Beemer is the Best

"No amount of time will erase the memory of a good great dog."

Today was a bad day. I lost my best friend. I know he's "just a dog" but he was a great friend. He gave me a love, companionship and loyalty that I don't deserve. I will miss him greatly. 

Beemer is the Best.

I posted these missives once before about dogs in general and Beemer specifically. They only begin to describe how much we will miss him. He was a great dog.

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender.You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours to the last beat of his heart.You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."

      - Anonymous

 --

Just a Dog

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog," or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog." Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog," but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise." "Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. "Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. "Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog" but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a man." So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog." just smile, because they "just don't understand."

Author Unknown

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The Emanuel Church Murders and Racial Violence | Just Facts Daily

You wouldn't get this impression by listening to the MSM. And I'm talking about both sides of the aisle here, so don't bring me your "Yeah, he's talking about CNN" or "Yeah, he's talking about Fox News" 'cause guess what Chief? I'm talking about both. And if you are an intellectual  hostage of either one of those purveyors of hate and divisiveness -- and that is what they both are -- you will never see the light.

from justfactsdaily.com
http://www.justfactsdaily.com/the-emanuel-church-murders-and-racial-violence/

The truth of the matter is that whites are by far the greatest killers of whites, and blacks are by far the greatest killers of blacks. As detailed in a U.S. Department of Justice study that is the source of most of the data above, from 1980 through 2008, "84% of white victims were killed by whites," and "93% of black victims were killed by blacks."

Hence, those who pin blame on any race in America for violence against another race are avoiding the much greater problem, which is people of the same races killing each other. Moreover, individuals who falsely accuse others of racism and violence are sowing the seeds of more hatred and bloodshed.

When people are misled to believe that they are being terrorized, some will inevitably strike back. This should compel all people to make sure they get the facts straight and challenge such slander as it arises.

Cut the Cord, I tell you. You won't regret it for one minute, Don't allow the mass media to control you, you control the mass media by deciding on the sources you allow in. That implies you have to make good choices in that regard. I didn't say it was going to be easy.

It seems as if we should be talking a little less about "black and white" and a little more about "love and hate" or just for giggles "good and evil".

Happy Martin Luther King Day

This is not a bad requiem. If you read the entire UPI story (or listen to the audio) documenting what America was going through in 1968, our concerns and differences today would seem somewhat trivial by comparison. How far we have come, how far we still have to go.

http://www.upi.com/Audio/Year_in_Review/Events-of-1968/Martin-Luther-King-Assasination/12303153093431-4/

"If any of you around when I have to meet my day, I don't want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell him not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want him to say, tell him not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, that isn't important. Tell him not to mention that I have 300 or 400 other awards, that's not important. Tell him not to mention where I went to school.

"I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to love somebody.

"I want you to say that day that I've tried to be right on the walk with them. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe all to a naked. I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. And I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.

"Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major. Say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter."

What's love got to do with it?

Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the ‘me’ for the ‘we.’ - Phil Jackson

The Zen Master brings up a couple of virtues that are important for any team to move to a higher level. These elements are important for any cooperative unit to operate successfully.

Trust
Self-Sacrifice
Mutual Respect
Sharing
Communication

It is interesting that these virtues that a team needs to have in order to thrive are also necessary ingredients in the ultimate team environment: marriage. We tend to think that "love" conquers all, and that if you have that you can carry the day and succeed in a relationship. But many a marriage fails and on the courthouse steps one or both parties is forced to admit that "I love him/her, I just can't live with him/her". In almost all cases, one or more of the virtues listed above is seriously deficient within the relationship.

In team sports environments, we blame the lack of "chemistry". OK, I buy the elusive chase for chemistry. But we never hear what the definition of chemistry is. I submit that is the same combination of those five elements listed above that bind ANY successful relationship together. And when a team is able to cultivate these elements, they will find that they just love playing together as a unit. Success generally follows.

I always hear fans and pundits say that "chemistry" and it's link to success is a "chicken or the egg" argument. They imply that teams just pay lip service to chemistry after finding success and that there is no linkage. Without going all Dr. Phil on everyone, if coaches don't carefully monitor their teams attention and adherence to these virtues--success or chemistry will rarely follow.

LOVE - May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you - 1 Thessalonians 3:12