ANGEL WINGS

AN ARTICLE IN THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SEVERAL YEARS
AGO PROVIDED A PENETRATING PICTURE OF GOD'S WINGS.


AFTER A FOREST FIRE IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK,
FOREST RANGERS BEGAN THEIR TREK UP A MOUNTAIN TO 
ASSESS THE INFERNO'S DAMAGE. ON RANGER FOUND A BIRD
LITERALLY PETRIFIED IN ASHES, PERCHED STATUESQUELY ON
THE GROUND AT THE BASE OF A TREE.
SOMEWHAT SICKENED BY THE EERIE SIGHT, HE KNOCKED
OVER THE BIRD WITH A STICK. WHEN HE STRUCK IT, FOUR
TINY CHICKS SCURRIED FROM UNDER THEIR DEAD MOTHER'S
WINGS.
THE LOVING MOTHER, KEENLY AWARE OF IMPENDING DISASTER,
HAD CARRIED HER OFFSPRING TO THE BASE OF THE TREE AND
HAD GATHERED THEM UNDER HER WINGS, DISTINCTIVELY 
KNOWING THAT THE TOXIC SMOKE WOULD RISE. SHE COULD
FLOWN TO SAFETY BUT HAD REFUSED TO ABANDON HER BABIES.
WHEN THE BLAZE HAD ARRIVED AND THE HEAT HAD SCORCHED
HER SMALL BODY, THE MOTHER HAD REMAINED STEADFAST.
BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN WILLING TO DIE, THOSE UNDER THE
COVER OF HER WINGS WOULD LIVE.
"HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS
YOU WILL FIND REFUGE" (PSALM 91:4)
(THANKS WENDY)

WOW!

THREE HORSES WERE TALKING TO EACH OTHER BEFORE A 
TOURNAMENT. ONE OF THEM STARTED TO BOAST ABOUT
HIS TRACK RECORD: "OUT OF MY LAST 13 RACES, I HAVE
WON 7."
ANOTHER HORSE SAID: "WELL, IN THE LAST 29 RACES,
I'VE WON 21!"
"NOT BAD, BUT IN THE LAST 35 RACES, I'VE WON 27!" SAID
ANOTHER, FLICKING HIS TAIL PROUDLY.

SUDDENLY A GREYHOUND DOG, WHO HAD BEEN QUIETLY
SITTING IN A CORNER OF THE BARN WALKED OVER TO THEM
AND SAID: "I DON'T MEAN TO BRAG, BUT I'VE WON 78 OUT
OF MY LAST 80 RACES!"
THE HORSES WERE TOTALLY SHOCKED! "WOW!" EXCLAIMED
ONE OF THE HORSES AFTER A HUSHED SILENCE,
" A TALKING DOG!"

AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM
(BY ROBIN DOWNING, D.V.M.)

SOME OF THE MOST POIGNANT MOMENTS I SPENT AS A VETERINARIAN ARE THOSE
SPENT WITH MY CLIENTS ASSISTING THE TRANSITION OF MY ANIMAL PATIENTS FROM
THIS WORLD TO THE NEXT. WHEN LIVING BECOMES A BURDEN, WHETHER FROM PAIN
OR LOSS OF NORMAL FUNCTIONS, I CAN HELP A FAMILY BY ENSURING THAT THEIR
BELOVED PET HAS A EASY PASSING. MAKING THIS FINAL DECISION IS PAINFUL, AND
I HAVE OFTEN FELT POWERLESS TO COMFORT THE GRIEVING OWNERS.

THAT WAS BEFORE I MET SHANE. I HAD BEEN CALLED TO EXAMINE A TEN-YEAR-OLD
BLUE HEELER NAMED BELKER WHO HAD DEVELOPED A SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM.
THE DOG'S OWNERS - RON, HIS WIFE, LISA, AND THEIR LITTLE BOY, SHANE - WERE
ALL VERY ATTACHED TO BELKER AND THEY WERE HOPING FOR A MIRACLE. I 
EXAMINED BELKER AND FOUND HE WAS DYING OF CANCER. I TOLD THE FAMILY
THERE WERE NO MIRACLES LEFT FOR BELKER, AND OFFERED TO PERFORM THE 
EUTHANASIA PROCEDURE FOR THE OLD DOG IN THEIR HOME. AS WE MADE
ARRANGEMENTS, RON AND LISA TOLD ME THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR
THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD SHANE TO OBSERVE THE PROCEDURE, THEY FELT SHANE 
COULD LEARN SOMETHING FOR THE EXPERIENCE. 

THE NEXT DAY, I FELT THE FAMILIAR CATCH IN MY THROAT AS BELKER'S FAMILY
SURROUNDED HIM. SHANE SEEMED SO CALM, PETTING THE OLD DOG FOR THE LAST
TIME, THAT I WONDERED IF HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON. WITHIN A FEW
MINUTES, BELKER SLIPPED PEACEFULLY AWAY. THE LITTLE BOY SEEMED TO ACCEPT
BELKER'S TRANSITION WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY OR CONFUSION. WE SAT TOGETHER
FOR A WHILE AFTER BELKER'S DEATH, WONDERING ALOUD ABOUT THE SAD FACT
ANIMAL LIVES ARE SHORTER THAN HUMAN LIVES. SHANE, WHO HAD BEEN
LISTENING QUIETLY, PIPED UP, "I KNOW WHY." STARTLED, WE ALL TURNED TO HIM.
WHAT CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH STUNNED ME - I'D NEVER HEARD A MORE
COMFORTING EXPLANATION.

HE SAID, "EVERYBODY IS BORN SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN HOW TO LIVE A GOOD
LIFE - LIKE LOVING EVERYBODY AND BEING NICE, RIGHT?" THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD
 CONTINUED, "WELL, ANIMALS ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DO THAT, SO THEY DON'T
HAVE TO STAY AS LONG."

(Thanks Marget)

THE CLERK

THIS GUY GOES TO A GROCERY STORE AND ASKS THE CLERK BEHIND
THE COUNTER FOR TWO CANS OF DOG FOOD. "DO YOU HAVE A DOG?"
ASKED THE CLERK. "YES I DO!" REPLIED THE PUZZLED CUSTOMER.
"I'M SORRY SIR" SAID THE CLERK "BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
PROVE TO ME THAT YOU HAVE A DOG BEFORE I CAN SELL YOU DOG
FOOD." BACK HOME WENT THE FRUSTRATED CUSTOMER TO GET HIS
DOG AND PULLED IT ON IT'S LEASH ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE STORE.
"HERE'S MY DOG!" WHEEZED THE TIRED CUSTOMER.
 
"THANK YOU SIR, HERE IS YOUR TWO CANS OF DOG FOOD."

TWO DAYS LATER THE GUY RETURNS TO THE SAME STORE AND GOES
UP TO THE SAME CLERK AND SAYS: "TWO CANS OF CAT FOOD PLEASE."
"DO YOU HAVE A CAT SIR?" "OF COURSE I DO!" SAID THE EXASPERATED
CUSTOMER. "I'M SORRY SIR BIT I HAVE TO SEE YOUR CAT BEFORE I
CAN SELL YOU CAT FOOD." THE GUY STORMS OUT OF THE STORE, GOES
HOME GRABS THE CAT, CARRY'S IT BACK TO THE STORE AND HOLDS
IT UP FOR THE CLERK TO SEE.
 
"THANK YOU SIR HERE ARE YOUR TWO CANS OF CAT FOOD."


THE VERY NEXT DAY. THE GUY RETURNS TO THE STORE, APPROACHES
THE CLERK AND PLACES ON THE COUNTER A HUGE BOX WITH A HOLE
IN THE COVER. "YES SIR", ASKED THE CLERK, "WHAT CAN I DO FOR 
YOU?" "PUT YOUR HAND IN THE HOLE" ORDERED THE CUSTOMER. "I BEG
YOUR PARDON?" SAID THE CLERK. "DO AS I SAY!" ORDERED THE GUY.
CAUTIOUSLY THE CLERK SLID HIS HAND ALL THE WAY IN THE HOLE.
"PULL IT OUT AND TELL ME WHAT IT FEELS LIKE!" SAID THE GUY.

"IT FEELS LIKE A COMMODE!" SAID THE DISGUSTED CLERK; TO WHICH
THE CUSTOMER REPLIED: "THAT'S RIGHT!!, NOW GIVE ME TWO ROLLS OF

TOILET PAPER.

THREE MONKEYS



THREE MONKEYS SAT IN A COCONUT TREE 
DISCUSSING THINGS AS THEY ARE MEANT TO BE.
SAID ONE TO THE OTHERS, "NOW LISTEN YOU TWO,
THERE'S A CERTAIN RUMOR THAT CAN'T BE TRUE.

THAT MAN DESCENDED FROM OUR NOBLE RACE
THE VERY IDEA IS A DIRE DISGRACE!

NO MONKEY EVER DESERTED HIS WIFE,
STARVED HER BABY, OR RUINED HER LIFE.

AND  YOU'VE NEVER KNOW A MOTHER MONK
TO LEAVE HER BABY WITH OTHERS TO BUNK.

AND ANOTHER THING YOU WILL NEVER SEE
IS A MONK BUILD A FENCE AROUND A COCONUT TREE,

LETTING THE COCONUTS GO TO WASTE
WHILE FORBIDDING OTHER MONKS TO TASTE.

WHY IF I PUT A FENCE AROUND THIS TREE,
STARVATION WOULD FORCE YOU TO STEAL FROM ME.

HERE'S ANOTHER THING A MONK WOULDN'T DO,
GO OUT AT NIGHT AND GET ON A STEW.

AND TAKE A GUN OR CLUB OR KNIFE
AND TAKE SOME OTHER MONKEY'S LIFE.

YES, MAN DESCENDED, THE ORNERY CUSS,
BUT BROTHER HE DIDN'T DESCEND FROM US.

THANKS MARGET

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