Thursday, March 30, 2017

Two Real-life Cat Saviors

(1) In our bedroom area late last night, Kat got on the counter and deliberately made eye contact with his soulful, beautiful yellow/green eyes.  No, he was not interested in his food bowl.  Yes, our usually aloof cat wanted to be scratched all over. He then jumped off the counter, and did a fast trot down the hall.   He did a repeat of this behavior.

Later,  I made my way down the same hall to do a last-minute check of the kitchen before hopping into bed. That's when I heard dripping water.  Hubby had left the faucet on in the down stair's bathroom.  The sink was not draining properly, and the dripping had gone on long enough for water to accumulate over 3 inches.  The cat, sleeping in the living room, took note of the loud noise -- which I could not hear in our bedroom area -- and was bothered enough to attempt to draw my attention via his aforementioned behavior.


If left on overnight, it would have caused flooding  and damage to the bathroom's  floor. We would also have had to pay for the wasted water. We already pay a high enough fee to Chicago, our water's source, for pete's sake! Thank God for using our perceptive and intelligent kitty to save us money. Next time Kat gives me a prolonged look with his gorgeous googly eyes, I will take it as a hint of potential trouble brewing and do a thorough check of the entire house.






(2) Here is the another story of a heroic and even more perceptive cat:


pc: CBS Philadelphia

Link --->>FAMILY DID NOT KNOW THEIR HOT WATER HEATER HAD ICED OVER



... Safety is of the LORD.
Proverbs 21:31

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Pakistani Christians in Thailand

These Christians are between a rock and a hard place.   They travel to Thailand on a  temporary Tourist Visa to escape death, war or violent threats.  They tend to overstay while in Thailand as it takes a very long time for the UN to process a move  to another country  as a Refugee.  Thailand's legal system does not recognize the Refugee status when they do overstay. Next up -- Prison? Detention Center? Months or years of hide-and-seek?


What to do, what to do?!  Other than praying for the Lord's continued provision, care; and the speeding-up of the Refugee process, here is a way that you can help.







Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Political Conservatives Are Less Stingy




Based on the the book by Arthur Brooks called Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism

I have asked hubby to check it out at our local library.  Otherwise, it is available for purchase on AMAZON .


47.06.30.17

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Poor, Needy Orphans

pc: wikipedia
Years ago while living in the PI, my mother (a Registered Nurse)  brought home a foundling -- a baby boy from the hospital's nursery. We cared and enjoyed him for a couple of days, but he soon went back to the nursery. 

Circumstances were stacked against him from the get-go: abandoned, poor, clean drinking water was scarce, food prices were high.  He likely joined the ranks of the hospital's pediatric section which never lacked for sick kids. I doubt he lived a long, healthy life.

Ill health affected us too. My grandpa, a hard-working farmer, perished from pneumonia while only in his 50s. His own child, my Nurse-Mom, lived hundreds of miles away and did not know about his illness till it was too late.  

Others suffered from Malaria. Tuberculosis was another death sentence. Shoe-less feet resulted in cases of Tetanus.  Drug prices for whatever cure you needed were very steep, or just plain scarce. Thank God I was a pretty healthy kid and my parents were college grads (an elite, growing group for the PI back in the day).


 Fast forward to today:  I am for helping the truly needy. 
Regarding legal immigration: Extreme vetting is a cheap price to pay for the privilege of living a pretty good life in this country. Waiting is the name of the game. The truly grateful will be willing to put up with the inconveniences to get here.

 $$ Money makes the world go 'round $$:  A few dollars makes a very big difference in a 3rd world country. We have found an opportunity to put our donations to good, practical use. It's not located in the PI, but in another Asian country.  Save lives, provide for daily needs, send them to school, and preach the Gospel -- combined!  I have met one of the founders, and a trusted friend can attest to the legitimacy of the couple's work.  Other check and balances are in place.

 Here is a portion of what the founder wrote in his appeal for prayer and funds: 

 It is a faith-based ministry trusting the Living God who feeds the sparrows and holds tomorrow, and looks in faith for His provisions. Currently we are taking care of eighteen children, and we pray that the Lord will enable us to be able to receive and take care of more children in the future and do greater things for His own glory. Our objective is to help the needy children and teach them the Word of Truth to fulfill the Great Commission.












43.02.10.18
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Thursday, March 9, 2017

10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation


 Celeste Headlee has worked as a radio host for decades, and she knows the ingredients of a great conversation: Honesty, brevity, clarity and a healthy amount of listening. In this insightful talk, she shares 10 useful rules for having better conversations. "Go out, talk to people, listen to people," she says. "And, most importantly, be prepared to be amazed."  

Here's one of the rules.  For the rest, watch the video.


Rule 7:  Try not to repeat yourself.  It is condescending, and boring.

A short TED video worth the watch:


Sunday, March 5, 2017

I won

My name was picked thru a random drawing via someone I follow on IG.  She and another gal who sells costume jewelry online ran the contest. That very morning, I had been perusing the costume jewelry counter at my favorite resale shop.  I chose a reasonably priced necklace; but passed on the earrings and I am sooooo glad I did. When I got home, I found out that I had won. Yay! The Lord must have known that I was in need of a new pair of earrings; and the cute diamond-like ring was icing on the cake. Both pieces are of great quality, and their items are reasonably priced. The package came with a polishing cloth, and printed instructions on care and cleaning.  Very professional!

The lady whom I follow has a nice smile, IMO.   I do not even know her personally, yet she struck me as likeable in real life.













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