Animal Fostering - Eat, Play, Love Animal Rescue

Animal rescue is a rewarding but demanding mission.  Samantha and Emily, co-founders of the Eat, Play, Love Animal Rescue (rescue link) know this first hand.  The rescue exists due to their efforts and vision but equally because of the foster families who house, love and care for the rescued dogs and cats until they are permanently adopted.

These foster "moms and dads" are the unsung heroes of animal rescue.  While Samantha and Emily are the public face of Eat, Play, Love; visible during pet fairs, adoption days and on facebook, the foster families are the behind the scenes heroes; heroes who are cuddling, feeding and yes, poop scooping day in and day out. 

That is why I was so excited to be asked to create a special thank-you gift for a foster "mom" who took three abandoned shepherd pups into her home.  Nathalie bottle fed the three day old puppies and has raised them over the past nine weeks.  Now the puppies are healthy, rambunctious and ready for adoption. 

Working from a photo, I painted Nathalie smooching with Noel, one of the little female pups.  It captures Nathalie's love and devotion to all of her little charges.  Hopefully it will remind her of how deeply her efforts have been appreciated.

We are surrounded by every day heroes.  Why not take an opportunity to say, "I appreciate you." to a hero in your midst.

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Sandra

Beans - A Photo Essay on Personal Transformtion

About a month ago I felt that I really needed to spend more time in prayer, meditating, thinking, reflecting and listening.  It is so easy to allow our routines and habits (even the good ones) to constantly dictate our actions.  It is even easier to allow ourselves to be influenced by the people we are surrounded by: at work, church, in social situations and at home.  Without realizing it we begin to adopt the attitudes and behaviours of those around us.

So, in order to undertake this time of solitude, I adjusted my routines and curtailed certain activities and eliminated others completely.  What I was able to create was time and space in which to ask the important questions and listen for the answers.  I was able to be still and quiet.... what a luxury.






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 It takes a deliberate effort to avoid living and looking like everyone else.




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 Taking time alone to reflect on our personal values and goals helps to us to align our lives with our values.



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 One of the benefits that I've noticed of spending more time in reflection is that some of my old belief systems and ways of thinking that once formed a hard shell have begun to be peeled away.





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Solitude, reflection and rest have allowed new ideas to germinate.



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New ideas and ways of thinking are the seeds of transformation.  Fresh perspectives lead to living authentic and creative lives, lives that are uniquely us.

 

 



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 Becoming the best version of ourselves isn't a selfish pursuit.  Our authenticity allows others to be released from their limiting shells as well.

 

 

 



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 Fully actualized and developed people are each unique,



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 they bring their best to their relationships and to the world. 

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a day full of fresh ideas,

Sandra