Tuesday, May 17, 2016

What the heck is an EARPS?

I have this amazing friend. Her name is Heather. She has this HUGE heart. And she is a woman with a heart of action, not just words. One of the many, many ways that she puts her heart into action is her involvement with a gorup called EARPS. Check out this fun opportunity to meet some unique animals and be part of a fundraiser to help them!!

Exotic Animal Rescue and Pet Sanctuary (EARPS) rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes any animal you've ever imagined. In my last shift, I cared for three guinea pigs, three degus, a snake, and ten rabbits. My spare bedroom is currently home to three gerbils, two rats, three ferrets, a chinchilla, a gecko, and a rabbit. Most of those are adoptable. 

EARPS currently has around 200 animals, primarily in foster homes like ours. As a result of the large quantity of animals we have taken in, they are in desperate need of funds for vet care. The rummage sale is going to be huge - one entire room at the rescue is so full, my dog couldn't follow me in when I opened the door. 

The sale is in the parking lot of the salon that houses our rescue. The doors will be open for anyone who would like to see some of the fun exotic pets currently available. 

Dove and Daisy

Aurora

Ollie



Huge Rummage Sale
Place : Creatures Great &Groomed
           468 National Ave


Time : 8am - 5pm

Furniture,  Electronics, Household Goods,  Tools,  Toys,  Clothes, and so much more.  OVER 6 TRUCK LOADS of items.

We will except Cash, Credit Card, PayPal ONLY. - no checks

Please come out and help a wonderful cause.

           CHECK US OUT AT



sig jan 2014 photo owlsig.jpg

Saturday, May 14, 2016

My Heart Is Troubled

my heart is troubled
the heaviness of

pain
harm
trauma
ignorance

rests on my soul

words don't come easily
just feelings

angst
broken hearted
compassion

it sounds

trite
insincere

but i want to embrace

the world
all the hurting people
on both sides

i read the bible
i search scripture
i seek guidance

there i find

grace
mercy
peace
humility
kindness
love

in humanity
in churches
in society
in government
in families

there i find

misinformation
fear
heartache
brokenness
hate
emptiness
harm

i choose God's word
God's guidance

LOVE

and yet

my heart is troubled




sig jan 2014 photo owlsig.jpg

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Guest Post: The Greatest Risk for Our Children, and How to Minimize That Risk

I was recently contacted by the Goldfish Swim School about helping to share an important message on water safety. And it led me to an important realization - my 8 year old really needs to learn how to swim. He is developing a fear of the water, avoids activities involving pools or water activities, and is convincing himself that he will never be able to swim. 

That won't do. 

We have tried lessons before but it was in a much larger setting. At Goldfish Swim School, he would get more personalized and one on one teaching time. So not only do you get to learn about water safety, you also get a great offer from Goldfish Swim School and soon you will (hopefully) see progress updates on Zach's adventure in learning to swim!

A guest post from Andrew Joseph, Goldfish Swim School General Manager 

As the weather warms up, it’s more important than ever to talk about water safety to help keep families as safe as possible this summer. Sunny days often lead to increased time outdoors, and thus a stronger temptation to wander into nearby ponds, creeks, pools and even deep puddles.

We all know drowning is a risk for children, but do you know how great of a risk? Here are a few startling statistics:

·       Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1-4, and the second leading cause among kids 14 and under. 
·       Drowning happens quickly — often in less than two minutes, which is why swim safety must be a top priority for children of all ages. 

As the general manager for Goldfish Swim School in both Carmel and Fishers, I live and breathe water safety every day. But, for those of you who don’t have water safety top-of-mind, I want to share ten tips to help keep your loved ones safer.

1.     Ensure that active, undistracted adult supervision is present at all times. Drowning happens very quickly, in the time it takes to answer a phone call, text or email on your phone.
2.     When leaving your children with others, brief family members and babysitters on water safety and emphasize the need for constant supervision.
3.     Ensure that all children understand basic water skills. For example, at Goldfish, we teach students that if a child falls in the water, have them turn around to look where they fell in, keep their head above water and swim to the edge they came from, as it’s often the shortest distance.
4.     Use the buddy system. If multiple children are in the water at once, pair them up in a buddy system to ensure they are also looking out for each other.
5.     Teach children from a very young age that they can only enter water with an adult’s permission and presence.
6.     Prepare yourself and family members for the worst-case scenario with CPR training. If an emergency does happen, you’ll be able to provide critical support until paramedics arrive.
7.     If you have a body of water on your property, such as a pool, spa or pond, post CPR instructions to ensure that anyone close by can help in an emergency.
8.     If a child is missing, check nearby bodies of water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
9.     Don’t rely on sound to detect drowning. Child drowning is often a silent death, without splashing to alert those nearby.
10.  Enroll your children in quality swim classes to ensure they learn water safety and swimming skills as early as possible – beginning at four months of age at Goldfish. Ongoing, perpetual swim lessons, such as those at Goldfish, provide the greatest benefit, as they keep water safety top-of-mind for children. See below for a swim school special for Eternal Lizdom readers!

For additional water safety tips and interactive water safety demonstrations, join us May 14 for a free Water Safety Day event at either Indianapolis-area Goldfish location (Carmel or Fishers) as we celebrate May as National Water Safety Day.

At Goldfish Swim School, our top priority is water safety year-round. Our instructors are tasked with not only teaching children to swim and to be safer, but they’re also empowered to provide a fun, playful experience to ensure the children want to come to swim lessons to continue learning.

Whether your child knows how to swim or is just learning, Goldfish Swim School has the perfect curriculum for every skill level for children ages four months to 12 years. If you would like to enroll your child(ren) in our quality swim school, we will WAIVE the registration fee – a $25 value – for all Eternal Lizdom readers. Just give the code “ETERNALLIZDOM” when you call to schedule.

Please remember to visit us on May 14, and don’t hesitate to reach out for additional information or any questions about water safety by calling 317-810-0790 or visiting http://goldfishswimschool.com/.

sig jan 2014 photo owlsig.jpg

Monday, May 2, 2016

Who They Become (aka Mom's Employee Review)

Before I became a mom and back in the early days of motherhood, I often thought about what I wanted to teach my kids. Or what kind of people my kids would become.

For the most part, I wanted them to be kind and happy and healthy. Compassionate. I wanted them to discover their authentic selves and then I wanted them to be the kinds of kids that would reach out to help others or be a friend to someone who needs a friend.

As my kids have grown and their personalities emerge and develop and bloom, I find that my focus shifts with their changes.

For Teagan, at age 11, I want her to feel like she doesn't have to be in control of all the things, all the time. She has a wonderful grasp on compassion and caring for those in need. She has a great sense of equality and justice. I ponder over her anxiety and her desire for control. She is delightful to the world. She is respectful and kind and funny and sweet. She is smart and pretty and people just like being around her. But any doubts or worries or sadness or concerns get locked away inside and held onto until she has reached her safe place - home. Which means the bottled up anxiety and worry gets dumped on the people who are the safest - mom and dad. She also really, really, really likes to be in full control of all the things and all the choices and all the people. Sometimes, that kind of leadership is needed. More often, it backfires.

I want my daughter to develop a strong sense of self worth. I want her to see the positive impact she has on others and I want her to grow in that aspect. I want her to find the power that comes with building people up, with being a good leader.

For Zach, age 8, I want him to find his confidence and his voice. Zach has a touch of social anxiety. He shies away from meeting new people, making new friends, being in new situations. He would be perfectly happy if we would just let him live in his room with nothing but a computer for company and regular drop off of a PB&J for sustenance. Once he has connected with someone, once he has become your friend, he is witty and silly and funny and loyal to the ends of the earth. But getting him to the place where he feels comfortable can be a challenge. This also means that trying new experiences or foods or adventures is a struggle. It is helpful when we can prepare him as much as possible for what a new thing might be like (like watching ride videos before we went to Disney - that was a vacation saver!).

I want my son to be confident in the wonderful boy that he is. There is depth and sensitivity in him that warms my heart. I want him to use his strengths (his sense of humor, his intelligence, his kindness) instead of hiding from them. I also want him to find a sense of adventure so he doesn't miss out on new things just because he's afraid or unsure of them.

And for both of my children?

I want them to understand that other people are impacted by their choices. That how you behave impacts those directly involved but also has an impact on those nearby. I want them to understand the power they have in every choice they make.

Of course, I wish a lot of adults would figure that one out, too.

I also want them to know that they have purpose. I want them to know that if they have a desire in their hearts, they have the power to make that desire happen. And that they have a family who supports them in setting and achieving and dreaming those things with them.

And I still want them to be happy and kind and compassionate. I want them to be silly and strong and wise. I want them to know how safe and secure and loved and adored they each are in our immediate family and in our extended family and in our extended circles.

Which means I have a lot of work to do as a mom. And Jeff has a lot of work to do as a dad. We have to be adjustable and plugged in. We have to recognize when we need to change our approach, when we need to be soft, when we need to use a little tough love. The parenting thing is the toughest challenge I've ever chosen. I've never done anything that entails as much risk as raising my 2 children entails. I've never done anything as important.

As an employee, I get performance reviews. I have a boss who lets me know if I'm not doing something well or if there is something I need to learn more about. I have internal and external customers I have to keep happy in order to be doing my job well.

I kind of wish there was something similar for being a mom. That there was some type of performance review so I could understand what my kids need from me and what adjustments I need to make in order to be the mom my kids deserve.

Instead, I have to just figure it out as I go. There is no real checklist or annual goal setting and there certainly isn't an end of year bonus. I have to figure out on my own if I'm succeeding as a mom.

I know I'm a good mom. I also know I can always do better. Because they are worth it. And because there is purpose and plan and dream along their path - and Jeff and I are the ones chosen to guide them.




sig jan 2014 photo owlsig.jpg