The Tail that Did Not Wag....

I found this story on another blog and thought it was so sweet that I wanted to share it with you all ....

Four wiggling puppies spilled from the crate into the cage next door, tails waggling and happy yips puncturing the air. I sighed; they’d be snapped up as soon as ‘the people’ came this weekend.

It was a ritual I’d been through so many times I’d lost count. Every Saturday the dog pound opened its doors to ‘the people’, and every weekend many dogs went off to new homes and new lives.

But not me. Apparently I was too old and too sick for anyone want me. But how could I help my age, and this thing I had called diabetes? It wasn’t my fault. Bob, the man I had lived with for many years hadn’t minded. He called my medication ‘sweetie time’, and pushed it inside a piece of cheese. I knew it was there, of course. But I do like cheese.

Then Bob got sick and went to live with his daughter. That’s when I came here. I missed Bob but hoped I’d find a new home where someone would love me. But that was a long time ago now.

Saturday arrived and in came ‘the people.’ The other dogs barked; standing up, eager to see what was happening. I didn’t bother. No one would want me. They never did.

Sure enough, most people walked past my kennel without a second glance. Those who did stop muttered about my age or illness and walked on. I watched as one by one the puppies were picked up, cuddled, and went off to their new lives.
I closed my eyes, tried to sleep. Then I heard a voice close by

“He looks so sad. Dad, we can see him?”

I waited for the inevitable answer.

“Are you sure, Tommy? He’s an old guy, and he’s got diabetes.”
I sighed.

“I don’t care if he’s sick. I am too.”

I opened one eye to see a boy in a wheel chair. The boy was staring at me with wide, brown eyes. I raised my head, meeting his serious gaze.

My goodness. He knew! This boy knew exactly what it felt like to be thrown on the scrap heap through no fault of your own. How helpless that made you feel.
“I want him, Dad. He’s the one.”

“Are you sure, Son.?”

Before Tommy could answer, a lady walked over.

“This is him, Mum. He’s the one.”

Within minutes I was out of the cage and sporting a new collar and lead. Tommy it held tightly as his Dad wheeled him to their car. My car! Once Tommy was safely inside I noticed his Mum and Dad share a quick hug.

Soon we pulled up at my new home. Tommy held my lead and took me into the
back yard. The smells were amazing and I spent a contented hour or so adding my scent to my new territory.

Later that evening Tommy called me into his bedroom.

“You want to come up, fella?” He patted the bed beside him.

I’m old, but not that old. Bunching up all my strength, I leapt. Tommy grabbed and helped me up. He leant across to the table and picked up a plate.

“Don’t tell Mom and Dad,” he whispered. “D’you like cheese?”

For the first time in a long while, my tail began to wag.

Some things just make you smile....

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I saw this today and it just made me smile....I just laughed out loud.

The SPARROW at STARBUCKS

Got this in an email and it has been vetted through "Truth or Fiction" A wonderful story about chance meetings...

It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st
Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square . Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.

For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world,
I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing. It was a fun, low-pressure gig - I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the '40s to the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat and singing along.

After the tune was over, she approached me. "I apologize for singing
along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked. "No," I replied. "We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?"

To my delight, she accepted my invitation.. "You choose," I said. "What
are you in the mood to sing?"

"Well. ... do you know any hymns?"

Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth
on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest
singer a knowing look. "Name one."

"Oh, I don't know. There are so many good ones. You pick one."

"Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye is on the Sparrow'?"

My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on
mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that one.." She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing.

Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come?

The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises
of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.

I sing because I'm happy; I sing because I'm free. For His eye is on the
sparrow And I know He watches me.

When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening
roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your coffee! I didn't come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin' to drink, just like you!" But the ovation continued..

I embraced my new friend. "You, my dear, have made my whole year! That
was beautiful!"

"Well, it's funny that you picked that particular hymn," she said.

"Why is that?"

"Well . .." she hesitated again, "that was my daughter's favorite
song."

"Really!" I exclaimed.

"Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause
had subsided and it was business as usual.. "She was 16. She died of a brain
tumor last week."

I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence.
"Are you going to be okay?"

She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm gonna be
okay. I've just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and
everything's gonna be just fine." She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.

Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that
particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop?
Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week before? I don't think so!

God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning
of time, and it's no stretch for me to imagine that God could reach into a
coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting God and singing the songs,
everything's gonna be okay.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use YOU, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer

Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young

David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal Isaiah preached naked Jonah ran from God Naomi was a widow Job went bankrupt John the Baptist ate bugs Peter denied Christ The Disciples fell asleep while praying Martha worried about everything The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once Zaccheus was too small Paul was too religious Timothy had an ulcer...
AND Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now!! God can use you to your full potential. Besides
you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

His Eye on the Sparrow

Thought for Today....

There can be no happiness equal to the joy of finding a heart that understands. ~ Victor Robinson

Take time to listen to those who are important , do not be quick to judge....unless you have walked a mile in their shoes............reminds me of a song.