Beau

Beau, walking up the driveway

We have 2 cats, 17 chickens, 3 roosters, and 1 and 1/2 dogs.   The 1/2 dog is "Beau", or at least that's what I've named him.  Beau showed up on our property several months ago, every rib showing through his fur, skittish and shy. He slept under the front porch all winter.  He and our Moxie immediately became best buddies, and they eagerly look forward to runs in the woods, walks down the road, wading in the ice-cold nearby stream.  When it snowed, they were like excited children, running through the drifts, "laughing" and eating the snow... then, coming back to our yard,  soaking wet and out-of-breath, but happy.

He's a pretty boy, isn't he?

We have been feeding Beau twice daily all these months. He has learned to trust me enough that he shows up just before mealtime, and knows that  I will be filling his bowl without fail.  He knows my routine and always joins in on feeding the chickens.  Over these many months Beau and I have ever-so-slowly developed a friendship.  Small steps; very small steps.  At first he would follow me in the yard, keeping a distance of six feet or so.  Then, he would follow me closely, but never touching.  Then, he started coming up alongside of me and just barely touching my hand with his nose.  One day I spontaneously offered him a bite of cornbread - and he took it!  Then, another and another until the cornbread was gone.  Moshe and I both had tears in our eyes after that episode; it had to have taken a lot of gumption  for Beau to decide to trust me.  A few days ago, he allowed me to pet him.  He has taken to sleeping on the back porch, right up against the sliding glass door, as if to say, "I belong here... And I'm gonna'  be just as close to my new people as possible."

Best Buddies...

Meanwhile, Moxie-the-wonder-dog is so generous of our attention.  She shares the talking, the petting, and the food with her buddy, Beau.  When I call them, they come bounding up to me.  Beau still holds back, but I can tell that Moxie is telling him, "Go ahead.. Let her pet you... It feels good... She's nice."  Beau stands back and looks longingly at Moxie and me.

He looks longingly inside the house, too.  I suspect he's been inside a house before.  Will he ever be comfortable enough to come inside ours?  Who did he belong to?  And, why is he so scared of people - especially men?  We suspect that someone abused this precious dog... he has been abandoned at best... more than likely beaten as well.  I am thankful that Beau showed up at our house.  I am glad to be gaining his trust and his friendship.

Y'know, God wants to be our friend, much like I have wanted to befriend Beau.  We come to Him broken in spirit, perhaps broken in body as well... And He patiently waits for us to trust Him.  He stands at the doorway to heaven, bidding us enter.  And, the only thing holding us back is ourselves.

Shalom  Y'all - Twyla

The Peacock Necklace

 I am wearing "the peacock necklace" today.  The necklace doesn't really look like a peacock;  it's a large pendant, strung on several strands of black and crystal beads.  The pendant has the fluorescent blues and greens of a peacock. It is handmade, a one-of-a-kind, special. Someone I once knew gave it to me... a girly gift from one girly-girl to another... When my friend gave me the necklace, she wrapped it in a long thin box, and included a peacock feather along with a note that read something like this: "Hi.  I am a peacock necklace. Wear me whenever you are feeling a bit low or when you are lacking in self-confidence.  I will be a reminder to you that you are more beautiful than a peacock, and that you are loved by the one who gave me to you."





Now, years later, I can't find that  narrow box; nor, can I locate the feather or the note... Perhaps they are packed away in some obscure drawer or perched on a high closet shelf amongst other sentimental treasures..








I can't seem to find the friend who gave me the necklace, either.  How sad  that we have come to this - having known and loved each other, only to lose track of tine, allow miles and schedules and miscellany to all but erase a friendship. Even so, I am wearing the peacock necklace today.  A reminder that deep down I am pretty, even if not another soul on earth vocalizes it.  A reminder that I am valuable, even when it doesn't seem so.  A reminder that another day will dawn, and that "this too shall pass."


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     Shalom y'all-
        Twyla

On opening the mail...

Twyla, age 4, with her parents

     Oh, my goodness. I received a letter in the mail.  It was from my Dad, and arrived in a big yellow envelope.  I couldn't imagine what it might be... Something important; maybe a legal document of some sort, maybe he and Mom updated their will or something? Or, maybe it was some sort of bill? (Ugh). Or, maybe something to do with my recent court appearance for the case of my purse being stolen?  All these thoughts raced through my head as I opened the big envelope.
     When I opened it, I realized that Dad had received a letter addressed to me and had forwarded it in the big envelope.  My heart skipped a beat when I read the return address on the inner envelope.  It was from my best friend way back when I was ages 6 to 10.  My family moved to another state when I was 10. My friend and I wrote to each other for quite a while; then, stopped.  I have thought of her many, many times over the years.  And I have recounted stories of her family life while teaching women's Bible classes, etc. I always thought of her parents as miraculous.

Twyla, age 16

  
      Come to find out, my friend has thought of me, too.  Her letter explained that she has googled my name on and off through the years... finally got a hit, and after corresponding with one of my high school classmates, got my parents' address.
  
      Imagine that!  My friend, Marilyn, and I are going to start emailing, etc. after all these years. (I refuse to admit how MANY years that is!!!)  I so look forward to finding out about her life, her parents, her brothers.  Does she have children? Grandchildren? What does she do as hobbies?  Etc., etc., etc. I'm going to email her as soon as I finish this, and can't wait to hear her reply!

And, Twyla now...

Make new friends,
Keep the old.
One is silver;
the other is gold.

Shalom Y'all - Twyla