly in love for help.
I always heard and said there was no book on how to parent from my parents and
then from my own mouth. Well today I beg to differ I just didn’t have the
understanding to grasp the Bible and what is was really saying. It was not my
time. I have said many times TIME means Till It Means Enough and it took my
life going down the road I traveled to get me where I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CZBjS_mwwpY/WuJKkG7zQ1I/AAAAAAABE0Y/Tn9lkCp6h7Y6J0gSjfaRdLGT9J6_BIDwQCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-04-19%2B08.48.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CZBjS_mwwpY/WuJKkG7zQ1I/AAAAAAABE0Y/Tn9lkCp6h7Y6J0gSjfaRdLGT9J6_BIDwQCLcBGAs/s200/2018-04-19%2B08.48.25.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Back to the
Timeline-Army life. As I grew in the Army and was sent to do things for the
U.S.A. I questioned the morality but the adrenaline junky and success junky in
me pushed everything down deep so that I continued to do more and more. Being a
soldier was who I was. I was good at it, I got the accolades I never got when I
was younger and I loved it. I did try to be “Normal” when in country I even got
married, had children and continued to go to church as I could. I guess
autopilot would be a good way to explain my way of living. I was very set in my
ways, I did not like to change my normal routines that was for sure. I was
angry, selfish and discontent even with all the loving support that I had
around me. I stuffed all the feelings that I had and put on a mask of what I
thought I should look like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Needless to say, God
has his plan and when his plan is not our </span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N-Z1uz4ONhc/WuJLXb9QjrI/AAAAAAABE0s/ZDXbamfXDsUjnu7wKApyoFqqfiTDngk2ACEwYBhgL/s1600/Mike_guiding_light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N-Z1uz4ONhc/WuJLXb9QjrI/AAAAAAABE0s/ZDXbamfXDsUjnu7wKApyoFqqfiTDngk2ACEwYBhgL/s200/Mike_guiding_light.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">plan things will always change on our
end. In 1996 my world came crashing down. In my sarcastic way I guess I should
say something like my heart was no longer up to the game. Yep I had to go in
for a major open heart surgery which curtailed my ability to be the soldier I
was. I was medically retired from the Army, Angry and lost. My family took the
brunt of my anger and denial. Overtime this lead to a shutdown of
communications and a breakup of the marriage. In time the kids have forgiven me
the Ex will probably never but there is nothing I can do about that other than
prayer for God’s will to be done and a good life for all that I may have hurt
in my living. I am in no way saying that I was a terrible person or a
unforgivable sole. On the contrary I know that Jesus died to forgive all my sins
and for that I am eternally grateful. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><u><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Romans 5:8</span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vvgxVozLLqI/WuJRFd2neqI/AAAAAAABE1Y/3ZYNWUT7ZdcIuyfd08f8APM-nOoJSTGuQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vvgxVozLLqI/WuJRFd2neqI/AAAAAAABE1Y/3ZYNWUT7ZdcIuyfd08f8APM-nOoJSTGuQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2627.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><i><u><span style="color: #999999;">But God proves His love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.</span></u></i><span style="color: #353535;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I have been knocked
down a number of times during my life; the end of my Army career was really
just the beginning. The huge test was after 9/11 when my brain decided to go on
strike and start reacting to an injury that occurred years before.
Unfortunately when dealing with doctors the treatment path can be a long road
especially when your symptoms don’t jump out and scream here I am. When I
started to have seizures the doctors classified them as cardiac syncope because
well it made sense at the time. I had been retired from the military with a
cardiac related issue and had never displayed any other issues that would point
in another direction. The seizures all presented as heart issues, I.E… all
sorts of types of Cardiac Arrhythmia’s. So many actually that I had 6 more
heart surgeries where the doctors did Ablations to stem the ability of the
heart to go into these Arrhythmia’s. All four chambers of the heart have been
worked on prior to God coming into my life as if Dyslexic namesake, Dog. My
first service dog was actually the first to pick up on the root cause and stem
through a simple licking of my face, the actual event from going into full
stage event. Once that happened I was able to finally push the button on the
recording device installed in my chest and get readings that the doctors were
able to work with. Prior to that I would go out before I knew what was happening.
Iris would pull me back to reality so to speak and my life changed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GaMECnIYUEg/WuJKW7KExJI/AAAAAAABE0U/hLKRMVgENPA4cYDZAMQMQyVowgCzoY9MACKgBGAs/s1600/6a00e55221a350883301bb08d4b0f9970d-800wi-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="460" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GaMECnIYUEg/WuJKW7KExJI/AAAAAAABE0U/hLKRMVgENPA4cYDZAMQMQyVowgCzoY9MACKgBGAs/s200/6a00e55221a350883301bb08d4b0f9970d-800wi-2.jpg" width="199" /></a><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I had gotten to the
point where I was playing with suicide as my ticket out. I no longer wanted to
play this game. The rules had changed to the point that I could not even see a
trains light at the end of a tunnel I saw only darkness. My family my friends
no human power could relieve me of the bondage of self at that point. Only God
through his minion (Iris) was able to show me enough light to keep me hanging
on. In no time flat my life turned around. The doctors were able to change meds
to address the brain issues not the heart issues. I saw my license come back
and the freedoms I had lost come back being allowed to go out and be with
others on my terms because I had a Service Dog. (What I knew beyond a shadow of
a DOUBT was God attempting to remain anonymous.) I could not hide any longer
inside my own walls that I had built up; I had to share my transformation with
others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">This was not the end of
my story in a long run. I am still a human being with all the faults of said
human race inside fighting. I had a renewed license on life but I was not well
yet. As I have pointed out I am hard headed and had to take back the reins of
life often just to make sure that I remember who is really in charge. I had
this renewed belief and understanding in God but I still had to prove to myself
I could do things. See that is my biggest downfall in life is it has taken me
55 years to realize that the difference between God and me is he never pretends
to be me! For some reason I try to jump back into that role of Kent knows best.
“Oh my Me”, life is so much better when I get out of my own way. When I was gifted the presence of Iris then
Mike I was gifted a tool to help me help others. My biggest issue is two fold.
One I knew I was not the message just the messenger but I was human and let
myself get into the message. What I got often while doing that was a Mess! The
saying of there is no I in team comes to mind and boy did I miss that. My EGO
ran wild more often than not. I had to battle with depression often while
attempting to look good on the outside. I was missing the key ingredient but I
did not know it till recently. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">In the past 2 years I
have changed so much. Early on in todays writing I said I had not ever really
studied the Bible. I was exposed to it yes but studied the word and lived
inside the realm of what it says, no way. That was something that was way
outside of human capability and definitely not something I thought I could ever
even attempt to do. Yes I tried to live by the basic tenets of what I knew to
be true but I never used it as a measuring stick for my life. Remember, I
always lived to a standard, I could not really understand how I could set
myself up for such a failure as to live by the standard set forth in the Bible.
My God the last person to live to the standard I saw in the Bible was crucified
on a cross! How could I, someone who did the things I did in the Military, the
things I did as a Child and since I am still here today still a Human living in
this human condition live up to the standards I saw in the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Yep, I was pretty hard
on myself. Still am actually as I sit here typing with sweat rolling out my
eyes thinking about how much I have had to go through to come to understand
where I am sitting today. I am in a Reboot class now and learning so much about
me it is awe-inspiring. Not because I am any more special than anyone else but
I am special to God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am learning about how
to forgive myself for the things I thought were unforgivable. Here’s a line
from one of our leaders last night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Forgiveness is vitally
important to God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Hebrews 12:15 tells us
“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of
bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled”.
Bitter people only hurt themselves. Unforgiven people are unforgiving; and hurt
people hurt people.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I did not see myself as
bitter but today I understand so much more about who I am in the scheme of
things. I am a Child of God just like my children are each children of God, not
grandchildren but his direct children. I am but a servant that is here to do
his work until my time comes to go on to my room in heaven. Wow how great is
that? I have been forgiven; the only things I have to do is forgive myself and
do his work for him. That brings me to that time during my travels when that
pastor called me a Missionary and I fought it with everything inside because I
didn’t want the job. I have always felt the tug of Jesus inside and always
blocked it and denied it was there. Today I accept the salvation that God gave
us through Christ. The forgiveness of all forgiveness <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">That first Gift is
Salvation! After Salvation on the cross so many other gifts are available to us
all. The gifts of the spirits are Diverse. Our gifts are like our brotherhood
of being a Veteran. The common good of His Glory unites us all. The Bond we
share as Veterans having served as warriors to protect others places us in
situations that test our being. Test our sole. Once we realize that those same tests
of being a soldier actually bond us together and show us how God has hardened
us to become his messengers can give us true strength to help others. I have
been talking about helping others in my blog for a long time but I finally have
an understanding that supersedes all others as to why I need to do service for others. I hope that this particular blog may help someone else struggling with
their own issues, get past them and see that there is a power so much greater
than ourselves. All we have to do is accept him into our lives.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m16p7AetFME/WuJO_wR2hoI/AAAAAAABE1M/HuwHrZZhbBo1PZRcHgRfb1tr1_KNch87QCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-03-02%2B10.01.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m16p7AetFME/WuJO_wR2hoI/AAAAAAABE1M/HuwHrZZhbBo1PZRcHgRfb1tr1_KNch87QCLcBGAs/s320/2017-03-02%2B10.01.22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> Well, I hope that today's blog was as special for you all as it was for me to write. I sweat a few drops while writing today and that is a good thing for me. Sharing from the heart to a public forum is always a scary venture but if this has the ability to touch someone in a way to help them jump over the walls that lock us into our own worlds then I am grateful I felt the tug to write. Thank you all for the support and prayers I have gotten even when I did not feel I deserved them. There is so much more to this story, stay tuned I have a feeling it won't take another lifetime to get out now that the dams are breaking.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">God Bless. </span></div>
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Kent</div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-67082683840535872782018-03-26T15:15:00.004-07:002018-03-26T15:15:31.319-07:00Today’s light<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aZMIM0K44Vc/WrlJD3t3itI/AAAAAAABEzQ/IxIp3zEYjPIcbjrekFkysRDLs8ov7xJ9QCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_1208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aZMIM0K44Vc/WrlJD3t3itI/AAAAAAABEzQ/IxIp3zEYjPIcbjrekFkysRDLs8ov7xJ9QCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_1208.JPG" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Today I feel moved in my heart to share how I’ve been touched by so many around me. I’m sitting at our legion post waiting on yet another veteran who I’m supposed to be helping guide, yet somehow they always seem to guide me to where I should be. They have a way of placing my heart back where it belongs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">A few years ago I realized that I had to give back because I had been given life back. So often throughout my life I had said the words “I live life one day at a time” yet my focus was never on today or the person in front of me that needed help. It was always on the prize at the end of the rainbow. That rainbow had to do with what was in it for me, not God, you or even the family. As I look back on life it’s the very reason I lost everything I was working for because when you put yourself ahead of you lose. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">It sounds so cliché but in reality it’s so simple that we has humans with the human condition fail to see it. I’m not real good at quoting scripture or even finding the right words at the moment I want it most of the time but over the past 3 years my focus has changed. With the change of focus somehow the words or actions when they were needed came not because I did anything but because God is in charge today really One Day At a Time. Myself left alone will pick the wrong path 90% of the time yet somehow today through prayer (which believe me is something that scare the daylights out of me if asked to do out loud) happens in spite of my poor decisions. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><i><b>2 Corinthians 4:1-4. Because of this, since we* have this ministry, just as we have been shown mercy, we do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced shameful hidden things, not behaving with craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but with the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience before God. 3 But if indeed our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Yesterday I had the privilege to go see a movie I knew nothing about. I had heard no reviews just that some friends were going and it would be a good one. So I did not question it I went. WOW talk about a blow your doors off make you sweat out your eyeballs and give you lots to think about after walking out the door! If you haven’t seen it, go! Don’t research it just go! I Can Only Imagine. That’s the name not going to tell you anything else don’t peek just go. It will be worth your time and money. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><b>So that’s my rant for today hope you enjoyed.</b></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-44946998645454403742018-03-11T11:13:00.000-07:002018-03-11T11:14:04.709-07:002018 Where are We?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here we are again after a long hiatus, time well spent traveling and doing what needed to be done. Unfortunately I did not have the spark to write all that often and when I did think about it I just could not bring myself to open up the laptop and write. Blogging has been something between challenging and downright impossible to keep myself motivated to do. So today I find myself after some prodding from friend and family finally getting around to the keyboard.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HTmAP4aM68g/WqVgSVfcEuI/AAAAAAABEyM/Mag7mYfEheE1bFi0CkZYmKnpbpOyVIJ2QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3053-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HTmAP4aM68g/WqVgSVfcEuI/AAAAAAABEyM/Mag7mYfEheE1bFi0CkZYmKnpbpOyVIJ2QCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_3053-2.jpg" width="213" /></a>Mike and I have been very busy attempting to get the word out to as many minds & souls that might be willing to be to listen and then pass on to others. Nothing we do is groundbreaking but we do attempt to listen and help others wherever given the opportunity. All to often in life today we see so many people being cast to the wayside because they "have nothing to offer" or they are to challenging to engage with. Life is meant to be lived as a part of not separately in our own little worlds.<br />
<br />
Over the past months Mike and I have spoken at a number of different venues from Churches to Veterans groups along with and a couple Hospitals. We have even been up to Washington DC 3 different times to do a number of things. This last trip to DC I was able to grab a few really neat pictures of Mike the one in reflection of the Vietnam Wall was a great capture and will soon be on my website for sale for those interested. (Along with may other pictures that all go to help pay for gas and other expenses to fund much of the traveling we do.)<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span>Maya Angelou</span><br />
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Some of the issues that we have been able to be involved with recently are traumatic brain injury panels to help come up with new and exciting treatments. In this hopefully some of the major problems that TBI patients see today won't happen in a few years. If this type of program continues to happen and is funded by congress some of the major issues our heroes face could be greatly reduced. I am very grateful to be a part of the veteran community that has been able to give back and hope to continue.<br />
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Our American Legion here in NC continues to make strides to grow and help the younger veterans understand why being apart of such organizations is so important. The continues support to the USS NC and also the Veterans Fund are just two small but huge programs that show the local community how involved our Veterans are and how much they believe in the communities they live. If you know a Veteran that is a member at large of the American Legion but does not have a local affiliation April is a great month to comet to one of our national membership drives and do a transfer. Unlike the normal 2-3 hold that post 1981 keeps on national unaffiliated we will be able to get instant transfers to a local post helping local post with their membership drives for this year.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eFVMJHda8o0/WqVgd8RS7gI/AAAAAAABEyM/0a8Y-LQLfAYua2ql_zK51Uthmoed3QpkgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eFVMJHda8o0/WqVgd8RS7gI/AAAAAAABEyM/0a8Y-LQLfAYua2ql_zK51Uthmoed3QpkgCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_3072.jpg" width="213" /></a>On a similar note, as a Post Service Officer I get the opportunity to see many Veterans of all Era's who may not be getting access to some or all of the benefits they are due. Many Veterans do not know that they can pre-qualify for burial into a national cemetery. While this may not sound like something that is very important it will save your loved ones time if you would like to be interned upon your passing. While Arlington is getting filled up and the requirements are tougher to get in, there are many other National cemeteries all over this country that you can be interned in. Take a moment to contact your local PSO or drop me a line and I will be happy to forward the information to you. Why not help your loved ones now for when that time comes. <br />
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If you are a Local Post member, please take a moment to think about possibly looking into a planned giving program for your post. They are a Non Profit and a 501C3, Nation American Legion has a team that can help you with planned giving to your post or any other programs that you would like to support.<br />
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I know I sound like I am putting out a lot of information here today but it has been a longtime since I have written and I am sorry for that. Please feel free to contact me @ <a href="mailto:Kent@kphyfe.com">Kent@kphyfe.com</a> if you have specific question or would like me to look into anything for you.<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span>Mother Teresa</span><br />
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Post 65 My Legion Post is running a raffle you can buy tickets through PayPal if you are interested. </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5K6UjBuM7xQ/WqVhNYUZk2I/AAAAAAABEyc/jbpUuhiP7q0dzEtLrdMxCBD7aGhsI8VZgCEwYBhgL/s1600/2018-02-13%2B08.05.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5K6UjBuM7xQ/WqVhNYUZk2I/AAAAAAABEyc/jbpUuhiP7q0dzEtLrdMxCBD7aGhsI8VZgCEwYBhgL/s320/2018-02-13%2B08.05.44.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-51168637838009317792017-10-05T06:59:00.002-07:002017-10-05T07:03:43.015-07:00Unusually Long Call to Action... Please read and let me know what you think.<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NattXqiuXHw/WdY7iZVdhBI/AAAAAAABEqw/jO3gkUFTInM4PiPPAqtLb0wXGOmRUhhAwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1333" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NattXqiuXHw/WdY7iZVdhBI/AAAAAAABEqw/jO3gkUFTInM4PiPPAqtLb0wXGOmRUhhAwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0032.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">So with the recent tragedy in Las Vegas we have a renewed Right Left battle going on with all of the political’s pushing their agenda’s as hard as they can. Of course no one wants to look like they’re making this tragedy into a place to statement while doing exactly that. Unfortunately I have sat on the sidelines as long as I can without jumping in to the mix. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Second Amendment, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” One simple line, creates a huge amount of problems for people with beliefs as to whether or not the general public should have what type of weapons. The almost funny part of that is the type of “arms” is never mentioned in the amendment. It mentioned a well regulated militia but never anything about the types of weapons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some people say that is because the weapons of that day were limited. That is in fact in my opinion a very limited opinion not based on a forward thinking document. Of course that is my opinion also. You see what we have here is a country based on free speech, remember that, it’s what that first amendment was all about. It allows us all to speak our minds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Let’s go into the free speech thought pattern for a paragraph or two. I have to Qualify my thoughts a little with the freedoms I have here. As I sit here writing my opinions on the laws of this wonderful land of ours, I am not worried that my door is going to be broken down and myself be carried off to some hole in the wall prison never to be heard from again. I can sit here typing away even though there are many people out there that feel I am some sort of radical right wing gun toting crazy veteran. Yes name calling has become a nation sport as of late, hasn’t it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That same freedom of speech allows those sports stars and movie stars with huge fan bases to take a knee and push their agendas out to the national viewing population. I say it like that because my next statement seems to make those that agree with the knee taking crowd angry. They, the knee takers, also continue their protest without worry of being hauled off to jail or worse for their form of free speech. What gets me though, is that because I counter the protest with one of my own, by turning off the tv and stating I will not buy product that supports the actions of the teams and league that support the action of the knee takers I am suppressing their free speech. This is befuddling to me, because in fact I am doing exactly the same thing they are, just protesting the way they are protesting. I am not protesting their right to free speech, only their method of protest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">So without beating this topic to death, I am now going to transition back to the second amendment by stating that the first will live a short lifespan if the second is taken away. It is simple bully methodology to take away the stick that protects oneself before taking away the rights to even talk about being protected. But to quote some famous TV advertisers, “But There is More”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The second amendment was written without the type of weaponry because our forefathers understood that weapons overtime got better and that no matter what happened our citizens needed to be able to be armed to protect themselves against a government that did not have their interest in mind. You can not fight an opponent who is equipped with machine guns with muskets. Placing a type of weapon into the amendment would have dated the amendment in a matter of 50 years or less at that time. However, the freedom to legally purchase weapons with the proper licensing has created the freedoms still today that our forefathers were looking to create.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Now the gun rights and gun control advocates both have their reasons and will attempt to sway anyone that listens to their side. The simple fact is that we are a nation built on the freedoms given to us in the Declaration of Independence. The second amendment was not written to allow hunting and game use of weapons it was clearly for protection against tyranny having just fought a war against a King and Sovereign Nation that was not taking our countries best interest into hand. Our country and people may not be perfect but we do have laws that were and are there to protect all of it’s citizens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I started out this article with the thought of the recent tragedy along with all other gun related tragedies that become political soap boxes. The problem with the activist for both sides using a tragedy for their soapbox is that it does not touch on the reality of the issues. Most of these tragedies happen with a massive amount of laws that are broken prior to the tragedy ever happening. What do I mean by that. Well simply put, I am pointing out that just creating new laws in hopes of stemming the violence of a tragedy is like putting a finger in a dam that has completely crumbled around where you are standing. If you cannot enforce the preexisting laws what makes anyone think that they can enforce new lows on top of the old ones. The only thing a new unenforceable law does is make a naive person feel he/she has been protected while doing nothing to stem the real problems.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The real problems, have to be handled with a proactive format. Something that actively teaches out and tries to help people that are at risk for becoming the mass shooter type. There is always a telltale. It is way to early in this last episode to understand what or why things happened. For those that have been reading my blog over time you will recognize my thoughts that we as individuals in a community have to reach out to each other. The buddy check, we in the military all have come to understand is a reality that so many Americans have forgotten comes from the old neighborhood block watch concept. Start with our community around us and watch out to make sure that we are ok.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When a community is healthy, the town becomes healthy. When a town is healthy the county becomes healthy. It has a trickle up effect. (yes that is a Reagan reversal) Each and everyone of us has to become a better friend a better member of the community. We don’t have to pull the covers of our neighbors and throw the dirty laundry out on the street to make ourselves feel better but we had better be willing to jump in the hole and help someone step up and out. It may be yourself in the hole tomorrow. The way we make our country safe is not through taking guns away but giving us all a shot in the arm of feeling like each and everyone of us belong and has something to live for. Unrest happens when you don’t fit. Find your puzzle, your talent and share it with your friends and anyone else that will listen. They will jump in and share it with others. Soon things Change around you and people start to smile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Leadership, that is something we all have inside if we are doing what we are good at and showing it to others. Spread your joy not your angers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Kent Out.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-10620213175103957922017-10-03T06:06:00.005-07:002017-10-03T06:06:54.754-07:00Precious Gifts<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_2BkUwGCaw/WdOFQeI9h8I/AAAAAAABEp4/kOgxypypBjE1JpkyzEXwjC47BNwc6MVnACLcBGAs/s1600/faith.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G_2BkUwGCaw/WdOFQeI9h8I/AAAAAAABEp4/kOgxypypBjE1JpkyzEXwjC47BNwc6MVnACLcBGAs/s320/faith.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Guide our feet into the way of peace. - <b>Luke 1:79 </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Yet again tragedy has struck our nation, hitting us when we least expect it. I am not sure that people have changed all that much over time. I know that communication has changed allowing everyone to have a voice or allowing information to spread much faster. Not but 50 years ago when something happened it could take a few days for the tragedy to become known to everyone. One hundred years ago it would take weeks or months and before that if something did not happen in your local area you would never know it happened unless a traveler happened to come and spread a tale of it’s happening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. <b><i>Deuteronomy 7:9</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the hardest things for me to discern is the ability of man to bring harm to one and other for ones own gains. I served in the Military in the beginning with a youthful naivety that there was a right and wrong, a good and bad. As I served I became tainted and yes started to feel like I was losing my way, being pulled into the cesspool of humankind. We all have to travel the path we travel, the question is whether we lose our faith our joy and our hope in all things. I like many have had some very dark times in my life where I felt so alone I was ready to exit stage right. My own personal tragedy of life’s making had become so bad that the thought of living was to much to take any longer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. <b><i>James 1: 2-4 </i></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ykCiwoHG81M/WdOFqqBApDI/AAAAAAABEp8/BNQlrhDegSQfeSi_h3UB9GXrtpaSg-5VwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ykCiwoHG81M/WdOFqqBApDI/AAAAAAABEp8/BNQlrhDegSQfeSi_h3UB9GXrtpaSg-5VwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2711.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">For me, When that time hit, I had everything a man could want for. I had a family, children, car, house, the list goes on and on. What was missing was my Joy. I could not take my life’s lessens and see where everything that I had dealt with was leading me to help others and be used in ways I could not even fathom. I knew how to talk the talk, but I could not hear my own voice in my own heart. I was barren when it came to seeing the light. I thank God that the darkest times of my life today are the shining stars. Those times that I thought were absolute worthy of pulling the trigger and giving up are today what raise me up and push me forward to help others who have the same feelings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">What I have learned is that God does not tempt us ever. But just like the Iron being forged before becoming that sword it has to be tested under the heat of fire. It is that fire that creates a new creature in us that can be transformed from a dull piece of metal to a sharpe shiny sword ready to protect and defend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Yes our nation is having a rough time right now. I hear the divide between people widening everyday. Politics are just that, Politics. The Color of our skin does not define who we are only the shade of the person. We can not pick what we look like but we can pick how we act. We can learn to take credit for our own actions in life and be responsible going forward. No we can not change the past. The time machine is a dream that has yet to come to fruition and I hope it never does. We learn from everything that is why history is such an important lesson to us all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i>God never calls Qualified people, he creates them!</i></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gdPSetvQWNE/WdOLMsj5Z_I/AAAAAAABEqM/udTa443ZIrQX5QHglWzqd1yBPLTU6k5wQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gdPSetvQWNE/WdOLMsj5Z_I/AAAAAAABEqM/udTa443ZIrQX5QHglWzqd1yBPLTU6k5wQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0377.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">I am not a preacher, never have been, never will be. I am a 54, almost 55 year old male who has seen more than his fair share of hate, hurt and selfishness. It is time for all of us to get off our high horses and learn how to unite. It took a <b>DOG </b>yes dog spelled backwards is <b>GOD</b>, for me to start on this journey. I am walking a road I never saw coming. Holding hands with people of all sorts of backgrounds working to create peace one hand at a time. There is nothing unique to what I am doing, nothing special I am doing but the outcome is blessed because we are allowing God into our lives and community. Join us by reaching out to the person next to you. You don’t have to travel around the world, just tap the person next to you and listen to what they have to say. Truly be with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We all make mistakes in our lives. Own them, then let them go. Time is to precious to hold on to anything for more than a moment. The hate in the persons heart to take all those lives was pure evil. Don’t join that evil by continuing the story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Mike was injured this last weekend. He ripped his DewClaw on his front leg while running in the yard. He acted as if there was little wrong because he loves to run, so he limped a little but brought the toy back wagging his tail all happy. I saw it and saw the blood. My first worry was he had stepped on something and done some real serious damage. I cleaned him up put a pressure dressing on, it helps to be a bleeder myself, and called to see if the local vet was open. No such luck. That meant a trip to Charlotte, to the animal emergency room. This is never a fun trip for anyone but thank God that the VA has the Dog of Record program where service dogs get medical benefits. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">So to make a long story not so long, I get there with Mike and they go through the process of clearing the DOR card and get Mike into the treatment room. Then decide he needed to have surgery to amputate the DewClaw. Yes, those are the terms they used. Realize that Mike goes everywhere with me 24/7 so I am starting to really get worried. Wondering what am I going to do without my trusted friend during his recovery. (How selfish can I be right?) Fast forward, Mike comes back out into the waiting room a tad punch drunk from the anesthesia and he is doing great. He will have meds for a couple days to fight the potential bacterias and need to wear a bandage for a couple days also. They help get him in the truck all comfortable and all is good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Now for the rest of the story. The doctor was an Army Vet so low and behold when the bill (which I was not worried about) came out to the techs in front for payment, they made the calls to DOR. When I was handed my copy it read $40. yes that is not a typo, $40 that is all for the entire process. The techs were as shocked as I was. They asked all sorts of questions about Mike and why I had him. So I got to tell part of my story, they were in tears before I left the building (joy tears). It was an amazing day filled with some God moments where he showed himself in such wonder filled ways. I share this for two reasons. One because many of you read the blog to hear whats happening with Mike not to hear the ranting of the wild man. Two because after the ranting of the wild man I figured a very positive story was due.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Seize the day!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-63521032766903090692017-09-12T07:46:00.002-07:002017-09-12T07:55:08.745-07:00Call to Action!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First off for all those that take the time to read the ramblings of my disheveled mind, thank you. I know sometimes I rant and rave and go down bunny holes that make little to no sense. The current conversation, spiked by my recent appearance in Reno, NV and also my activities with my American Legion Post 65 in Statesville, NC., so without further ado, I bid you a good reading.<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Leo Tolstoy</b></span></span></span><br />
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As children we learn to get along, respect grow and fit in hopefully. Then in HS, we want to more, we expect to change the world maybe. Some people go on to college, but our veteran community goes out to serve. They sign a check with their life potential and time, and for 2 to 30 years we complain, we grumble, swear, and all sort of other unmentionable things. We will do what we as ordered in the name of serving our country in most cases without hesitation.<br />
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There are many reasons we do it, that doesn't matter really. What is key, is that we do it. When we hang up the uniform, we come back home or go somewhere new. Hopefully to start a new life, maybe a family. If we're lucky, we are successful however that is defined. But, the real question is that part of our lives that we signed away whether in combat or behind a desk or somewhere in between, how is that shaping your future. How is that shaping the future of your lineage?<br />
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How do we use our experience to benefit others? If this question is foreign to us then what can we do in getting ourselves into action?<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Mother Teresa</b></span></span></span><br />
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If you are listening watching reading my rant, then in some way something inside of you accepts that we all want a better world. I had to be given a death sentence to understand I could start to live. The kicker is I don't live life fully unless I'm living to help others. A long time ago I heard a saying; you have to give it away to get it. How crazy is that? In being told I was not going to get better and that my body was, in fact, dying, I was able to live for today, One Day At a Time.<br />
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I finally started to understand what it meant to do for others. A simple concept of don't steal someone's blessings began to become acceptable. What does that mean? I've always enjoyed helping others. I considered myself to be a generous person for the most part. Come to find out I was very selfish. I could do for others often, but when others attempted to do anything for me, I would shut them down. I'm not a Roman Catholic scholar. Therefore, I don't know many stories of the saints; however, I seem to remember that St Francis was well-known for penance and self-persecution. (Probably have the saint wrong for the weave I'm working on) however, I was never able to accept help or anything well from others graciously.<br />
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It was pointed out to me one day, that I was stealing others blessings. The good feelings I received when I helped others was something I was brought up to do and it gave me worth to my actions. Especially when dealing with my past transgressions, the acts of kindness allowed me to see myself as not the hideous person I was in my own mind. While in shutting others help out I was still being a selfish person in not allowing others the joy of service.<br />
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Now, why do I point all of this out? Our passion/service work is a two sided coin. Whatever we sow has to be reaped. A feast prepared, is no good if we don't have a crowd that's hungering to eat. We as a community, of Veterans, must extend ourselves past our average level of comfort to ensure that we reach not only our veteran community but also the nonveteran community to show them what real brotherhood is all about. The lessons we have learned through blood sweat and tears can and should be shared, but will not be if we lock ourselves into our halls and just support ourselves.<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Margaret Mead</b></span></span></span><br />
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Every one of us has talents and abilities. Not all of us are great community leaders or speakers. Not all of us can reach out and touch many, but every one of us comes in contact with someone at least on a weekly basis. Whether we are at a grocery store or gas station all, we have to do is become aware of our surrounding's. Look for that Service oriented cap or shirt. All we have to do is put our hand out and ask if someone served. We may not be able to explain why our VSO (for me, it's the American Legion) is so important to our veteran community. What we can do is extend an invite and ask for a phone number, email or address so someone who is good at explaining can contact them. The act of reaching out is all it takes. We all have to start and assume the responsibility to grow our brotherhood and community. Let It Begin With Me!<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Albert Einstein</b></span></span></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-67538422277265096692017-08-13T07:49:00.004-07:002017-08-13T07:49:30.448-07:00Start something new?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a particularly busy month of July, I am glad to inform you that our lives in North Carolina are starting to jell and take hold. Most people that come in contact with Mike & I will look at us and make comments as they have never seen me happier. I wish I could say that I had a lot to do with it but to be honest it is the new circumstances that continue to be laid at our feet. God has been working miracles daily and teaching me how to accept things that I would have once looked at and considered unacceptable.<br />
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Those lessons in acceptance and patience have placed me in a unique position. They have allowed me to see things through others eyes and experience in ways that personally I never would have dreamed of. I have always thought myself to be open minded yet in the past two years I have seen how myopic I have been. My heart and mind have been shown new routes to take and ways to give to others. If you are reading this, then you probably have helped change me even if you do not know it.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GQ_XfxpC8kI/WY9fO60vlYI/AAAAAAABEnA/8Z2-jKsZfKI7gHM_VBOZWRiIs1M0u8IFQCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-05-28%2B18.55.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GQ_XfxpC8kI/WY9fO60vlYI/AAAAAAABEnA/8Z2-jKsZfKI7gHM_VBOZWRiIs1M0u8IFQCLcBGAs/s320/2017-05-28%2B18.55.10.jpg" width="214" /></a>I thank you all, every one of you. Blessings like I have been given are few and far between and for me to have been allowed to walk this road is nothing short of biblical. Yes, there is a pun on words there, due to the increased study of the bible over the past year. (Something I have always read with a readers eye not necessarily a lust for learning what was really in there.) I am sure that in the past months the increase in quotes from the bible and Christian sources have probably given away the secret (Not) that I have a greater understanding of my place and need to share why I have been so blessed.<br />
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With all that said let me tell you some of what Mike and I have been able to take part in these past weeks. July was packed with travel and encounters that came from all sorts of places. I received a phone call from a friend up north putting me in contact with a company that wants to help spread the word about service dogs and the veteran communities. (Coincides with my mission of helping other veterans) Who knows if anything will come of it but with some power house backing I can dream about teaching others to spread the word that no one has to be alone and the overwhelming current number of 22 per day that takes their own life might be brought down some. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cjHd66FlBTs/WY9ejzBP5rI/AAAAAAABEm0/wLCQVbbi9kw_1hD8Xxb6fJFt5j-Z31PUQCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-07-27%2B13.11.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cjHd66FlBTs/WY9ejzBP5rI/AAAAAAABEm0/wLCQVbbi9kw_1hD8Xxb6fJFt5j-Z31PUQCLcBGAs/s200/2017-07-27%2B13.11.18.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HfntlKn9CPg/WY9euzLXiII/AAAAAAABEm4/PVul43Nl6ucwNtLXOc-SEBCifDncALRgwCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-07-27%2B13.09.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HfntlKn9CPg/WY9euzLXiII/AAAAAAABEm4/PVul43Nl6ucwNtLXOc-SEBCifDncALRgwCLcBGAs/s320/2017-07-27%2B13.09.32.jpg" width="320" /></a>As everyone knows I am a member of the American Legion Post 65, Statesville, NC. This Post is one of the more active Post I have seen around the country. For the month of July, we along with our Auxillary run a program called Christmas in July. This program, we take gifts to the State Veterans home, the Hospice and the VA Care facility in Salisbury. This year we were able to support 211 veterans with gift bags to residents along with service blankets. We also sponsored a day of bingo and just had a great day bringing joy to the facilities we visited. Mike had a blast bringing joy to all the veterans and staff. For those that have never taken the time to stop by your local area VA and see some of the elderly and hear their stories, please do. You will be surprised walking away feeling like you were the one who was blessed with history lessons and new friendships. They're always looking for people to come in and share time. Nothing more expensive than our time when our clocks have started to speed up.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFl0B35vaVM/WY9gQ7iQ0FI/AAAAAAABEnM/QG6gbfqoar8tgxtb8ncOucI4pDGsb9oawCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-21%2B09.22.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFl0B35vaVM/WY9gQ7iQ0FI/AAAAAAABEnM/QG6gbfqoar8tgxtb8ncOucI4pDGsb9oawCLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-21%2B09.22.21.jpg" width="320" /></a>I would like to talk about a program that the post is running in conjunction with the State VA home called Music and Memory program. It has to do with simple little iPods and music to help patients with memory issues. They have found that these iPods can bring peace and relaxation to the residents unlike any drug could ever do. So Post 65 has taken up collections and has been making donations to ensure that every patient that could benefit will benefit. My thought that I am looking at taking a stab at is trying to get local corporations involved in funding a larger state program and then maybe even getting this program to grow into a national program. After spending time with these patients who have been before the music program in the different world now interacting with people and seemed much happier, it is a huge win for a program.<br />
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After spending time with some of the other members of our post and some other senior members of the community, a new need has become very clear. That need is technology tutoring and job guidance. In speaking with people about their technology use and trying to guide them, the thought came up that maybe we could use our post to help veterans with their tech needs. I and one other veteran are looking into what it would take to get the post a hotspot and then offer space and time to grow the community. It could become a great recruiting tool for the Post as well as a way to help our senior members feel more connected.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_D4QbCc7wGM/WY9ga8S0-eI/AAAAAAABEnQ/MmPQ_afhDWc1nds0TcKHYnMBeZyBwQ8sACLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-22%2B12.02.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_D4QbCc7wGM/WY9ga8S0-eI/AAAAAAABEnQ/MmPQ_afhDWc1nds0TcKHYnMBeZyBwQ8sACLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-22%2B12.02.02.jpg" width="320" /></a>Stepping out of the normal operations and methodologies is the only way to stir things up sometimes. If I have to be the one to step out and make things happen then so be it. We all have to figure out what our gifts and talents are then move to make sure that we use them in the best way possible. Join me and others as we step out and find new ways to grow.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WLJV-WPQGkE/WY9hHqOkpfI/AAAAAAABEnY/D8IYhhpEkDY0Zhx2tDMMy6NtwBgC6aH-gCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-08-08%2B18.21.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WLJV-WPQGkE/WY9hHqOkpfI/AAAAAAABEnY/D8IYhhpEkDY0Zhx2tDMMy6NtwBgC6aH-gCLcBGAs/s320/2017-08-08%2B18.21.07.jpg" width="240" /></a>The Month of August looks to be just as busy as July was. Mike and I will be flying out to Reno, NV next week to attend the National American Legion Convention. This is a great opportunity to interact and meet many veterans of different eras. I thank God for the opportunities to be healthy enough to be able to travel like I do and to have Mike there with me to open the doors to get other Veterans to see they do not have to live the way they have been. Stay tuned to hear all the wonderful adventures the next time I get to write. Thank you all for the support and prayers. God Bless.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-43458381766274901642017-06-28T11:49:00.001-07:002017-06-28T11:49:33.496-07:00Sower of Seed's?<span style="color: #666666;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span>Marcel Proust</span><br />
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Thank you all for the support over the past month during all of these travels. Mike and I have put on over 3,000 miles worth of miles since we last wrote anything. At some points, it seemed as if we were stuck in the truck more than out spreading good tidings. That is just perception though because the month of June has been so filled with great people and amazing opportunities to share how God has been working in my life.</div>
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For a quick recap of some of the events that we have been honored to be able to be present at, Post 65 American Legion and the Iredale County Veterans Council, participated in many Memorial Day Events over the Memorial Day weekend. It was an honor to partake in those events and share the pride and commitment with our local communities. Giving back to the towns we live in so our youth can understand why we have these special holidays is so important. </div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxJufa8gj9I/WVPqcC7J8II/AAAAAAABEk4/5IPlmlgMAjUzB9R8EN1bkzPCj1LLQo6sACLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-10%2B20.36.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxJufa8gj9I/WVPqcC7J8II/AAAAAAABEk4/5IPlmlgMAjUzB9R8EN1bkzPCj1LLQo6sACLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-10%2B20.36.03.jpg" width="320" /></a>A few days later, Mike and I were blessed with a Senior H.S. Project in Mechanicsville, VA where these young adults took it upon themselves to go out and raise awareness and understanding in their town. They planned and pulled off a grand day that raised over $2,500.00 in donations for America's VetDogs and the Guide Dog Foundation. Both Service and Guide Dogs were represented at the presentation through Brian's Guide Dog "Ralph" & Mike. Mike even wowed the group present with a tug on the alarm and showing a few of his other skills. (Of course, if he could get me to shut up some it would probably have been even better.) </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9AWnsJjTTAw/WVPrCAtuwfI/AAAAAAABElE/W9gjEPB9ycsYp1QX9vY6YC-KQ3N3SYEtwCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-28%2B13.43.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9AWnsJjTTAw/WVPrCAtuwfI/AAAAAAABElE/W9gjEPB9ycsYp1QX9vY6YC-KQ3N3SYEtwCLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-28%2B13.43.45.jpg" width="214" /></a>It was of course, awesome to see a healthy and active Brian and family doing great things out and about. Just goes to show you can not keep an old warhorse down for very long that is for sure. Thank you, Lord, for bringing my brother from a different mother through all the trials and allowing him to now share his story to help others.</div>
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This was Mike pulling the Alarm during the presentations we gave.</div>
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What seemed like hours after returning from VA, I was packed and heading north to meet up with the newest Phyfe. Yes, there is a new Blessing in the Phyfe Clan, Master Clark William Phyfe. My Son and his Bride, have made me into a grandfather. So with my old man wings on I hooked up the horse and buggy and began a northerly trek. Enroute We stopped in Amish lands, Bird in Hand, and got to spread some information and ate some great food. What a wonderful step back in time. Hard to believe that in today's modern society such a simple style of living can be preserved not just for display but truly embraced. (Other than the heat, which last time I checked they had no control over, the day spent there was wonderful.) I am looking forward to a longer visit to this area.</div>
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So here is my Son and Grandson! What a blessing and a beauty. He's a baby so I doubt he minds if I call him a beauty at this point. I am sure that in time he will grow to be an Ox like his father. Many prayers and blessing to the entire family in their new home. For those that have been following for years, Yes, Iris is on duty watching out for young Clark and family. It was so great to spend time with her also.<br />
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My Daughter, who just purchased a house of her own out near the Cape Cod area was able to spend a day with her family also at Dan's. I was also able to get out and visit Mel's New Home by the Cape. Are you getting tired thinking of all these miles I'm driving? (I've been back in NC for over a week and still feeling the tired from so many miles.)<br />
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Before I get you back on the road and out of CT I want to mention Aaron, a young man doing his Bar Mitzvah project where he decided he wanted to help raise awareness and money to help Veterans. His father is a partially disabled veteran and they have known me for some time. So since they knew I was going to be coming north Aaron set up this talk in his synagog and now has a donation page set up. Please take a moment and support his goal of raising $6,000 for America's VetDogs.The link to his donation page is <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fgoo.gl%2FTKdEtp&h=ATN7qfVr8nIvK1kCnNof2I1S28cU5gfz1g8by1OiP65YGntYpdxrAZcrb0p0XrQcr9SK4UhCGwaVM6t4CbaXVTkia7VkrvDWJ-g41FbDRxJoUy-gNvesvfSvNNq7pSsVaFfL76sJUsKlB0xBaUtIL6SNZKB9pijl" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Bar Mitzvah project</span> </a> Unfortunately, there have been a couple technical issues with the web give page so after a few restarts the new one is up and accepting donations. Do not worry if you gave on the old page the totals will be carried forward. Also if you mail a donation into Vetdogs or to Randy directly those funds will all get totaled and go toward his goal of $6,000. His wish is to be able to name a Service Dog with the money raised.<br />
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Once Mike & I returned we have not let much grass grow under our paws. We have taken part in a Purple Heart Homes ceremony where they officially gave a home to a veteran. It was such an honor to be there to see the flag being raised and the community coming together to support our nation's heroes.<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span>Gustave Flaubert</span><br />
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Yes, I have finally shaved the facial hair away!</div>
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Thank you all for blessing me and allowing me to share my experience strength and hopes with all of you. I have been blessed so many times over that my cup overflows.</div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">― </span>Roy T. Bennett</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-13136403589278837002017-05-22T07:05:00.002-07:002017-05-22T07:11:43.560-07:00Memories & futures!<br />
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"<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:9"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">Over the past two years, I will admit to some of the most amazing growth and sole searching I have ever done. I have made changes in my life that I would never have thought about doing in the past let alone actually taken action on. As anyone that knows me knows, my health has been an issue for the past 20 plus years and honestly, I thought I was on the downslide of life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">Who would have thought that I was being prepared for a walk of a lifetime? I surely did not see it happening or even want to have it happen. All I wanted was to make a small difference in my own little way. I did not see any big pictures or God working in my life to become a beacon for others walking a road that needed lighting. So over this past couple years, I have been steered, yes steered through some pretty hairy corners with little more than what amounts to a golf cart in a formula one race. Most often I feel more than ill equipped to handle the situations that I am presented with but somehow the answers always seem to appear. (I say a golf cart because God knows I am no longer in the racing shape I used to be in that is for sure. I know what imagery, right?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">It was 2 years ago this week that I was down at the Foundation, meeting up with my current Service Dog, Mike. Over the past 2 years, we have been on a whirlwind tour of America. We've traveled from sea to shining sea and from north to south. During those travels, we have been able to help other veterans talk about issues they prefer to brush under the rug or help them fill out an application for a service dog and other times just be a quiet friend to sit and listen. No matter what I have walked away as a richer person with a heart that has grown because I have learned to step out of my own way. Learning that I am my biggest problem, always have been and always will be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">So looking back on the past couple years is a great exercise in humility, being able to see a grand footprint of God where he has carried me through times I would not have made it on my own. We all have this capacity to look inwardly and should often but we all need to be reminded to do it with prayer and supplication so we stay right minded. In my own way, I see how I have been placed strategically in places at the right time to help others see things. I had nothing to do with the placement other than having been put there. I am grateful to be allowed to share in the lives of others and rejoice in the tears and smiles alike.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">One of the super neat treats this past month was to take part in a tribute to the troops at a small but active American Legion Post here in NC. Post 65 in Statesville was honored to have Rockie Lynne a Country Music #1 recording Star and Veteran of the famous 82nd ABN Div himself, come play at their monthly meeting. Talk about showing veterans how to have a good time! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">Lucky for those of you who were not able to be there I was sitting front row and was able to record the entire show live and then put it up on Facebook and Youtube.com. <a href="https://youtu.be/7Hr5W5cQZLM" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/7Hr5W5cQZLM</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">“If we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Nothing stimulates our appetite for the simple joys of life more than the starvation caused by sadness or desperation. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span style="font-family: "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Anthon St. Maarten</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">FYI- </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "san francisco" , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24000000953674316px;">May is</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "san francisco" , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24000000953674316px;"> </span><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/nationalmilitaryappreciationmonth?source=feed_text&story_id=10154794526281871" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24000000953674316px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">NationalMilitaryAppreciationMonth</span></span></a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "san francisco" , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24000000953674316px;">, the month in which Americans are encouraged to honor those who serve or have served our country.</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "san francisco" , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24000000953674316px;"> </span><br />
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Charlie, the <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-obj-id="12566691349" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=12566691349&extragetparams=%7B%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/today/?fref=mentions" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;">Today Show</a> ‘puppy with a purpose,’ invites you to join him and VetDogs to celebrate Military Appreciation Month by taking on a vital role for veterans with disabilities. We’re asking you to join the “Charlie's Squad” to help sponsor 10 specially trained service dogs for veterans with disabilities. <a href="http://operation.vetdogs.org/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'San Francisco', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Operation.VetDogs.org</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'San Francisco', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif;"> for mo</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: 'San Francisco', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif;">re info, and to make a donation today.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-4214728149574842722017-05-01T08:10:00.003-07:002017-05-01T08:10:39.735-07:00May Day's bring?<span style="color: #999999;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Roy T. Bennett</b></span></span></span><div>
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The 7th Annual VetDogs 5/10k Run Walk was held at Kent Island, MD on April 23, 2017. The event was a huge success and thank God the weather which had been threatening to be a washout decided to hold off. Mike and I arrived on Saturday evening to the event grounds under the fog and drizzle that had been keeping the hearty Marylanders heads down for almost a week on and off. It did not look like it was going to be a beautiful day of sunshine but we were prepared to be out there none the less to support VetDogs and all the runners/walkers that wanted to raise money for America's VetDogs.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xeG5cxE3XG8/WQdHFIvTY9I/AAAAAAABEh4/zBWeqWmqFQoiREabxS0aO0-zOIhi0epWgCLcB/s1600/2017-04-23%2B06.08.52.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xeG5cxE3XG8/WQdHFIvTY9I/AAAAAAABEh4/zBWeqWmqFQoiREabxS0aO0-zOIhi0epWgCLcB/s200/2017-04-23%2B06.08.52.jpg" width="200" /></a>When we woke up and saw the beautiful Sunrise I knew we had been blessed, the temps were perfect and the clouds even though red in the morning were not threatening at the moment. So off to the registration area we went to see what we could do before all the runners arrived. All the Volunteers were already making the day move to a steady hum. With nothing for us to do except grab the camera gear and head out to the main field, Mike and I strapped on our gear and took off allowing everyone to do their work without us being in the way. As the crowds arrived, we were able to capture many great pictures of Charlie and Olivia (the NBC Puppy with A Cause Team, seen weekday at 8:30 on the Today show Nationally.) They were one of the highlights for many of the participants that came out to support the foundation.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DDsOeNVE6zs/WQdDweX0YnI/AAAAAAABEhQ/xz6VZNf7uhweGzsetFxb6iylbwhFweJrwCLcB/s1600/IMG_2068.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DDsOeNVE6zs/WQdDweX0YnI/AAAAAAABEhQ/xz6VZNf7uhweGzsetFxb6iylbwhFweJrwCLcB/s200/IMG_2068.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1eknPnhbj7w/WQdDwFvpzVI/AAAAAAABEhM/10twA1XNBDUMl7kqPHULA6pUS_pH5WhkACLcB/s1600/IMG_1965.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1eknPnhbj7w/WQdDwFvpzVI/AAAAAAABEhM/10twA1XNBDUMl7kqPHULA6pUS_pH5WhkACLcB/s320/IMG_1965.jpg" width="214" /></a>The Naval Academy sent their Honor Guard to open and close the ceremony and did a great job. Secretly I kept looking over my head as I do every year hoping to see the Blue Angels appear and do a flyover (yes my way of hinting to anyone with strings they can pull). Of course, we got Charlie out there to partake in the opening also. The local NBC affiliate did some taping of Mike, Myself, Liberty and Melanie another Veteran along with Charlie and Olivia. Needless to say, some great press was had for VetDogs and the GuideDog Foundation throughout the day.<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Z1yQtZO9ng/WQdELhkTeYI/AAAAAAABEhc/I7XYuJQMf6kmym8sAJqsv_e7I4SNamOLgCLcB/s1600/IMG_2125.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="133" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Z1yQtZO9ng/WQdELhkTeYI/AAAAAAABEhc/I7XYuJQMf6kmym8sAJqsv_e7I4SNamOLgCLcB/s200/IMG_2125.jpg" style="text-align: center;" title="" width="200" /></a><br />
Of course, Mike did his fair share of hanging out in front of the camera along with many of his cousins and other service dogs. It was just a great opportunity to be able to show how Veterans are able to get back into the community and become powerful examples of what great citizens they are. This particular event seemed to draw this year more of our sister veterans with service dogs than past years which was great to see. I was finally able to meet CSM Evans who was this year's Keynote speaker. One of the reasons I had been looking forward to meeting her for a long time is we had both started out in the 82nd Abn Div around the same time even attending the fun in the sun event in Grenada. Our paths never crossed while on active duty, but we have chatted since becoming vetdogs team members, so it was great to finally meet each other.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LQIeuBdgex8/WQdEL9KfNRI/AAAAAAABEhg/-PlBme_X5BEaNKEz54wXgW4JuCZJ0P7ugCLcB/s1600/IMG_2110.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LQIeuBdgex8/WQdEL9KfNRI/AAAAAAABEhg/-PlBme_X5BEaNKEz54wXgW4JuCZJ0P7ugCLcB/s320/IMG_2110.jpg" width="320" /></a>Some of the other pictures from the event are at the bottom of the page. There were a lot of pets at the event along with a good number of puppy's in training. Some from the prison program and some from the home raising program. I will take a second here to point out that if you are interested in helping out, please contact <a href="http://www.vetdogs.org/">America's VetDogs through their website</a> they are always looking for volunteers of all shapes and sizes ;).<br />
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Remember, the month of May is a busy month for many. There are many holidays along with schools getting ready to let out for summer vacations. I know that Mike and I have already started to get calls for different events that people would like us to be at. Don't forget about your nation's Veterans when you start to plan your Memorial Day events. Yes, we're honoring our soldiers and sailors that have passed but who better than a veteran to help our communities do that honor. If you don't know a veteran, please look up one of your Veteran Service organizations such as the American Legion, VFW or DAV. There are others also you can call, or even towns have veteran community links nowadays. Take a moment and reach out to ask for help it will bring a special meaning to your next event and also help bring a veteran back into the community.<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Rick Warren</b></span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-49797605205124736322017-04-10T12:58:00.001-07:002017-04-10T12:58:42.730-07:00Gala Event Planet Dog!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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April 8th, 2017 <a href="http://www.planetdogfoundation.org/">http://www.planetdogfoundation.org</a> hosted a Gala Event in Portland, ME. They invited Olivia Poff & Charlie from the Puppy with a Cause on the Today morning show NBC, along with myself and Mike. Mike had been featured in their <a href="http://www.planetdogblog.com/planet_dog_blog/2016/04/americas-vet-dogs-prison-program-a-win-win-win.html">Blog in April of 2016</a>.<br />
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It was a pleasure and an honor to be asked to attend and speak at Planet Dogs first ever Gala Event Fundraiser. To be able to help bring awareness to all the work these great service dog organizations such as America's VetDogs and K9 on the Front Lines. Both of these agencies providing dogs to veterans at no cost allowing our nations veterans get back to living a normal life without placing them into debt.<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b0h46lZ7hjA/WOviCDQPj7I/AAAAAAABEgU/fQr7ij1abpE3Eq3e2T4IC0jI01QTXEOWACLcB/s1600/2017-04-08%2B17.58.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b0h46lZ7hjA/WOviCDQPj7I/AAAAAAABEgU/fQr7ij1abpE3Eq3e2T4IC0jI01QTXEOWACLcB/s320/2017-04-08%2B17.58.56.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.” </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">― Abraham Lincoln</span><br />
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To have Charlie there also, the Star of the NBC Today Show's, Puppy with a Purpose this year, was great. To have both Mike and Charlie be able to show off how well behaved and task oriented they both are is a testiment to the great work America's VetDogs is doing. The TV interview with the Local NBC Affiliate and all the stops in and around Portland goes to show just how aware people are becoming about Service dogs and the mission to help veterans. It truely was a great trip and very humbling to say the least.<br />
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Here is the link to the <a href="http://www.wcsh6.com/life/instead-of-dog-eat-dog-its-dog-help-dog-in-maine/429922812">NBC Portland Affiliate's Sunday morning piece</a> that was done with Charlie and Mike.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uf8DnOIV_SI/WOvhyzYfd-I/AAAAAAABEgQ/dOPV2E59cKYCRkJwpxmVbBEo4CGf5WAKgCLcB/s1600/2017-04-09%2B12.11.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uf8DnOIV_SI/WOvhyzYfd-I/AAAAAAABEgQ/dOPV2E59cKYCRkJwpxmVbBEo4CGf5WAKgCLcB/s320/2017-04-09%2B12.11.32.jpg" width="240" /></a>On a personal note to top off a grand weekend the plane was delayed to get me back down south. Now this may sound like a negative but instead of being a sour grape on a hot fudge sundae it was a glorious oversized maraschino cherry. It allowed time for an interaction between a Korean War Veteran and myself, facilitated because of Mike. This elderly gentleman had just been through a horific accident on the highway in Maine on his way to Canada. Both he and his wife were involved with two tractor trailors that totaled his car yet they were amazingly able to walk away with some scratches.<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">“Good men don't become legends," he said quietly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">"Good men don't need to become legends." She opened her eyes, looking up at him. "They just do what's right anyway.” </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">― Brandon Sanderson</span><br />
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He was still shacken up but had been able to get his wife to Canada in time to see and help her sister. He then had to drive back to Portland to drop the rental off but knew no one. The hour and a half we were ablet o just talk (I listened) allowed him to calm his nerves as he was able to relive parts of his life that he had not talked about for over 60 years. I was so blessed that Mike was wearing his camo vest and made a comfortable key to open up the doors for this gentleman. As we boarded the plane he was a different person then when he first sat down next to me.<br />
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I talk about how our dogs change lives all the time. However often, we forget how as a team we touch others. The doors that Mike and Iris opened for me allowing me to become a whole person again was only the begining. I see how God has continued to work miricles in my life and so many others around me every single day. So often we forget to open our own eyes and look for those miricles. They may be small and hard to spot when we are stuck in our own head but all we have to do is put out our hand and try to help someone else and then we can see them blooming like 4th of July fireworks.<br />
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I thank God daily for giving me his 4 legged version of himself to remind me to be grateful for all he does daily. <br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666;">“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.” </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666;">― Alphonse Karr</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-42574149453128742652017-03-09T13:02:00.000-08:002017-03-09T13:02:13.505-08:00Willingness? Hmm how about you?Hello all, hope everyone is doing great things with all this beautiful weather we're having. Oops, maybe I'm rubbing it in this 75-degree sunny weather is not being enjoyed by everyone just those of us smart enough to move south during the winter months.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QlPgpqP_taw/WMHB6im9tiI/AAAAAAABEeE/wZTPsQYkS0gDVraaAqGshFhQlUh53KTDACLcB/s1600/IMG_0156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QlPgpqP_taw/WMHB6im9tiI/AAAAAAABEeE/wZTPsQYkS0gDVraaAqGshFhQlUh53KTDACLcB/s320/IMG_0156.jpg" width="320" /></a>No matter where we are in our lives we all have our missions to serve. A wise man once told me that we must figure out what our talents are so that we can share them with others and glorify the gifts that God has given us to the fullest. Becoming willing to live our lives this way is not an easy decision because it means we have to give up our selfish nature as much as possible. For me especially that is not easy to do. Naturally I want to be there for others as much as possible but do I want to sacrifice my comforts and time?<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GPD2MdNUNgM/WMHCR4woifI/AAAAAAABEeI/JIv4IwCTLugcJKbNeMTpgIlwMSF3vLUmgCLcB/s1600/2016-11-29%2B15.51.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GPD2MdNUNgM/WMHCR4woifI/AAAAAAABEeI/JIv4IwCTLugcJKbNeMTpgIlwMSF3vLUmgCLcB/s320/2016-11-29%2B15.51.49.jpg" width="180" /></a>I heard an awesome bible study the other day talking about servanthood and what that used to mean back in the day of the apostles and Christ. We're not talking about someone who serves today and is then thanked we're talking about an entirely selfless person who is at the bottom of the food chain! Someone who never gets simple thanks no praises nothing. Today we, especially Americans are very appreciative of people who serve. I was brought up to treat the janitor and the CEO with the same respect. It's common courtesy today, so to grasp that level of servant the Bible talks about is hard to do. To become willing to live my life as a servant helping others is even more challenging.<br />
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I'm not going to delve into all my personal issues, but I will say that over that past few years I've become much more aware of how I must serve if I'm going to be able to live with myself. Focusing on others has allowed me to see life from a different angle and freed me to understand that living not just for the day but the moment is paramount the freedom from self truly is worth the journey. Mike, my service dog, has opened so many doors to my mission and life that I'm so grateful today. He has allowed me to step up and out of myself even when I may not be in the mood. I finally understand why these four-legged creatures are named God spelled backward. Dog.<br />
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I thank God for the willingness to move forward with my life when I just wanted to quit. Today I spoke to a seniors club and to engage with them and share the story of how these dogs change lives, was just wonderful. It's not about me feeling good it's about making a difference in the community and helping others to understand that no one should ever have to quit before the miracle of life. My story is not all that unusual, but the message resonates enough to allow others to get on board. When others become aware of the suicidal rates of veterans and the other issues, many veterans have then learned that these four-legged blessings can bring about changes it is so worthwhile.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NSYgm_UzGZg/WMHCTQtyDnI/AAAAAAABEeM/T7K6OpSCzuUro5znUu55ohGPsNFhGJaHACLcB/s1600/IMG_1465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NSYgm_UzGZg/WMHCTQtyDnI/AAAAAAABEeM/T7K6OpSCzuUro5znUu55ohGPsNFhGJaHACLcB/s320/IMG_1465.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you have not been touched by one of these service dogs or a veteran who has had a miracle happen to them look around, they are all over. Some are WWII veterans, and some are current conflict, but all veterans have a story that should be told. Sit them down and listen to them I bet you will be transformed.<br />
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God Bless<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-42826323807521026212017-03-06T14:52:00.000-08:002017-03-06T14:52:25.714-08:00Ye of little Faith?<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6ly0qPt_Qg/WL3mnaGG5fI/AAAAAAABEdk/QHBFub40-TkgBQESaKhpwV_6XZZb4fBDwCLcB/s1600/2017-03-02%2B10.01.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6ly0qPt_Qg/WL3mnaGG5fI/AAAAAAABEdk/QHBFub40-TkgBQESaKhpwV_6XZZb4fBDwCLcB/s320/2017-03-02%2B10.01.22.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><i><span style="color: #666666;">“How would your life be different if…You stopped making negative, judgmental assumptions about people you encounter? Let today be the day…You look for the good in everyone you meet and respect their journey.” </span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #666666;">― Steve Maraboli</span></i></b><br />
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Being a parent and how God must feel? God is not a Grandfather to anyone, so he has an intimate relationship with each and every one of us. I know when my children were little I was responsible for their well-being, but as they've aged they grew into responsible people, and I only wish I could remove the pain and suffering they may have to go through. To think that God has had to do that same release with everyone allowing us to be human and still loving us in spite of who we are and what we do is amazing.<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b><i>“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.” (Proverbs 3:13)</i></b></span><br />
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The fact that I have to focus on my life and live to<br />
my best ability not living for people places and things around me, not trying to control or make things happen. When I focus on my world accepting my faults and admitting my wrongs I can live forward. I can put my hand out to help others not because I want to look a certain way or because I'm better than someone but because when I'm helping others, I'm not doing the wrongs that my human nature naturally does. As a wise man once told me if you are busy doing the do's you don't have time for the don't that life has to offer.<br />
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I love the story told to me when I was fighting against my beliefs in a higher power (God), and I was so sure that no power out there could ever run a world such we have here on earth. This world that is so tortured and stricken with tragedy after tragedy. I was fighting with a personal daemon of drugs and alcohol that told me I didn't have a problem it was everything around me that was wrong. A little old lady looked at me, a juvenile delinquent if ever there was one, and said if you are not an alcoholic and you go to AA, what have you lost? Then she said, if you are an alcoholic and don't go to AA oh God what have you lost! By this time I had accepted, I could not drink and be normal like most kids my age so that statement rang true. Her next statement just as simply blew me away!<br />
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She took the same simple philosophy and stretched it into a statement about God even I could not dispute. She said if there is no God and I believe in God, what have I lost? But, if there is a God and I don't believe in that God oh God what have I lost! Wow, profound at best my mind could no longer flat out deny nor dispute on the grounds I had been, which were completely self-centered ego, me not wanting to admit I was not in control. That simple statement allowed me to see the light at the end of the tunnel as it was not that it might have been the train coming to run me over.<br />
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Over many years I've grown and tested that same faith. It has wavered many times, to say the least. I've seen things that most should never have to see. Encountered events that's still to this day cause me to shiver with the thoughts of them. I saw the birth of two miracles, my son, and daughter which I would never have expected to been blessed with. I've been so depressed in life that I played with a 45 caliber pistol wanting nothing more than to have it over. The lonely feeling that no human power could understand me and I was alone with myself locked in a dark, dismal cave of life's bottomless pit.<br />
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It was not the help given to me that brought me out of that cave so much as it is the constant reaching out of hands of others. Those hands weren't hands passed in pity as I had always perceived them but hands up as if the person below or above was push/pulling me along with them on their journeys. You see the gift is the giving; it's the process, not the wrapping. The community of brothers and sisters interwoven together creating a tapestry of life.<br />
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So that is my take on faith today. Somehow I felt moved to share this so here it is. Maybe this is a new direction in my blogging God knows I have these thoughts all the time maybe I'll start doing this more often. Let me know what you think.<br />
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God bless<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span>Wayne W. Dyer</span></i></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-47172090162968265882017-03-05T12:41:00.002-08:002017-03-05T12:41:27.686-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<b><i><span style="color: #444444;">“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody.” </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #444444;">― Stephen Chbosky</span></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nXOqt9sQDTo/WLx2CJIUtMI/AAAAAAABEdI/KY7lJXDlcU4Kf2ZLX3-LzJd8ptvjV98DQCLcB/s1600/2017-02-11%2B11.12.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nXOqt9sQDTo/WLx2CJIUtMI/AAAAAAABEdI/KY7lJXDlcU4Kf2ZLX3-LzJd8ptvjV98DQCLcB/s320/2017-02-11%2B11.12.19.jpg" width="320" /></a>So here we are again wondering why it has been so long since I last wrote, chastising myself for being so neglectful of this blog. The bottom line is that with all that I seem to be doing I somehow forget to do these things I truly do enjoy doing. Maybe someday this will take a bigger stage, but for now, you are all stuck with the rantings on the untimely nature they happen.</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #444444;">“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #444444;">― Steve Maraboli</span></i></b></div>
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My life over the past year has been a whirlwind ride if nothing else. So many changes for good and bad but most importantly I have been changing myself not the world. The freedom that comes from finally realizing that taking control over what needs to be done instead of wishing I had control over what I have no controls over. For those wondering what that is, it is owning myself and letting everyone else be who they are. My health and mind are so much better when focused on the one person I can control then all of the turmoil of the outside world. </div>
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<b><i>2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! </i></b></div>
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That particular verse rings so true in my life over the past 12 months. So much has changed I have embraced the fact that I have a mission that I am pushed forward and into, sometimes with the fingernails getting stuck on the walls as I grasp trying not to do what I know God is pushing me forward too. Having moved into a small western NC county that you would think would allow me some obscurity but finding that it has a veteran population of over 10,000 and a true need for people to get active. I continue to find that Mike opens doors with people that would not talk to someone from the VA or other VSO's. (Veteran Service Organizations) </div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dqexdZQfhqg/WLx2Sud4TdI/AAAAAAABEdQ/0HEjqNbjTyQtJiS2kE-oTw-Me8KGkY8cQCLcB/s1600/2017-02-11%2B17.46.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dqexdZQfhqg/WLx2Sud4TdI/AAAAAAABEdQ/0HEjqNbjTyQtJiS2kE-oTw-Me8KGkY8cQCLcB/s320/2017-02-11%2B17.46.56.jpg" width="320" /></a>These interactions while part of my daily life have changed my life and I can only hope others around me. Telling my story and helping others to become comfortable with their stories has become part of my living life on life's terms. This week I had a remarkable experience while traveling north in the camper. As usual, I rarely stay in a campground. Instead, I do what many seasoned RV'ers call boondocking. (Dry camping, "walmarting" or many other names also.) I had stopped in at one of my friends along the coast of New Jersy, having a great dinner and conversation. After dinner, I was ready for a rest before heading up and around NYC, so I started looking for available parking. My friend mentioned a pastor friend and his church as an option. Not one to turn down a safe-haven (no this is not Bethlehem, but the story could be I guess.)</div>
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His friend said sure, come on by so we drove on over, and I found a safe level space to park. The pastor came out to meet Mike & I which is not at all unusual, but his greeting threw me for a loop. I am a Christian, and there is no hiding that. I am not a bible thumper nor am I a real prayer out loud. To be honest, I get all tongue-tied if asked to say a prayer of any length in public. All that said, when the Pastor came up shook my hand and said tell me about your ministry I was a tad taken back. Don't get me wrong I do consider the daily interactions I have with people to be God inspired and a mission of God to help other Veterans in whatever manner I can. What I had never thought of though was being referred to as a missionary. (I mean come on people, I was a grunt in the Army, and I am not really what I would consider the typical missionary.)</div>
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We all talked for a while, sharing stories and all but my mind could not just let go of what he had said. Who would have thought that a couple of words could change the way I looked at my daily actions and interactions. He wasn't saying I needed to open a church or change at all; he was saying I already was a missionary. That blew me away, it still does. We have all been given so many gifts in this life, and it is our responsibility to recognize them and then use them to glorify God. I hope and prayer that I do that already but after that conversation, my mind has been spinning. The wonderment of "am I doing enough or even doing what I am supposed to be doing?" continues to seep into my thoughts.</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #444444;">“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.” </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #444444;">― Roy T. Bennett</span></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUeoM29Vj_8/WLx14Aui50I/AAAAAAABEdE/kPmz9X5-NpA61dyNdUn_Tn0g_tlXrIjMwCLcB/s1600/2017-02-18%2B07.03.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUeoM29Vj_8/WLx14Aui50I/AAAAAAABEdE/kPmz9X5-NpA61dyNdUn_Tn0g_tlXrIjMwCLcB/s320/2017-02-18%2B07.03.52.jpg" width="240" /></a>My choices have made me who I am. God had given me free will to become the person I am leading me even when I wasn't looking or was so stubborn that I fought hard to run the other way. Today my life is an amazing collection of trials and tribulations that create a story many people find inspiring for some reason. To me, it is my life, and I would not trade it for anyone else. I do not regret the past nor wish to change it. The future is so unbelievably beautiful because I know that God is here guiding me. </div>
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The most important part of all this is not that someone pointed out that I am a missionary, but that life moves forward with a design so much greater than anything we could ever have planned. Who would have ever expected this juvenile delinquent kid from Wallingford CT to amount to anything? Well, the most important answer to that and the only one that counts is God! He lets me know daily how much he loves me through that one on one interactions in the grocery store or on the street. All I have to do is say thank you, God.</div>
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Mark 10:45 - “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-67841381525764405372017-01-11T06:39:00.002-08:002017-01-11T06:46:41.169-08:002017, a New Year not a New Start!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The end of 2016 was a whirlwind that came upon Mike & I like a hurricane, fast and furious but with an unrelenting strength not wanting to release us. After our trip out west for the filming session the crud that seemed to attack so many souls took hold in my lungs and beat me like a drum sometimes giving the appearance of letting up and others crashing and banging so loudly that all I could do was bury my head and wish the day would end.<br />
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I still feel the remnants holding on like barnacles on an old whaling ship, but I refuse to give in. The "Winter Blizzard" all six inches has put the western North Carolina are into a deep freeze pattern where everything closed for days on end which was fun to watch. Today the temps will be up in the Mid 50's so the schools and roads will be rolled back out after an appropriate delay of course and life will resume. Yes, my amusement with the methods of "winter warfare" down south is probably a tad warped having lived in the land of the chosen frozen for so long, but hey I am allowed some solace when it comes to my new adopted home base.<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Hi5P6AnLSU/WHZDJPqO6KI/AAAAAAABEbQ/zyHRsWszIyQ6F1XuzQ3pWuSSjHJtsOx4QCLcB/s1600/IMG_1526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Hi5P6AnLSU/WHZDJPqO6KI/AAAAAAABEbQ/zyHRsWszIyQ6F1XuzQ3pWuSSjHJtsOx4QCLcB/s320/IMG_1526.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Now on to the blog, the real reason any and all of you tune in for this dribble I write out once in a while. When I last took to the keyboard, Mike and I had been flying the friendly skies from sea to shining sea. The fruits of that travel have started to appear already out in the world of the Internet. <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/3mv9jb9by57sqfr/PetIQJanVisionFINAL_HIGH.mp4?dl=0">Click Here </a>to see the first of the video's that will be coming out from the filming done. There will be other video's that will be compiled featuring the bond between Mike & I as a Service Dog Team. PetIQ is the company that funded this project, and I cannot thank them enough for helping in getting the word out about the good that these service dogs do in our veterans lives. This project should benefit VetDogs and Veterans in the long run.<br />
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Soon after getting back to Western NC I decided a trip out to a Japenese restaurant would be a nice break from my basic cooking skills. Well, I have had a service dog for many years now and rarely do I encounter issues with places that do not understand the ADA law. That all came to a screeching halt in Dec when for the first time I was not able to educate and continue my dining experience. One of the things I do is prepare for such occasions because you never want to be caught off guard and not ready to work with someone. In my mind no one is ever out to blatantly break the law, there have to be factors involved that are leading the party to ask me to leave. It is my job to educate as best as I can. All that said, nothing I said or did swayed this proprietor to allow me to stay and eat.<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HI7o1JMUJOs/WHZDJNZ-r9I/AAAAAAABEbU/W1sHA4W__agqqLLG_Ct6Yir-P8VS653SQCLcB/s1600/IMG_1527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HI7o1JMUJOs/WHZDJNZ-r9I/AAAAAAABEbU/W1sHA4W__agqqLLG_Ct6Yir-P8VS653SQCLcB/s320/IMG_1527.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
A few things I would like to point out here at this juncture. So often I see or hear about people with service dogs that were denied access getting into major issues with store owners or police over the ADA laws. Personally, I find this to be a negative on all fronts when it comes to helping future access. It may make for better news stories, but it tends to put a nasty taste in everyone's mind and causes the unnecessary bias towards the community as a whole. Working with people to educate in a positive manner sometimes requires that we step back allow a tempory loss while we assess the situation and come up with a positive direction that will open doors for everyone.<br />
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This is what I ended up doing at this particular establishment. Instead of causing a scene and having the police called I videoed the event and politely left. They were having nothing with the law when I showed it to them and tried to help them understand it. Whether it was a language barrier or just ignorance, I have no clue. Due to sickness, I have not been able to go back to this establishment again to attempt another entry. I will soon and this time I will have more people with me to back me up along with a translation for them in case it was a language issue. The bottom line is that allowing them to continue to go against the ADA Law is not what I proposed when I left it was just not worth trying to shut them down and making a scene that makes us all look bad.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hcngV2cXjT4/WHZDKZZt-7I/AAAAAAABEbg/ZDoEjKY6gFgbC3PUz0CGQXcM-yaKjGRXwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hcngV2cXjT4/WHZDKZZt-7I/AAAAAAABEbg/ZDoEjKY6gFgbC3PUz0CGQXcM-yaKjGRXwCLcB/s320/IMG_1530.jpg" width="214" /></a>The other thing I will do is go back off-peak hours in hopes that they will be more understanding if they are not at their busiest time. All of this is in hopes to have a friendly future visit for all service dogs at establishments, not one that when they see dogs coming they cringe thinking that they will lose business or run the risk of being shut down.<br />
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That is enough of my soapbox for today.<br />
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A few things I did that others may find helpful in a situation like this:<br />
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When they came to me and said I had to leave because of the dog, I immediately said he was a service dog not a pet. I then explained there was the ADA Law that made allowances for Service Dogs. They said they didn't care. I said no problem I had encountered this before and that I worked with other disabled veterans and helped in training on how to handle situations like this so I was going to video them tellimg me I had to leave. They agreed. I started to video Click here to see the video of the conversation if you want.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EWdxl57TEKk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EWdxl57TEKk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Rq5nl8ZfrEY/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rq5nl8ZfrEY?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-4132296619785018752016-12-10T10:21:00.000-08:002016-12-10T10:28:51.806-08:00High Flying Times!<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-unPlBqouqJM/WExBXfWnB-I/AAAAAAABEZU/C3a6qWVPmHIbrJNMUSK1jlOaKSsOEeptwCLcB/s1600/2016-12-07%2B11.18.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-unPlBqouqJM/WExBXfWnB-I/AAAAAAABEZU/C3a6qWVPmHIbrJNMUSK1jlOaKSsOEeptwCLcB/s320/2016-12-07%2B11.18.19.jpg" width="180" /></a><i><span style="color: #666666;">“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because, without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” </span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #666666;">― Maya Angelou</span></i><br />
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This past week Mike & I found us flying to the West Coast to film two different videos with a production company. These both will be aired sometime shortly within markets across the country. Unfortunately, I do not know the specifics of when or wher<span style="text-align: center;">e at this point but will keep everyone updated as information is released. The first video will feature the bond between animals and humans while the second is going to focus on the human/service dog connection. Stay tuned; I saw some of the raw footage shot and it was incredible.</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #666666;">“Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of a pure heart.” </span></i><i><span style="color: #666666;">― José N. Harris</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yuS0G47VCNI/WExBwzbNi7I/AAAAAAABEZs/JSlBA6eFp-MgIttDqkPpRnBSaedzxOXRgCLcB/s1600/2016-12-05%2B15.51.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yuS0G47VCNI/WExBwzbNi7I/AAAAAAABEZs/JSlBA6eFp-MgIttDqkPpRnBSaedzxOXRgCLcB/s320/2016-12-05%2B15.51.05.jpg" width="240" /></a>During the interview portion of the day, I was asked many questions to help the production crew understand the why's of what I do with my volunteering. A little information about the crew themselves may be to help understand the process. They were a young group that had experienced more than your average worldly experiences. All of them were raised Morman and still profess a strong faith and understanding. While none had served in the military, they had all traveled to many places around the world, most recently returning a couple of weeks ago from Uganda.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DdD5KKY6vg/WExBxhfdXkI/AAAAAAABEZ8/OXBAzl-O3uY2T06r4kS5D59V2ovbLA40gCLcB/s1600/2016-12-06%2B15.45.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DdD5KKY6vg/WExBxhfdXkI/AAAAAAABEZ8/OXBAzl-O3uY2T06r4kS5D59V2ovbLA40gCLcB/s200/2016-12-06%2B15.45.11.jpg" width="112" /></a>With the understanding that we were all present to highlight how this amazing dog, Mike & of course Iris, have impacted my life, we were able to draw the connections to how they touch so much more. Topics that we discussed in the interview brought out many emotions. How the editing happens and all the B-roll of Mike & I doing what we do gets put together will be fascinating to see. Being the first time a professional team has taken on a project including us has us waiting with baited breath. I hope some of the beach scenes where Mike & I got to play out in the sand get to make the final cut. You will all love the time that I nose dived into the sand and Mike went right to the alarm because I was on the ground. (I doubt that will make it)<br />
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OK, enough about the time in CA, let discuss the flight. Over the years many of you have seen that I attempt to advocate for people when put in adverse situations. American Airlines, more than any other airline, has had complaints against them from people with service dogs that I have seen. Now I will stand up for both sides quite often because rarely is something as it is portrayed in print or on the internet. Well, the production company made my flight arrangements on American Airlines, so I was prepared for possible issues. The good news is that we were treated correctly. AA had been given the wrong info when making the reservations, but this was very quickly rectified when checking-in for the first time. When we stepped onto the airplane, we had an opportunity to explain the ADA to one of the flight crew that wanted to know a few things.<br />
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One of the most important things learned here by me is that knowledge is always the key to making things run smoothly. Many understand the ADA today, but they fail to realize there are rules governing aviation that augment the ADA. Here is a part of the write up <a href="http://civilrights.findlaw.com/discrimination/air-passengers-with-disabilities.html">"Air carriers must provide disabled passengers with boarding assistance if needed. They are also required to make sure that terminals are accessible to all passengers including those with wheelchairs. In addition, disabled passengers have the right to fly with their service animals free of charge. Generally, carriers must allow the service animal to sit with the passenger. In such cases, persons with disabilities generally don't have to provide documentation about their service animal prior to their flight, except in situations involving an eight hour or longer flight or an emotional support or psychiatric service animal." </a><br />
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So what does all that mean and why am I taking the time to mention it here? Well often Veterans receive service dogs for PTSD and a myriad of other things but when asked they always seem to mention PTSD and forget the other things. TSA and Airlines are schooled on the keywords of emotional support or psychiatric service animals when you mention them you fall into that category. If you have a service dog that does a multiple task such as balance, seizure, hearing or any other issues along with PTSD, why would you want to bring undue stressors into the mix by only mentioning PTSD to the airline? My goal is to educate here. Understanding the system and how they operate makes it much easier to navigate.<br />
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So ending this blog for this week all I ask is that we all take the time to research and go in fully aware that while the laws of this land protect us we also have to help those who have been asked to enforce and interpret those laws. Most of all kindness and understanding when dealing with everyone makes life much easier for all involved. I have to remember I am the only person I can change and I can make a difference in how others deal with me!<br />
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Here is a link on Facebook to see a "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kphyfe/videos/10157652849930478/">Live Video</a>"</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-44667746905431836642016-12-01T13:49:00.001-08:002016-12-01T13:50:15.733-08:00It's December already?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As the last month of 2016 arrives today it seems a great day to reflect on the past year with all the changes and also a perfect opportunity to look forward. As American's we have been afforded so many opportunities that most people appear to take for granted today. My travels result in putting me in front of many different people often seeing sides of this great nation that I have not experienced prior. I would like to say that what I see gives me hope, but that would not be the whole truth.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lghM3J6nInA/WECYnCL7iNI/AAAAAAABEYg/T5-Nzgl7L7wpNt2qKA3YFIhxfdIGbOHfwCLcB/s1600/15178179_10209328058012381_2634876236983679263_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lghM3J6nInA/WECYnCL7iNI/AAAAAAABEYg/T5-Nzgl7L7wpNt2qKA3YFIhxfdIGbOHfwCLcB/s320/15178179_10209328058012381_2634876236983679263_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>There are so many new experiences that I continue to have on a daily basis, trying to write about them all is one of the hardest things to keep track of in my log. Not a day goes by while inventorying my actions and interactions with people to see how I could have been a better person, and I am amazed by how other people show me God's grace in dealing with me. I find that one of my biggest problems is that I fail to hold a light to same God that carries me so often when I do not have the strength, courage, and understanding to get through the daily situations called life. Through reflection, I have been awarded a small understanding of the grace others carry and share so freely, but it is this quiet time where I also see my stepping in the way of often of allowing others to be the windows and mirrors that God has placed here on earth for me.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PLdDxHl41VY/WECYnen5lwI/AAAAAAABEYs/CJwDL95U9tolfCY9Tj5QMJtwQoMPJ2lNwCLcB/s1600/15219489_10209328075852827_7711327368513240290_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PLdDxHl41VY/WECYnen5lwI/AAAAAAABEYs/CJwDL95U9tolfCY9Tj5QMJtwQoMPJ2lNwCLcB/s200/15219489_10209328075852827_7711327368513240290_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>The mission of supporting Veterans and others which I happen to be driven towards over the past years continues to kick into high gear with new opportunities. This week alone a call came in from a company in CA that wants to do a couple of videos focusing on the bond between the service dog and myself. I will have an opportunity to share the dark times that I went through before getting Iris in my life and how life without a service dog would be unimaginable. This medium is professionally produced, marketed and will be used to help so many people I am overjoyed to be a part of it.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rh68hBePYVA/WECYnEkWiNI/AAAAAAABEYo/zj9P8orGAY0XtKkIjgI600XnIIyQWCcuQCLcB/s1600/15193648_10209328058412391_7386923025843069569_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rh68hBePYVA/WECYnEkWiNI/AAAAAAABEYo/zj9P8orGAY0XtKkIjgI600XnIIyQWCcuQCLcB/s320/15193648_10209328058412391_7386923025843069569_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>Mike & I will be flying out to CA for this particular trip which will be fun. Mike has not done a whole lot of flying so it should be interesting given his large size and the small size of today's commercial airliners. For sure he and I will make it work since I have seen him crawl into spaces I would never have expected an animal of his size to fit into let alone be comfortable.<br />
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On another note, I have to give a shout out to Jan Roberta & the Stitch Chicks Quilts of Valor Group of Eastern CT for honoring Mike and I while we were visiting over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The pictures in this blog are of the amazing quilts they stitched up and then presented to us at the Norwich, CT VFW. It was a great afternoon for all of us because Mike and I were able to explain about Service Dogs to some Veterans and the "Stitch Chicks" allowing me to carry on my mission while attempting to be humble and accept their beautiful gift to me.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-54529478421530903382016-11-10T09:55:00.000-08:002016-12-01T07:24:10.066-08:00Busy Time's!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As we all move forward during these "Busy Times" I can't help but think to myself how amazing my life has been so far. When I was younger I moved with a purpose, or so I thought, from one fire to another putting out emergencies as they happened. Never realizing how my input was actually just part of the picture. To me it was the world, I knew I was part of a bigger world don't get me wrong, I just didn't recognize it as I was experiencing life.<br />
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We all are so self-important! We look at things through our rose glasses or our own little crystal balls based on how we see or feel about particular things that directly affect us. Some of us even believe that we can even tell you what is going to happen in the future, just watch the TV for an hour or two and wow you will realize that the world is going to be a terrible place because ... or it will now be a much better place because... all based off our own needs and wants. It's almost comical to think back to simpler times when we had to wait to find out results and formulate our opinions.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OmCUnYkMsiY/WCSmhW0O3tI/AAAAAAABEWU/Uvj8AsD6WIAU73Jit2OuknQOUpe6C8ETACLcB/s1600/IMG_1384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OmCUnYkMsiY/WCSmhW0O3tI/AAAAAAABEWU/Uvj8AsD6WIAU73Jit2OuknQOUpe6C8ETACLcB/s400/IMG_1384.jpg" width="400" /></a>Trump won the Presidential race here in the good ole US of A., and now in the past 24 hours I have seen many parents who "all on their own have had to develop a way to explain to their child or children how love lost and Hate won." I am not a huge fan of either candidate but really? Talk about drinking the cool aide, people we need to come to grips with the fact that we live in a republic where every four years we vote to have a new president or re-elect the one we have if that is an option. To say things such as the quote I said is the hate being pushed forward not trying to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony that is for sure.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xrEjsn67Zcs/WCSmwCJhbHI/AAAAAAABEWc/NqZO3OtjCdY_bMZDSwdNKE495L0ipXl8QCLcB/s1600/IMG_1429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xrEjsn67Zcs/WCSmwCJhbHI/AAAAAAABEWc/NqZO3OtjCdY_bMZDSwdNKE495L0ipXl8QCLcB/s200/IMG_1429.jpg" width="200" /></a>We the people, the citizens of America, are the ones that will create the harmony and peace. Now for the real reason for this particular blog. Since the last entry I have been touched in ways, I never dreamed of by the people of this country. One at a time I have had interactions with individuals in grocery stores, on the street, and in the hospitals. To say that my heart has been opened to new thinking and new hope is downplaying the ways God has revealed himself to me. There has not been a day that has gone by that I have not been approached by someone wanting to know more about Mike. Now I know that happens all the time, but this has been different to the core. These people don't just ask questions they want to open up to me and share life stories. I have had people stop and want to pray with me about the path that we are on and they are on. No, I am not a Preacher, and it does make me uncomfortable often to be put in that place where I am being used to open hearts.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NloxbvZnGXY/WCSm863TgXI/AAAAAAABEWg/3OLmNDgiBuEw4f3W8cpt-x-81jhkcIuNACLcB/s1600/IMG_1433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NloxbvZnGXY/WCSm863TgXI/AAAAAAABEWg/3OLmNDgiBuEw4f3W8cpt-x-81jhkcIuNACLcB/s320/IMG_1433.jpg" width="320" /></a>I've always said the mission God has given me is to carry the message to other veterans, and misfits like me that there is hope. What I did not realize is that we are all misfits in one way or another. I was in the VA undergoing some test and a doctor that had recently moved to the same area I am hanging in currently was opening up to me, so we talked for much longer than the average time allotted by the system. After all was done and said, the doctor looked at me and said I feel the need to ask if you will pray with me, now realize this is a government facility where things like that can get people fired. We prayed and shed a few tears a left better people. What I am trying to point out here is these are all one on one interactions with another human being. Nothing to do with race religion color or politics just eyes to eye heart to heart. We as a people have forgotten or have pushed aside the reason we all formed communities in the first place. That interaction between individuals grows exponentially like wildfire just like that hate and prejudice that we all seem to be talking about but doing nothing to rebuke.<br />
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We don't fix systemic issues like racism hate and other problems like them by yelling and screaming all of our focus on the negative. We have to concentrate on the love and joy each, and every one of us has to offer to each other. We have to become a nation of communities by becoming a nation of we's. What we focus on grows what we don't goes away it is simple logistics. So for all of you wondering how to talk to your kids or yourself in the mirror, try telling yourself to love yourself and see how many more people want to hang out with the loving you! I know that I prefer to be around people that want to profess positive over negative any day!<br />
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Let's make this nation great again! It's built on some incredible values we just need to dust them off and put them into action. Action, Positive Action is the key to Positive Living.<br />
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SoapBox Off.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-38478276285815662892016-10-15T14:18:00.001-07:002016-10-15T14:26:00.053-07:00I'm Back<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9JjVKkgXME8/WAKT17t5HwI/AAAAAAABESk/HApib3q_a9MJwQJLKzTO32WN2RxrcbH_ACLcB/s1600/IMG_9714.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9JjVKkgXME8/WAKT17t5HwI/AAAAAAABESk/HApib3q_a9MJwQJLKzTO32WN2RxrcbH_ACLcB/s320/IMG_9714.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">A New Beginning </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Leo Tolstoy</b></span></span></span><br />
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For all those that have followed my blog in the past, I am sorry for the elongated period of time away. To say that I have had some personal issues would be the understatement of the century. I am however finally finding my voice again and hopefully, will start to update this blog on a more regular schedule.<br />
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I am not going to go into what happened nor will I attempt to make excuses for my actions.<br />
What I will do is say that I have learned an awful lot about who I am and where I am going and am very excited about my future. My camera has been neglected over the past few years and I am finding it finally with a new backdrop of America as it's subject. For now, I have been traveling with my eyes open in hopes to spur on the artistic flow. Feel free to check out the new design at <a href="http://photo.kphyfe.com/">http://photo.kphyfe.com</a> my prices are extremely fair and my hopes for the pictures posted are to please people's senses and maybe help keep my gas tank full at the same time.<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“If people refuse to look at you in a new light and they can only see you for what you were, only see you for the mistakes you've made, if they don't realize that you are not your mistakes, then they have to go.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span>Steve Maraboli</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DzUD6MMqJ8c/WAKUANlMk0I/AAAAAAABES4/oWE8IGsOjcYcGHaCWrq_1GolRvWf4hyAACLcB/s1600/IMG_9719.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DzUD6MMqJ8c/WAKUANlMk0I/AAAAAAABES4/oWE8IGsOjcYcGHaCWrq_1GolRvWf4hyAACLcB/s320/IMG_9719.jpg" width="320" /></a>Mike has been an amazing travel partner over the past 7 months and I would be at a loss without him. I thank God for the mission of reaching out to Veterans of all Era's and helping where I can. I can hopefully lower fears of those that have worried about my whereabouts by saying that I have been safe and sound with many new friends as I start this new part of my life. I have been blessed to see all of the Blue Ridge Parkway and other areas along the South East of America. My travels will stretch soon enough but for now, as I settle up my past and handle some new medical issues I will focus on staying warm during this coming winter.<br />
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There is so much to look forward to at this point of my life. I can not think of a period of time where my gratitude has ever been stronger for all the experiences and family I have. So often in life, we as people tend to drive on at 65 miles an hour looking forward without slowing down. Focusing on the road in front of us without taking the time to see the images and people that God has placed on the sides of the road for us to stop and speak to. I have learned over the past 6-7 months that I need to pull over and share with all of those people that used to just be flashes in the mirror. I may not be around to come back and experience today again tomorrow so I am not willing to miss it. The gifts I have been given are so much clearer today than ever before. Hopefully, my "Journey" will inspire others to slow down and breathe while they enjoy each other to the fullest.<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” </span><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span>Lao Tzu</span><br />
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Those that know me will be happy to know that not a day goes by where I am not able to share with someone about Service Dogs and the way they change lives. I am also able to reach out into the Veterans communities recently in ways I have never been able to before which has been eye-opening for me. My river has been laid out for me and I am moving forward with many many future experiences to look forward to. Thank you all for staying in contact with me and I look forward to sharing and hearing from everyone. God Bless.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-38255306578998773742016-04-10T17:30:00.001-07:002016-04-10T17:30:31.364-07:00“Believing in negative thoughts is the single greatest obstruction to success.” <a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zRbAS6v3yFU/Vwrp1DCq7MI/AAAAAAABEKE/30lgVvOtGnkYOTmkEm5eyFRilQgmA9wXA/s1600/2016-03-29%2B14.43.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zRbAS6v3yFU/Vwrp1DCq7MI/AAAAAAABEKE/30lgVvOtGnkYOTmkEm5eyFRilQgmA9wXA/s320/2016-03-29%2B14.43.39.jpg" width="240" /></a><i><span style="color: blue;">Update: Brian went through his surgery and came out doing very well! His recovery is going well and hard to believe but he has opted to slow down a bit and actually listen to the doctors while he waits to make sure everything is in working order. He is still having an issue that Walter Reed is actually looking at so please continue to keep him and his family in your prayers as they look to get answers but thank God that everything came out so well overall. <u>(</u></span></i><span style="color: blue;"><i><u>Don't you love the picture of Mike playing doctor trying to make Brian feel better)</u></i></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xbOyzqfAWNo/VwrpTFtn1xI/AAAAAAABEJ8/dYLiBLr6qNEHwBq9YbPc7T-wAKOpkJQcQ/s1600/6a00e55221a350883301bb08d4b0f9970d-800wi-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xbOyzqfAWNo/VwrpTFtn1xI/AAAAAAABEJ8/dYLiBLr6qNEHwBq9YbPc7T-wAKOpkJQcQ/s320/6a00e55221a350883301bb08d4b0f9970d-800wi-2.jpg" width="213" /></a>Life throws so many curveballs sometimes it is a full time job just keeping up to the changes brought on because of those. For those that follow the travels of Mike & I our trip to Montana has been postponed for a while due to circumstances beyond our control. I have to admit I am bummed out I was really looking forward to meeting all those friend I haven't had the chance to meet yet. Don't fret though I doubt I will be kept in my stable long especially since I don't have a stable ;) You may notice that many of the pictures in the blog this time are not mine. I am using some of the pictures that were featured in the <a href="http://www.planetdogblog.com/planet_dog_blog/2016/04/americas-vet-dogs-prison-program-a-win-win-win.html">PlanetDog.com Blog</a> about the MCI Framingham Prison Program. I know that I have mentioned this program often because it is where Mike was raised. The fact that Mike & I were invited back to the facility to tour and take part in the PlanetDog.com interview process was such an honor. We also got to spent a very emotional visit with the women that actually raised Mike. What an honor. Please go read and Support the <a href="http://www.planetdogblog.com/planet_dog_blog/2016/04/americas-vet-dogs-prison-program-a-win-win-win.html">PlanetDog.com</a> mission because they support both America's VetDogs and The GuideDog Foundation which without VetDogs would not be.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yRxiAnM9MEI/VwrpTP88dXI/AAAAAAABEJ4/Cb6Ck0eSxiYABuu8Ino3BEX4cN1wx28mA/s1600/6a00e55221a350883301b8d1ba7440970c-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yRxiAnM9MEI/VwrpTP88dXI/AAAAAAABEJ4/Cb6Ck0eSxiYABuu8Ino3BEX4cN1wx28mA/s320/6a00e55221a350883301b8d1ba7440970c-800wi.jpg" width="320" /></a>Over the past few weeks Mike and I have been back down south to see Brian and help out while he had brain surgery. I've also been doing the switch from the Providence primary care to the West Roxbury VA which has required a good amount of travel and thanks to my trusty truck camper overnights in the parking lot to save on gas and miles. Everything has been a great experience and I can vouch for the great service rating that the West Roxbury VA has. My new primary care doctor is great and very on top of things which is a nice change from my last PC in Providence.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ziJ41ZfCfw8/VwrpSvQXO4I/AAAAAAABEJw/qasUVxTJdacVf3Fr4S9f9329tTYTt54KA/s1600/6a00e55221a350883301bb08d4ad1e970d-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ziJ41ZfCfw8/VwrpSvQXO4I/AAAAAAABEJw/qasUVxTJdacVf3Fr4S9f9329tTYTt54KA/s320/6a00e55221a350883301bb08d4ad1e970d-800wi.jpg" width="320" /></a>Enough about me lets talk about the stuff that is important. Helping others! Because Mike and I have been spending so much time up at West Roxbury and we are not as well know there as we have been in other places we have had the opportunity to talk to many new veterans and caretakers about service dogs. Mike is such a great catalyst to starting those conversations. Hopefully over time there will be a number of new service dogs walking the halls along with us.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AcbkVYO01Eg/VwrpoyHr51I/AAAAAAABEKA/xQTh-IPCUTgglN_XsdaXb6bFoZyyj6dqg/s1600/2016-03-25%2B15.19.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AcbkVYO01Eg/VwrpoyHr51I/AAAAAAABEKA/xQTh-IPCUTgglN_XsdaXb6bFoZyyj6dqg/s320/2016-03-25%2B15.19.35.jpg" width="180" /></a>Even with the Montana trip being postponed Mike & I have been very busy and will be very busy. Of course we have Legion and VFW stuff we're doing along with a good amount of VetDogs events also. Coming up this week we have a Lions & Leo's Night of Giving were we will represent for VetDogs and then deliver their generous donation to VetDogs at the annual 5/10k run in Annapolis, MD. Right before the trip to Annapolis our own church family at Trinity Episcopal Church here in Brooklyn CT is holding a Family dinner fundraiser for America's VetDogs. I point this out because some people seem to think that a fund raiser has to be huge or done by a large group well I can tell you all that Brooklyn CT itself is a tiny town and the church is a small community but they feel the need to step up and support this wonderful mission. I can tell you all that the only thing it takes to run a fundraiser is a willingness to put yourself out there and make it happen. The amount of money raised is secondary to the feeling and knowledge that bringing a community together to help save our nations veterans brings. Mike & I travel for any and all organizations that want to get involved in any way. It's about giving back every penny helps the foundation without a doubt but the word spread through the community is where the real win happens.<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gdh0SPT2AAw/VwrpSr2WqJI/AAAAAAABEJ0/emECWvBmu94dO9UDikLz6_xOOU1ksV6fg/s1600/6a00e55221a350883301b8d1ba7644970c-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gdh0SPT2AAw/VwrpSr2WqJI/AAAAAAABEJ0/emECWvBmu94dO9UDikLz6_xOOU1ksV6fg/s320/6a00e55221a350883301b8d1ba7644970c-800wi.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
After the Annapolis run is done Mike & I will head to Philadelphia to meet with the folks at Boeing to speak to them about America's VetDogs and the CFC campaign. What an honor to be allowed to go in and visit a facility like that and show them how their dollars are spent to help other veterans recover from all sorts of medical issues. Once we are done there we will pack the camper up and head over to the American headquarters for PetValue another proud sponsor of VetDogs who happens to have Mike & I as their team for the year. Once we finish there we will rush bak toward CT where PetValue will be meeting us at their Colchester Store to present VetDogs with a generous check of a secret dollar amount from this years March giving campaign they ran. You all may recall my mentioning that in past announcements where they did the handsantizer sales. That will be an exciting day for sure.<br />
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Well I hope I haven't bored you all and I look forward to see you all on the road or in our travels somewhere. God Bless.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-91391351207990984282016-03-22T17:59:00.000-07:002016-03-22T17:59:00.699-07:00“Faith and fear both demand you believe in something you cannot see. You choose!” <a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tc6nwiPo5QE/VvHqKKAmd_I/AAAAAAABEI0/irN9OXw7hc0hFPlVyuRH65WZftVWH7TPQ/s1600/2016-03-09%2B18.57.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tc6nwiPo5QE/VvHqKKAmd_I/AAAAAAABEI0/irN9OXw7hc0hFPlVyuRH65WZftVWH7TPQ/s320/2016-03-09%2B18.57.11.jpg" width="247" /></a>As always I have been less than stellar in keeping up with posting blog entries. I have not however been resting on my laurels that is for sure. It seems that over the past few months I have been on fire with a renewed fever in my heart to carry a message to anyone that will listen and share it with others. The fact that so many people have come out and helped support me in my travels and then in the project to get the trailer going was absolutely breathtaking.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.888888359069824px;">“Grateful souls focus on the happiness and abundance present in their lives and this in turn attracts more abundance and joy towards them.” </span><br style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.888888359069824px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.888888359069824px;">― Stephen Richards</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.888888359069824px;">When I blogged last I thanked everyone that took part in the </span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">fundraising project to secure the trailer. That trailer is going to allow me to carry more info and stay on the road for longer periods of time and longer trips across the country. Since the last entry I have been a very busy person traveling around New England getting my medical moved out of Providence and up to the West Roxbury VA system where now all of my specialist and primary care will be able to communicate much better. This has already started to pay off better for me in allowing me to concentrate all my appointments around one timeframe and place.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mTZYO62C5fA/VvHqBBW3aFI/AAAAAAABEIw/FlYRcBAcEls2vs8Rg8Jys8suZs2QdXkxA/s1600/2016-03-09%2B18.56.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mTZYO62C5fA/VvHqBBW3aFI/AAAAAAABEIw/FlYRcBAcEls2vs8Rg8Jys8suZs2QdXkxA/s320/2016-03-09%2B18.56.21.jpg" width="261" /></a><span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Not only does this improve my care but it streamlines the time spent hanging out at doctors offices allowing me to better serve other veterans and people in need. I am so grateful that I am given an opportunity to share my life with so many others and hopefully make a difference in their lives. Mike and I have been able to go back to MCI Framingham where he was raised as a puppy and visit with the staff and inmates along with Planet Dog who will be doing a piece on the amazing work the prisons are doing with Americas VetDogs changing lives. Mike was able to meet up with his weekend puppy raiser and show off how he has grownup but still remembers how important they were in his life. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">To be able to share these time with these families has been such a great feeling for all of us. It is not a common experience to be able to have times like this and for us to have both the prison and then the weekend raiser time all in one day was mind boggling. I can not say thank you enough to all those people for their generosity in helping give me my life back through Mike.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YZrys4Gu4NE/VvHpr2nMUbI/AAAAAAABEIs/y6TW9Y6WFacFZtRJXIicpz9RoQSrcj66g/s1600/2016-03-18%2B12.40.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YZrys4Gu4NE/VvHpr2nMUbI/AAAAAAABEIs/y6TW9Y6WFacFZtRJXIicpz9RoQSrcj66g/s320/2016-03-18%2B12.40.40.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">We (Mike & I ) went to WestPort CT where we had a great meet and greet with the Choice Pet and Star 99.9 Radio Station guys. There are so many great organizations out there helping to raise awareness and money for nonprofits like VetDogs. I am honored everyday to be asked to help out by telling my story of how these dogs helped save my life. How Iris my first Service Dog helped steer the doctors to the right diagnose allowing them to change my meds and get my drivers license back. So many ways my life has been changed I could go on for pages and pages. Oh wait I have over time feel free to go back in time and read past blog entries to see some of how things have changed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">As I sign off tonight please keep my brother in arms in your prayers. I got a call yesterday while I was in Boston telling me that Brian was going to have to have brain surgery. Brian has been featured in my blog also. Due to circumstances beyond his control there were issues that were going to be major obstacles. One of the greatest gifts of my disability is the ability to help others sometimes. I was able to jump in the truck and come to Virginia and help for a bit. Brian will have his surgery in a couple days and everything looks like it will be fine. Please keep him and his family in your prayers during this time.</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-38190438217047953072016-02-23T11:59:00.001-08:002016-02-23T11:59:05.246-08:00Hold the presses!After that East Coast run a lot was learned about camping in my camper and how to make things work. I love the camper don't get me wrong, just due to it's compact size I learned that having some storage for supplies and other things would be a nice addition.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rIcJ3Acn1_s/Vsy4J4-Wq5I/AAAAAAABEGo/KCwm1ciPx1Q/s1600/r640c7113.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rIcJ3Acn1_s/Vsy4J4-Wq5I/AAAAAAABEGo/KCwm1ciPx1Q/s320/r640c7113.jpeg" width="320" /></a>So in light of the new enlightened ways of extended periods on the road, I have been in discussions with other seasoned truck campers and the answer appears to be in a small cargo trailer. This will give us room to pack up the needed supplies along with the added flyers and other information about VetDogs and other Veteran issues I am constantly speaking about.<br />
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My biggest problem of course is the fact that I am on a fixed income so making a leap of faith to get this trailer is a tad nerve racking. I was speaking to friends and they mentioned going up to www.gofundme.com and starting a gofundme page to help defer the cost.<br />
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I did that today. Deep down I feel like I am begging and I should not be doing this because it is not a job just a personal mission to help others however everyone I speak to has encouraged me to give it a try. So please do not feel obligated in any way but if you feel moved to donate a few bucks toward a trailer I am working to raise up to 3k. With taxes and registration that will get it covered.<br />
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The link to the go fund me page is<br />
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https://www.gofundme.com/kphyfe<br />
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Thank you all and I am sorry I am even putting it out there to be honest.<br />
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Kent<br />
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God BlessAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-63126225902587044872016-02-22T13:17:00.002-08:002016-02-22T13:26:34.596-08:00East Coast Traveler a little over 4,000 miles driven by the end!<h5 class="_5pbw" data-ft="{"tn":"C"}" id="js_pb" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 0px 0px 2px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 22px 0px 0px;">
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Mike & I had our first long range adventure!</h2>
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We took off just in time to miss out on the first major snow fall of the year 2016! We left in a cold rain but that was nothing compared to what would follow the next day. As we followed all our friends (and of course prodded them about their misfortune) and the heavy wet snow fall we ventured into a much warmer clear sunny skyline. Annapolis, MD accepted us with open arms allowing Mike & I to come in and tell all about how America's VetDogs changes lives. We opened some doors to potential sponsorships for the upcoming 5/10k road race which was our goal.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I know the opening picture of the eagles from </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Conowingo Dam may not match up with our timeline but I did not have an opportunity to shoot any pictures while working with the Chair for the upcoming race. <a href="https://cause2give.unxvision.com/P2PWeb/PublicParticipantPage.aspx?ParticipantIdView=34067&EventId=985&LanguageId=3#.VsM46b6hiNJ.facebook" target="_blank">Please do take a moment to go and check out the race and help our friends like Lisa soar to new heights with their personal fundraising (or any of the other runners if you know them).</a> You will of course notice the first picture Lisa uses is a picture of Mike sitting in her car between my legs. She says that she's holding more hostage in hopes of getting donations for the run. So please hurry and make your donation so we can free Mikes pictures for the world to see!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I made a personal stop next down in the Richmond area to visit another Veteran who is awaiting a Service/Guide Dog. While at that stop Mike had the opportunity to hang and play with one of the future puppies in the Puppy programs. You can check out those <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y4jluqbo42g7wyn/AACbNhsezxgYEEuaifFXCLtea?dl=0" target="_blank">pictures here</a>. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VYBpUxHBun8/VstfbMG7_9I/AAAAAAABEEk/fZC2zvhusnY/s1600/2016-02-08%2B19.12.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VYBpUxHBun8/VstfbMG7_9I/AAAAAAABEEk/fZC2zvhusnY/s200/2016-02-08%2B19.12.14.jpg" width="112" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Our next stop on the whirlwind tour was a quick run down to the beach in South Caroline where Mike & I watched the Super Bowl with a dear friend who has transplanted down there. We hung out for a bit but do to my mission and desire to be on the road we moved on mid day Monday.I made a quick stop in GA at Hunter Army Airfield to see the huge changes there. (I went through the Ranger Indoctrination Program there before before going to Ranger School. Wow, what memories. After a short stop we jumped back into the truck and moved on down the road to Florida. Our first night in Florida was spend in a rest stop instead of trying to find a campground. We love being in a Truck Camper where the side of the road is just as good if not better then any campground out there.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h1g4Zfh9XQ4/Vstf-7mk_zI/AAAAAAABEE0/esEWQQRvMEE/s1600/2016-02-12%2B11.20.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h1g4Zfh9XQ4/Vstf-7mk_zI/AAAAAAABEE0/esEWQQRvMEE/s200/2016-02-12%2B11.20.42.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAwiOTTtnQs/Vstfn5SbzHI/AAAAAAABEEo/0_nnksppJiU/s1600/2016-02-09%2B12.01.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAwiOTTtnQs/Vstfn5SbzHI/AAAAAAABEEo/0_nnksppJiU/s200/2016-02-09%2B12.01.37.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">For the most part of our time in Florida we centered out of Ft Lauderdale and jumped around to places like the Everglades for a few days. We went as far as Ft Meyers and checked out some Manatees warming themselves in the heat of the local power plant at Manatee State Park. The Everglades were warm and refreshing our campsite was well off the beaten path (Mitchell's Landing) one of our National Park Service sites where they do take good care of us Disabled Vet's. For those that have yet to grab your NPS Access Pass do it, you get half price for camping and free access into all parks.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CGjMox9C2AY/Vstf-8gG82I/AAAAAAABEEw/2gqidYMCDC8/s1600/2016-02-12%2B11.25.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CGjMox9C2AY/Vstf-8gG82I/AAAAAAABEEw/2gqidYMCDC8/s320/2016-02-12%2B11.25.53.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;">I wish I had a chance to shoot more pictures while I was out in the glades but other things came up and I will leave it at that. in the meantime I have posted a few more interesting </span><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/41bt6gwab71tk11/AADuNlHI-putcAR1t1xsFTela?dl=0" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">pictures here.</a><span style="text-align: center;"> Feel free to check them out there are some good bird shots and some great gator shots. Mike had no interest at all in any of them all he was doing the whole time was keeping his eyes on me. </span><br />
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After three nights in the glades we went back to Ft Lauderdale to meet up with the Classic Car Cruise peeps. What can I say about a great group of people, these guys and gals of all ages get together every year and take a cruise to a sunny destination. While they cruise not only do they have a digital car show but they have a fund raiser and for the past 3 years they have supported America's VetDogs as their Charity of Choice! The first year they took up the banner for AVD Iris and I cruised with them and they raised enough money to name a puppy. Last year we were unable to go along but they actually raised enough to name two puppies that are currently in the Florida Penitentiary<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-huEQdWaiLgY/VstgoXfD4eI/AAAAAAABEFE/bH00_GBgQoc/s1600/2016-02-15%2B18.00.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-huEQdWaiLgY/VstgoXfD4eI/AAAAAAABEFE/bH00_GBgQoc/s200/2016-02-15%2B18.00.55.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4TkYWR0a2k/VstgoBESSqI/AAAAAAABEFA/pApEc78xl3s/s1600/2016-02-15%2B18.05.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4TkYWR0a2k/VstgoBESSqI/AAAAAAABEFA/pApEc78xl3s/s320/2016-02-15%2B18.05.27.jpg" width="240" /></a>This year the main purpose of our trip was to go see this amazing group off and let them know how much America's VetDogs and us Veterans that receive these dogs appreciate what they are doing. It is one thing to go to an auction or a fundraiser but to live a fundraiser for a week or this years trip is 9 days in the Caribbean. For the first time ever they had their first event onshore so that Mike & I could be there and speak to them. At that event the Corporate CEO and CFO of Cruise Planners, came down to present a check to Vetdogs and also partake in the first of the auction evenings. They raised over 3k that night alone so I am looking forward to hearing all about the amazing trip and how they will change lives with their donations.</div>
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Once the commitments were done we scooted over to downtown Ft Lauderdale and took a water taxi around the intercostal. What a great way to see the sights. We saw ships that cost more then my dreams and houses that I would be afraid to walk through let alone live in. Give me a minute with their owners and I could explain how VetDogs changes lives though and maybe even get some donations to help other veterans out.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bn6DdWBwWD4/VsthScW0dUI/AAAAAAABEFw/Cx-RpuIyfXc/s1600/2016-02-17%2B16.27.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bn6DdWBwWD4/VsthScW0dUI/AAAAAAABEFw/Cx-RpuIyfXc/s200/2016-02-17%2B16.27.20.jpg" width="150" /></a>Once we finished up with the water taxi we headed north hoping to get to the northern tip of FL. There is a great little State Park there that has some wonderful history. <span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Fort-Clinch" target="_blank">Fort Clinch State Park</a> was a great stop after a night in another rest area, yes I am getting older and just not up to doing those 600+ mile drives in one day. A day on the water taxi took a bunch of steam out of me too. I do have some <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/g7v502sw9rnhnsx/AADzBQiHISAfeqGq9l7bY7Ifa?dl=0" target="_blank">pictures posted here also from the real camera</a>. </span><br />
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Our Next stop was a planned visit at the Inlays right outside of Ft Bragg in Fayetteville, NC we spent a couple days there then ventured north to the Aberdeen MD area where we ran into a family that raises puppies for the Foundation and also took our chances trying to sight and capture some of those amazing Bald Eagles. With an early trip out to <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bb3itkwevty9bky/AADHBX9uMADzbyF5EcoFTK0ma?dl=0" target="_blank">Conowingo Dam we were able to snap some pictures</a> albeit not great action or quality due to the weather. The shear number of eagles present made the stop worthwhile in my book.<br />
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And to finish off the longest journey in the camper we have the longest Blog entry. I hope I have given a slice of the adventure to you and please remember to check out the VetDogs pages either Lisa's race page where you can sponsor her or my travel page where you can make a donation directly to Vetdogs. <span class="s1" style="background-color: yellow; color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Now for the shameless plug to insure other Veterans have the same opportunities I have had Here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs </span><span class="s2" style="background-color: yellow; color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now!</span><span class="s1" style="background-color: yellow; color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> <a href="http://my.imisfriendraising.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=309972" style="color: #b87209; text-decoration: none;"><span class="s3">Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog</span></a>.</span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: yellow; color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">God Bless and have a wonderful day!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-675208923389985181.post-31951726030558489642016-01-24T05:33:00.002-08:002016-01-24T05:38:21.872-08:00<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GwOc83go_rQ/VqTKtMpTk1I/AAAAAAABECg/xoE434IEU2w/s1600/2015-11-07%2B13.58.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GwOc83go_rQ/VqTKtMpTk1I/AAAAAAABECg/xoE434IEU2w/s320/2015-11-07%2B13.58.35.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-okrFFZ_nutM/VqTKrsCz1rI/AAAAAAABECY/mcLPjPxvaMU/s1600/2015-11-07%2B17.31.57-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-okrFFZ_nutM/VqTKrsCz1rI/AAAAAAABECY/mcLPjPxvaMU/s320/2015-11-07%2B17.31.57-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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OK Here we are in 2016 hard to believe that I have not written in the blog since November of 2015 but alas we are talking about me. No excuses just been busy and well life happens. As you can tell from the Pictures posted at the top of the blog My Son Daniel married the love of his life in November. What a time was had by all. The wedding was beautiful and Mike and I even got dressed up for the glorious event. Yes we are very proud of both of them and wish them the best as they move on as a pair. They are amazing together.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ofoV9jCLTM/VqTK4attMdI/AAAAAAABECo/3z_uCB64zzg/s1600/2015-12-26%2B09.21.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ofoV9jCLTM/VqTK4attMdI/AAAAAAABECo/3z_uCB64zzg/s320/2015-12-26%2B09.21.11.jpg" width="180" /></a>The holidays were a tad stressful for Mike and I and had us slowing down a bit compared to our normal full speed ahead attitude that we try to keep up. I honestly do not recall what we did in the month of December other then ending up over Christmas in the hospital with a small medical problem. After a few days of hanging out spreading holiday cheer they finally decided they had enough of us and released us back to terrorize the rest of the community. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-60Ph9_mk4VI/VqTKdmD785I/AAAAAAABECQ/qFoqMwXbTVA/s1600/2015-12-24%2B13.19.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-60Ph9_mk4VI/VqTKdmD785I/AAAAAAABECQ/qFoqMwXbTVA/s320/2015-12-24%2B13.19.40.jpg" width="180" /></a>Mike did wonderful in the Hospital setting and actually was a great test model for the ADA seminar we were asked to help out with in Jan at the same hospital. We had a great turnout to this event and it was a great way to give back to the community and share with them how great they were when Mike and I were hanging out with them.</div>
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So now that we are starting to feel back to that 100% mark that we enjoy we are looking forward to getting busy and hopefully warmer. We have been invited to do some events in Florida and along the way in getting down and back. To say that Mike and I are looking forward to getting away from the snow would be putting it mildly. After being stuck in the snow last year with the camper stuck behind a snow bank till mid April we do not want that to happen again. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U8GhAWSrehc/VqTKUAjIbEI/AAAAAAABECI/l3mVp1imlYE/s1600/2016-01-13%2B08.10.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U8GhAWSrehc/VqTKUAjIbEI/AAAAAAABECI/l3mVp1imlYE/s320/2016-01-13%2B08.10.52.jpg" width="320" /></a>Just recently the State of New York honored all Service Dogs by naming the service dog the official dog of New York. Mike and Myself were there at the state capital for the opening day of the legislature to accept a proclamation on behalf of all service dog teams. This was such an honor, Time Warner Cable was there along with the History Channel to document this day's event. Not only did Time warner do a very nice news story for their <a href="http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2016/01/13/legislation-passed-to-honor-service-dogs-in-nys.html?cid=twitter_TWCNewsAlbany" target="_blank">News Channel 1 station</a> in the Albany area they employees banded together and raised $6,000 dollars to donate to America's Vetdogs to name a Service Dog after one of the past leaders at Time Warner. Support from organizations like this is great and always great to help get the word out about how Service Dogs help Veterans. One of the Highlights of the day for me was to meet another veteran who had been trying to get a dog but her disability had caused here to give up the process and lose hope. When she left she had a renewed hope and was moving forward to get her application going.<br />
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It is always an honor to be able to help others and I am forever grateful that I have been allowed to get out there in the public and share how much both my service dogs have changed my life. It is not my story that counts but the story of how others are able to move forward and start to get their life on track that keeps me going. Now that my computer is back online and the snow is pushing me south hopefully I will meet new people on my adventures. God bless all. The camper is on the truck so it will not get stuck behind any snowbanks this year hopefully. This is yesterday before the snow this morning we have about 8" out there and I am not looking forward to cleaning it off but hey that is all part of living in this part of the world right??</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386075297777963735noreply@blogger.com1