I guess I will start with this…   Here’s to friends 🙂

This song is nice, it is innocent and trusting like good friends are to eachother.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV2dA9ZSGEk

Hi all, it’s been a few days since my last post. My wife and I had an invite to visit friends in Naples so we went. Oh, by the way it was Naples Maine :). See, I got yah.Lol

We were invited a few weeks back and Janet was tentative on going because work for her is very busy. She worked overtime and felt comfortable that she could go. So, Thursday we hopped in the car for our 3 hour ride. It was nice getting out and breaking the routine. I always have silent concerns whenever I leave my everyday environment. There are so many obstacles in my day. I have accepted them, I do not like them and most importantly I don’t like imposing the limitations on others I am with.

We arrived at Sticky lake at around 10:00 a.m. and my first observation was I can get into the house. I was so releived. The home was a sprawling 5 bed, 4 bath home sitting on a large lot lake front. It was so quiet that nature was screaming . It was beautiful. They had a beautiful deck that was off of the large kitchen and family room. The view was so beautiful. I could not get down to the beautiful yard and tables nor could I get to the dock to sit on the lake but I was fine up on the deck watching the goings on and soaking up the environment the smells, the fresh breeze etc.

Everyone offered to bring me down there but I was truly happy keeping it simple just staying put. There were 3 generations of our friends family up there together. During my visit there different family members would take a break away from hikeing , boating, reading etc and they sat and chatted with me. They all knew about my story through my wife. But, we had not had the opportunity to speak before alone. So, as we sat we spoke more. Each one of the people at that home were different yet they were kind and respectful to each other and to us their guests.

I thought that it was beautiful that their family did not appear to have  any under current of tension. If they did it was not expressed.

After being on the deck for quite some time I needed to change my bodies position and went into the family rooms couch. It was quiet and I could hear my wife’s laughter with her friends way out yonder on the dock. The breeze was  blowing in off the water through the slider and the smell and freshness of pine was so fragrant. I was thinking I really want to go down with my wife but I did not want to bother others.I thought to myself. They are having fun, it’s fine for me to stay there. And, I was right  not to bother them. In life we can’t have it all. I really was just enjoying watching my wife sit and laugh and enjoy herself this way. That was to be my pleasure. So, I was happy.

I spent quiet time there on that sofa in this beautiful place. I prayed for them and so many others that I knew. We knew the couple who invited usas we arrived and left with many more New friends. I spoke about God, Faith and family with them and i was very inspired by them all.

Another thing that touched me was how much their pets were part of their lives. One of the dogs was a yellow lab named goober. He was so cute, and had beautiful golden colored eyes. He spent his day hiking with his master Mark, boating and keeping us company. The other dog I met at a cookout years back he is a black lab named Cooper. back then he was running around chasing another dog named Lucy. Cooper is a mature senior dog who is near his end. He is all gray but he still struggles and come to you and wants to please his master.

I watched his owner Elaine, giving him back the love and care that is has given her for 15 years. She was massaging his stiff joints and carrying him down to the lawn so he was safe. What really got me was this, while I was witnessing life from the sofa I saw Elaine putting a life jacket on her friend. It was designed for dogs and had a handle on top to hold. So she and her baby as they call him Cooper went in for a swim her holding him up to help him.

Later on when they came back in I told her what a beautiful thing it was to witness.I told her it brought tears to my eyes. She smiled and said she wanted him to have one last swim in the lake. Very touching.

God made man he then made animals and gave us dominion over them. Some of these animals were meant to be our companions and protectors.Others are called to be service dogs.

I love my pets and animals and know that God expects us to serve them and love them in return. They deserve it.

What it comes down to it for me is this Cooper and I currently rely on a lot of love and support. We are not that different really. We are all creatures of God.

To my friends, my wife and of course to Cooper and Goober thanks for a wonderful couple of days :). I witnessed God in all of the people there. It was a pleasure seeing and meeting them.

God made us as individuals but we all need oneanother.

God Bless You,

Danny