Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Playing with Pictures


IMG_3152
Originally uploaded by tamigirl814
Here I am experimenting on flickr with some photos, I took this a few weeks ago on Vilano Beach; someday... I will be a better photographer I hope!! Here is my effort to start....

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Starting New

Well here I am!! A Brand New Start - not really by choice but... I kind of like it.  Why am I starting a new blog - when my old one Trek With Tammie was working just fine? Well.... to make a long saga short, I got locked out of my gmail account - and am yet to be let back in.  It's odd how this has affected me.  My blog was my first writing child!  It makes me sad to let it go - I guess it is still there, I just can't go and mess with it anymore.  So, it is stuck on the web for eternity... or something like that.  


What a Thanksgiving Break!! It's quite a story...


I spent my few days off at my parents in Toccoa, Ga.  I was looking forward to some laziness: I envisioned myself staying my pj's, eating all sorts of yummy delicious food and watching Hallmark movies with my mom.  


That was not my reality.  


Enter Sasha; my happy furkid found herself with a great backseat view on her way to visit her grandparents Thanksgiving morning.  A first for her and me.  I was a wee bit anxious about taking her to my parents, as she has not had high-ratings from grandpa.  I had no other choice but to bring her along; I prepared as best as I could with her crate, some dog toys and bones to keep her entertained.  


We were welcomed with open arms and she was given a generous area to enjoy my dad's lovely yard - with about a 20 feet of sniffing room.  I made it up to her be taking her running up in the hills and creeks that surround my parents neighborhood.   Almost like having a baby; forget lounging around in my pj's.  


Saturday morning, I bravely walked around my parents neighborhood, with no leash.  She made a friend named Goose, the handsome weimer in the picture.  They took off on towards the woods, Sasha thought she was in heaven or something; she could chase every squirrel she saw, smelled or heard.  That little furkid of mine... ran so far, she got lost.  6 hours later, picture me, driving around the hills and creek trying to find that four-legged critter.  


She was nowhere in sight.  I had to leave.  I was sick.  A little backstory here: I have been really tight financially, I have seriously prayed and even advertised finding Sasha a new home.  Yet, now that she was gone, it was awful to think she may be hurt, or out in the cold wild-yonder running her fool-self further away from human help.  I know she is a dog... but somehow, they squeeze your heart somethin' awful.  I felt that weird squeezing around my lungs and neck with each of the 170 miles drive home.  I am a horrible dog owner!!


So.... I prayed, and asked friends on Facebook, to pray for Sasha to return.  It seemed less likely as she was on unfamiliar turf.  Would she remember her grandparents home?  My mom called right before going to bed; still no Sasha.  My parents were even a little sick about it.  


My phone rang at 7:25AM; it was my mom.  I was hoping to hear, "guess who showed up!"  But instead, she said - "did you sleep okay? Sasha did not show up."  Man... that squeezing was making me sore.


I have a special verse on my refridgerator: Psalm 36:5-10, verse 6b-7 says, "You, LORD, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!"  I often read this to remind myself that God cares about me and my pets.  Well, this morning, it seemed all that much more special.  His hand was caring for my animals.  That is the vision I had; God covers those things that we care about... big or little.   So, I posted this on my Facebook status at 9:00AM.  
At 9:05, my phone rang.  


"Your dad has something to tell you."  She showed up!!! I was so happy to hear those words.  After I got off the phone, my heart was overwhelmed with joy.  Joy over Sasha's safe return, yes, but more overwhelmed with God's obvious lavish way of showing me His Love.  He does care... about my pets... about my finances... about my family.... about me.  I had to just get on my knees as tears just poured out of my eyes and thank Him for His love for me.  I love His Faith Lessons and I love Him for His amazing Love for me.