Thankful Thursday

LS:

Does it sound crazy to say that I'm thankful for a break of monotony of the smell in my house? On normal days the place smell mostly of cleaning agents, vinegar and dettol. No, I'm not living in a hospital LOL. But I do live with a dog.

Recently I attempted to bake a cake. I was really relieved that I didn't produce some blocks of unidentified and inedible objects. The cake wasn't much to shout about but the smell of baking was something else!

You know how certain scents evoke certain memories... The smell of baking cake wafting in the air brought me back momentary in time to those happy moments of my childhood. The times we used to gather around in the kitchen, talking and laughing as we watch mom bake. Although moments like this were long gone, but the memories are enough to warm my heart all over again. I'm thankful for God's gift of our sense of smell.

A Happy Dog on Thursday:

I'm thankful for my sense of smell too. The nose knows... To a dog, the whole world is a smell! It updates us constantly on all that is happening around us, alerts us to the presence of food (very important), help check peemails, acts as GPS...the list is quite endless, isn't it?

Don't worry LS, we're not lost.

Just give me a sec to consult my GPS

Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers now!

What are you thankful for?

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Thankful Thursday

LS:

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you
and that your joy may be complete"
John 15:11

When we get bogged down with setbacks in life, it is so easy to lose our joy, isn't it? So it has been with me in recent times.

Although God sent me rainbows, I was unable to hold on to the comfort and gladness for long.

Whatever your cross, whatever your pain
God always sends rainbows, after the rain

Then, for a period of time, this blue kingfisher kept appearing day after day. For a while, I would just stare at it without thinking much of its presence. But one day I started talking to it LOL.

"G'morning Mr. Bluebird. Here again? You sure look happy and handsome in blue! Wish I'm as joyful as you"

Later on in that same morning, as I was reading an email, one particular sentence struck me.

A sign in a pet store read "If anybody has seen the Bluebird of Happiness, would you please notify this pet store?"

I have. I was just talking to it this morning!

Bluebird of Happiness

Needless to say, the content of the email was a message to me. I did not realise how much joy I have lost as I struggled with recent troubles. I was reminded that I need to keep my joyfulness in all circumstances. For joy is often contentment in spite of unsettling present.

I'm thankful for His joy and that He did not give up on me eventhough I'm such a slow learner LOL.

~ Happy ~

I'm thankful that I'm HAPPY
Hee...

We doggies are a happy lot, aren't we?

What are you thankful for today?

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Thankful Thursday

LS:

I've been on too long a break that I've become lazy. The reason I'm sitting down here now is because I've been seeing so many 'thankful' signs flashing lately LOL. Seriously. Not that I've not been thankful lately. I AM. But it's good to share our thankfulness with one another, and above all, to Him.

It has been a good break though. Got to spend more time enjoying things I don't usually pay attention to, and taken for granted.

Trees in full bloom
with heavenly fragrance in the air
and yellow carpet on the ground

A lone kingfisher
looking at peace with the world

A faithful companion

in a contemplative mood

~ HAPPY ~

Faithful?

That's me

Not sure about the contemplative look though. I was just trying to imitate the kingfisher's pose hee...

What are you thankful for?





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Thankful Time

LS:

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters.
Psalm 23:2

This is what I look like lately LOL.

Have you ever felt like this?

This is supposed to be a busy period for me. But I guess sometimes things don't go the way we plan. So it is with me, being forced to take time off after a surgery.

I have to admit I was rather stressed when I heard that, thinking of all the workload piling up. But after much doses of antibiotics and anti-whatnots, I don't feel so anti-time off anymore LOL. Now I've realised that the rest is much needed. A blessing in disguise indeed! I'm thankful for that.

Happy:

Thanks everybody for your kind and reassuring words. You have made me feel YOUNG again!

Can you see the twinkle in my eyes?

But I guess getting on with age isn't all that bad. Being senior has its perks hee... So I'm going to try aging gracefully and (hopefully) get to enjoy all the perks that goes with it.

What are you thankful for?


P/s: We may not get to visit much for the next couple of weeks as LS has to rest (doc's order). So we'll be catching up on everyone's adventure at a snail pace for now.

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Oh Happy Day

I'm relieved the vet visit is done with. All good except for a small lump on my leg. The vet said nothing to worry about as it could be just fatty tissue. LS says she'll monitor it and arrange for a biopsy later. Hmm...I sure hope it's just fatty tissue.

Oh yes, the vet said I could do with more supplements now that I'm turning 8 and getting on with age... Me old? I bet I could show her what a good shape I'm still in by dodging her or sprinting off anytime at the clinic. If not for the fact that LS had me on a leash.

On another happy note, we would like to thank Sweepy for the lovely gift we've received a week ago. Lorenza and I won the contest by Sweepy last Christmas. It's a beautiful set of calendar specially designed by Sweepy. How artistic of Sweepy!

A package for me?

What a pretty packaging!

Hey good looking!


Look at these!

Each individually designed!

Now I can keep track of my days with this calendar,

since the vet said I'm getting old.

Thank you so much, Sweepy!

And they called it Puppy Love...

Thanks everybody for your feedback. I guess none of us have yet to successfully gotten out of the vet visits so far. LS is not budging from her decision either.

Since I'm not an expert escape artist (yet), I'm going to practise clamping my mouth shut at the vet.

What do you think?

Truth be told, I don't like my new vet. LS said I should give her a chance. Mmph...

I missed my old vet but he has moved a distance away. I still remember my first visit. It was love at first bite. Hee...

I remember him asking LS if I bite and she said not that she knew of. How naive of him to take her words for it! When he reached for me so enthusiastically with a needle, I reciprocated with a good chomp.

I remember him giving me a startled look while I looked back with glee. LS stared at me in disbelief, but quickly regained her composure to congratulate him for being the first to be bitten by me. Yes, she has a weird sense of humour.

I certainly wasn't the best behaved dog at his clinic that day. I kept barking at a big golden retriever, not realising that his bottom alone could muffle me effectively. I've also frightened a kitty so much that LS had to take me outside to wait for our turn. Oh boy, was I a really naughty puppy or what?

But still the vet wasn't mad at me. Instead, he gave me a treat, which multiplies over time. How can one not love a vet like him?

Do you like your vet?

Time for Reflection and To Be Thankful

Blessed & Peaceful New Year!

“I have told you these things,

so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!

I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

I'm glad to be able to start off the year with a thankful post!

2009 has been quite a ride. But I'm thankful that God has been there with me through the whole journey. I'm also thankful that He has always provided enough. Enough challenges to be strong. Enough grief to remain human. Enough hope to be happy (these are borrowed words but they describe how I feel). How thankful I am to be able to look backwards with gratitude, upward with confident and forward with hope and purpose!

I'm looking forward to this year. A new time and season that God is bringing us into. Hope you are too.

a HAPPY dog

Hi everybody! This is the old me with a new pose on our old coffee table. Do I look pensive here?

LS said I was just napping. I was not. Guess she didn't know I was doing some quiet reflection and being thankful for everyone's friendship. We made it through another year of good and bad times, happy and sad times... The friendship and support by everyone for each other has been incredible. That is a lot to be thankful for.

May you always have
Love to share
Health to spare
And friends that care

Nancie has given us an award to start off the year. It's such an encouraging award! Nancie, you have been such an encouragement to us too!

Thank you Nancie!

We would like to share with everyone here as we think that all of you are More Than Conquerors too! Wish we could list down everyone's name here (like how Nancie did on her post) but LS says that would take quite a bit of time which she'd prefer to use it to go around visiting everyone. Yup, we are already way behind eventhough the year has just started. Hmm...not a good sign...

Hope everyone has a good start to the year and a thankful time!



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LS:

There's so much to be thankful for, even in the form of this email from my boss. It sure gave me quite a chuckle and help me to stay above water, especially when I'm stressed out with year end and what not.

Psalm 23
(For the Work Place)

The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without
murmuring and complaining.

He reminds me that He is my source and not my job.
He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions
that I might honor Him in all that I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system
crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping
co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body
that doesn't cooperate every morning, I still will not stop---
for He is with me! His presence, His peace, and His power
will see me through.

He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens
to let me go. His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus cheque

His retirement plan beats any 401k there is!
When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that

I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!!

~0~

A Happy and Thankful Dog on Thursday

All of you were right, I met a friend! A new friend!

Isn't she sweet?

On another happy note, we received this friendship award from Sugar and would like to share with everyone, simply because LS and I truly appreciate your friendship.

Thank you Sugar!

Friends are so much to be thankful for, isn't it? The joy of meeting friends, new and old, and the blessings of their friendship.

I'm so thankful to have met so many wonderful friends. Although we have lost some along the way, their memory will always live on.

What are you thankful for? Hope everyone is having a thankful time!

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Rain, rain and sun! A rainbow in the sky!

Funny as it sounds, rainbows always appear when I go through life's storms.

So it was in recent time when I caught sight of a rainbow from my kitchen window one evening. It's yet another unusual looking rainbow. A mere fragment next to the setting sun, just after a heavy downpour.

A coincidence? But there is no coincidence where God is concerned, is it? No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting. I'm thankful for that.

I'm also thankful for skywatching. Gazing at all the amazing pictures brings such therapy to the weary soul. A gallery of nature at its best!

Rainbows appear after might storms

When things look their worst

Just when the sky is darkest grey

Out of Heavens does a rainbow burst.

A Happy Dog

As LS is thankful for rainbow after the rain, so I am thankful for walkies after the rain.

What about you?

A special THANK YOU to Opy and DWB for giving us the DWB Featured Blog Award. We're overwhelmed, humbled and honoured to receive it. Above all, we're very thankful to be part of DWB community and for such warm friendship from all of you.

Hope everyone is having a thankful time!

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Skywatch Friday

I didn't do it...

Really, I didn't...

Do I look innocent enough?

LS always frown at me whenever she inspects her plants.

Well, I should not always be blamed for her missing flowers, partly missing leaves, dug soil...should I?

Nor should I be blamed for her not-so-green-thumb, should I?

It's not my fault that her lemon plant isn't growing all that well. The good news is, it's not dying yet. But it seems rather stunted. Do you think I should help her with the fertilising?

And it's certainly no fault of mine that she has no idea what these sprouts are.

Yes, her memory is like a sieve nowadays. Everything just sieves through. Hope she'll learn to put markers in future.

We doggies have no problem with marking, do we?

An early entry for Dogs on Thursday.

Thursday is a time

To be thankful.

LS:

It sure has been really quiet in here as I've just realised that the last post was also on TT two weeks ago LOL.

Well, guess should never be too busy to spend some time to be thankful. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for.

I'm thankful that my mom is getting better after spending a week in the hospital. Her sugar level and blood pressure was so high that she almost went into a stroke.

I'm thankful that my dad's cast is finally off. Although his arm would take a long while to heal but at least he's more mobile now. Thankfully too it came off right before mom got admitted. It would've been harder caring for two patients.

God is so good, isn't He?

Dear Internet, Happy 40th Anniversary!

Couldn't have blogged without you!

To be a Happy Thankful Dog on Thursday

Hello friends! I've missed all of you. LS has been too busy to help me blog. But that's ok, I know she's making the effort.

You were right in the previous post. I'm thankful for walkies and Parlance is absolutely right too. What more could we be thankful for than the gift of life itself!

The weather has been awful lately. Well, can't really complain as I still get to go to the park. Although the park is half an hour away but at least I stay dry and mud free.

Here's me trying to camouflage.

"What's that you're saying?"

"I said...

I can see you perfectly clear

from a bird's eye view."

Can the bird really see me or he's pulling my tail?

My head gave me away?

Hmm...LS, can you dye my head when we go home? No.

Why not? How about a wig? No.

Why do humans always say no to a lot of things?

Hope everyone is having a thankful time!

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LS:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

Have you ever watched a scene from the movies where everything surrounding the character is seen in a fast forward mode? The character? Dragging along ever slowly like a zombie.

Of late I find myself frequently acting out that part, until the pause button was hit (LOL). To tell me I've lost some of the joy. To ask me to look up to the sky. To show me these. So I've been doing a lot of skywatching. Thank you Lord, for the joy, peace and strength.

From the joyful rising of the sun...

...to the beautiful going down

At times it may seem that we're all alone

in the things we have to do...

But the Lord is around,

It's just sometimes

He's busy

painting the sky for us!

Wish I could blame it on the camera but the truth is my photography skill is terrible LOL. So these pictures really don't do justice to the real masterpiece.

A Thankful Happy Dog on Thursday

Guess what I'm thankful for?

Hope everyone is having a thankful time!

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Thankful Thursday

LS:

Is it Thursday again? Time really flies! I've been so busy but just couldn't resist spending a bit of time doing a thankful post. It helps to keep me in perspective. Especially when there is madness aplenty going on around here lately LOL!

So this week I'm thankful for some sunshine. Such a refreshing welcome after a long hazy and wet days.

I'm thankful that my petunias have such a strong surviving spirit LOL! Although badly neglected, they seem to be telling me nothing will break their stride. They will keep on blooming!

Happy:

I am so thankful that LS has stopped teasing me about putting me on wheelies to go out. I was so afraid that she would do just that. I know she meant well when she sees my miserable face each time I have to miss my walkies due to the wet and muddy ground. But our legs are not meant to be on wheels except for car rides, are they?

So I'm thankful to go for walkies this week. Although judging from the picture below, I was more stunned, actually. I've not heard the word 'walkies' for so long that I didn't know how to react to it hehehe....

What are you thankful for? Hope everyone is having a good week so far!






Thankful Thursday is hosted at Grace Alone.

Born of the Shower, and Colored by the Sun

LS:

I wasn't planning on posting today. But just as I was sitting in front of my computer, suddenly there was a ping! An email came in. From whom? God. Seriously? Yes, He was online.

Ok, it was actually from a friend. But I believe there's a reason for the email. He just wanted to share a poem on rainbows. Rainbows?

A sudden memory of recent events came to mind. It has been a rough time lately. Many gloomy days. But one early morning changed that. It was barely seven when I walked into the kitchen and the sight of not one but two rainbows caught my eyes. Two lovely arches across the sky outside my kitchen window (1st picture below : The one on the left is more visible than the one on the right).

Seeing the rainbows made me feel so light. But in a matter of time I was back to carrying more rocks LOL!

The second rainbow appeared a few weeks later. It was again just after seven and almost at the same spot from my kitchen window (2nd picture below).

What a comfort! I remember doing a thankful post on a rainbow before here. Now I feel so much lighter again.

I'm thankful for God's glowing covenant. Are you?

O beautiful rainbow; all woven of light!

There's not in thy tissue one shadow of night;

Heaven surely is open when thou dost appear.

And, bending thee above, the angels draw near,

And sing - "The rainbow! The rainbow! The smile of God is here"

Sarah Josepha Hale.

Bright pledge of peace and sunshine!

The sure tie of thy Lord's hand, the object of His eye!

When I behold thee, though my light be dim, Distinct, and low,

I can in thine see Him Who looks upon thee from His glorious throne,

And minds the covenant between all and One.

Henry Vaughan

Happy:

I'm thankful that I woke up LS woke up early this morning. Since she had ample time, she made some sausages for me. Yummy! The smell of grilling sausages made me so excited that I kept going round and round LS. She said I'm one crazy dog.

Yeah, when we go round and round in circles, we are crazy. But when planets do it, they are orbiting. Sounds familiar?

Does this dog look crazy?

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Thursday is a time

To Be Thankful!

Recently I discovered that gardening can be a double-edged sword. What started off as therapeutic can very quickly become otherwise LOL! It's pretty stressful when your plants start giving up on you. Having open view access to all the other lovely gardens didn't help much either. Why couldn't my plants thrive and bloom like theirs? Yes, envy is a deadly sin LOL!

So I started trying harder. All I ever did was spray, prune and feed the plants. I've even tried talking to them. Both Happy and I have probably contributed enough hot air to fly a hot air balloon around the world LOL! Poor plants...they were probably more stressed out than me LOL!

Imagine having to de-stress from what was supposed to de-stress me in the first place. Talk about obsessive compulsion LOL! So I quit doing it.

Then one fine day, I noticed a pot of sunny yellow blooms. I've never even noticed them budding and now they're in full bloom. Finally I've found the real joy of gardening!

There's a lot to learn from gardening, isn't it? Sometimes we just have to let nature takes its course. No rush and no overly high expectations. When it blooms, the fragrance is so much sweeter. That's the way it is with life too. I'm thankful for that gardening lesson. It has a way of growing fruitfully into your life when you least expect it.

To Be A Thankful Happy Dog on Thursday!

I'm thankful LS started her gardening fever (again). I can never resist showing off my gardening skills. Digging Loosening soil and uprooting. What is there not to like about that?

LS and I don't share the same approach to gardening though. She likes to press down the soil firmly. That's not right. They need to be loosely scattered around, don't you think? She's always planting in all the wrong places too. All the uprooting keeps me really busy.

Not that she appreciates my help. She said something about too many paws spoil the garden and promptly banish me to my cage each time.

So that's the story behind the picture in the previous post.

Hope everyone is having a thankful time!



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Thankful Thursday

LS:

I'm thankful for the Cross, for I can place all my burdens, hopes and dreams before the Cross. For because He lives that life is worth the living.

I'm thankful for the time to slip away from work for a few hours yesterday. Just to do a little shopping. I don't fancy weekend shopping and the crowd. It's nice to shop on weekdays when there's no crowd. Imagine having a whole row of fitting rooms to yourself instead of a whole line of people in front of you. The same goes for checkout counters.

Happy:

I'm thankful for the hot cross bun (minus the raisins). Yummy!

* LS : Cough cough... *

Oops hee...I'm just a small dog. But LS always tell me that I am to be thankful for being God's loving creation. Perhaps some humans may not see us that way, but we are here for a purpose too. Often times we hear of the cruelty that has been shown to us in our animal kingdom, to the extent of near extinction in some cases. But all is not lost and without hope. We are seeing that in the hearts and actions of those who has done all they can to care and protect us. They love us the way God intends them to. I'm thankful for this.

What are you thankful for? Hope everyone is having a thankful time.



Thank you Laurie for hosting Thankful Thursday.

Thank you Nicole for hosting Dogs on Thursday.

Thankful Thursday

LS:

There's so much to be thankful for on these three words "It Is Done".

So I'm thankful for:

When I said "It is done" to the work assignments. March has been a crazy period! Talk about putting a new meaning to 'mad as a March hare' with all the mad dashing and hopping around!

When the lawyer said "It is done" at the end of my parents' legal case. My parents were in a road accident 5 years back when a pickup truck rammed into them. My mom fractured an arm while dad broke a leg. The road to recovery has been long and slow. The fractures took several months to mend but the emotional and psychological effects triggered off series of bouts to mom's diabetes and dad's weak heart. Although mom still struggles with her illness and dad walks with a slight limp, I'm very thankful they are still here with me today.

I'm also relieved that the court case has been done with and the truck company has made the compensation. This really helps with the medical bills.

When God said "It is done" upon making a way for finding hope and salvation when all seems lost.

Happy:

I'm thankful when LS said "It is done" after updating the blog and started catching up with everyone. I can do my happy dance again and sing Eric's happy song.

The sun has got his hat on...tra lalalalala...

Have you watched "Grease"? I was singing the song "Mooning" from Grease in my previous post. Hee...

What are you thankful for? Hope everyone is having a thankful time.

We're participating in Dogs on Thursday and Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them" Psalm 34:7

LS:

Yesterday while I was at a junction, a SUV whizzed past me at a neck-breaking speed only to have the driver slamming on his brakes really hard a short distance later at the traffic light. Thankfully no accident happened.

Often times, scenes like this reminds me of how thankful I am to be alive today. Some time back while I was driving on a dark night in the pouring rain, I almost didn't make it home. I remembered waiting at a traffic light at a t-junction with the rain hitting so hard that I could barely see through the windscreen.

I usually drive off a few seconds after the light turned green. But not at that time. Somehow my foot didn't budge at all in that few seconds. Just then as I was about to drive across, a car sped past from my right. The car skidded and crashed into a divider. It could have been me instead of the divider. Thankfully the driver escaped unhurt although his car was badly damaged. Thankfully an angel was there that night. I was and still am thankful for that split second. I am thankful for God's protection and His angels.

Happy:

Yesterday, the same SUV driver had a dog hanging half out of the passenger window. You could tell how fast the driver was going from the way the shih tzu's hair was whipped back in one direction. Thankfully he was hanging on by his straining leash. Thankfully LS managed to stop next to him at the traffic light and told the driver that it was dangerous to have his dog half hanging out of his car (no matter how cool it looked, I would've added). Thankfully the driver accepted it graciously. Otherwise it would have been a different post today heh...just kidding!

I am thankful to have a carrier to travel in

What are you thankful for? Hope everyone is having a thankful time.




This is our first TT and DoT post for this year at Thankful Thursday and Dogs on Thursday.

You are not alone...

Recently I saw some of our friends sharing their kodak moments with all the flashes going off in their faces. All for the holiday seasons album. Here's mine. Misery loves company hehe....

Here's me trying to be co-operative...Ok, not really.

Here's me getting bored. I've lost count after 2 paws of clicks and flashes

Oh well, might as well snooze...zZZ...

Who says it's only the humans having it hard during the holiday seasons? Ours isn't exactly jingling all the way either. Don't you think so?

~0~

Here's a belated (again) thank you for these lovely awards.

Thank you, Mango!

We would like to pass it on to Chow Chow, Denise & Huskee & Hershey.

Thank you, Denise!

We would like to pass this on to Honey, Khyra & Ruby

Thank you, Chow Chow!

We would like to pass this on to Mango, Paco & Milo, & Tuffy.

We're participating in Dogs on Thursday. Do visit DoT for more participants.