This is Luna's Story...

Help Jonah’s Place Now

Simmons, the Toothless Wonder Dog

 The Background…

In July of 2008 I received a desperate plea from a friend to help re-locate a toothless mastiff named Simmons who was facing being turned in to Miami-Dade Animal Control. This would likely have meant death for Simmons. In case you are wondering, Simmons had been on a medication as a puppy that caused all of his teeth to rot away. With no teeth to hold his tongue in, it is permanently hanging out of his mouth!

Back to the story…so, I contacted everyone I knew and asked how we could band together for this sweet boy. Miracles happen when a small but dedicated group of people come together for a common goal! A mastiff rescue in Pennsylvania stepped forward to foster Simmons until a permanent home could be found. Now the REAL challenge: how on earth would we get him up there?! Once again, dedication, commitment and compassion paid off. A rescue transport group came forward and agreed to arrange a free transport for him from Miami to Pennsylvania. Each transporter drove an hour long leg up the east coast and then drove back down to their original starting spot. My sister Christina and I drove the second leg of transport and Simmons eventually made it to his foster home.

I received an update a couple of weeks ago about what Simmons has been up to. I hope this is as touching for you to read as it was for me. It just goes to show you what great things even a small group of people can accomplish and the miracles that lie in store for us when we live our lives with compassion and love.

The Update from Simmons’ ‘Mom’…

“Last week I had to run some antibiotics back over to the personal care home where I work, for a co-worker whose dog was ill. I decided to take Simmons along for the ride and let him visit the residents on the Dementia floor where I work.

This is a picture of Bob with Simmons. Bob has terminal cancer. He has no family that comes in to visit him. Bob is a gifted musician, former pilot, and was in the service. His whole life was packed away in boxes when he came to the home. No one even bothered to unpack any of his belongings. I waited until he went to an activity and I decorated his room with all of his personal items and had polka playing when he came back. He told me that he played the accordion on the cd that was playing.

Bob very rarely talks, very rarely smiles and most of the time sits alone in his room. He was sleeping on his bed when I called to him from out in the hallway and told him that I had someone who wanted to meet him. He sat straight up in bed with a huge grin the minute that he saw Simmons and called him into his room. Bob smiled and laughed for the next 40 minutes!!

Every time that I tried to leave, Simmons would lay back down on the floor next to Bob to have his belly rubbed! Bob kept repeating...."Simmons, my big baby! Yes, you’re a big baby!!", petting him the whole time. I got a feeling that Simmons will be making more trips in the future to the home.”

This is what Jonah’s Place is about. Making a difference - one life at a time…to positively impact our fellow man and God’s precious creatures.

Michelle Brockman for Jonah’s Place, Inc.

P.S. You can get in on this Life-Changing action. We are in great need of partners. Please click on the link below and show that you support what we are doing…

http://jonahsplace.org/partners

In the Midst of a Storm

 

Stormy afternoons are not an uncommon occurrence in South Florida during the summer months. During today’s afternoon tempest something struck me. It was pouring down rain, the sky was gloomy and dark, filled with flashes of lightning and the wind was gusting and blustery. Yet even through that unnerving storm, you could still tell it was day. The brightness of the afternoon sun could not be squelched by the temporary storm. In the midst of a storm, the darkness can never cover up the light!

No matter what sad, scary or upsetting circumstance we may be facing, there is always a light in the background that cannot be extinguished. Just like an afternoon thunderstorm, the darkness that we are experiencing will pass.

We must always cling to hope and encourage others that may be facing hard times as much as possible. A compliment to a stranger, a gift to a friendly acquaintance or the expression of love to a family member may be a breath of life that is so desperately needed.

How can you reach down and pull someone up? What simple act of kindness can you show to someone today? How can you help to pass hope on? No one person can do everything but we all can do something!

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” 

– John 1:5

Michelle Brockman

Jonah’s Place

It’s All in the Smile

I was in the grocery store last week and a young girl next to me in the isle wasn’t paying attention to where she was going and backed up into me. I could tell she was expecting a harsh reaction by the look on her face. Instead, I simply smiled. No words were exchanged between us but immediately the atmosphere changed. A smile and soft eyes returned my very simple gesture - her body language reflected relief. I can only imagine how that child must have been treated by others…that she would come to expect a harsh reaction for such a silly blunder instead of expecting grace.

When we smile it doesn’t only affect others positively, it helps us too! Here are some fun facts about smiling to encourage you to harness this simple but mighty powerful tool:

 

1.      Lowers Heart Rate – Smiling slows the heart and relaxes the body. This lets the heart work without overworking. People who smile and laugh often are less likely to develop heart disease. Smiling reduces blood pressure temporarily too.

2.       Reduce Stress – Stress is a common problem in the modern world that causes a myriad of health problems. Stress relief may be as simple as smiling a little more throughout the day. Smiling releases endorphins that counteract and diminish the stress hormones.

3.      Betters Your Mood – The endorphins do more than kick stress to the curb. Endorphins lift your mood. Feeling down? Slap a smile on your face, even if it isn’t entirely genuine at first, and turn your entire day around with something simple, easy to do, and free.

4.      Increase Productivity – Smiling has been shown to increase productivity while performing tasks. There’s truth to the “whistle while we work” mentality. This also explains why silly internet memes and pictures of cute animals can actually get people motivated and working harder after a few moments of smiling or laughter.

5.       Longevity – The effects of a good smile extend past just the exterior good looks. People who smile more often live longer too, around 7 years longer than most according to one study. It releases stress, helps the heart, and much more to keep you healthy longer.

6.      Boost Immune System – Smiles help the body relax and this lets the immune system react more quickly and effectively against invaders.

7.      Look Younger – Smiles naturally lift the face and in studies have shown to make people look younger, around 3 years younger on average.

So, have you smiled recently? 

Michelle Brockman for

Jonah’s Place

Smile facts excerpt from Sunwarrior.com/Charlie Pulsipher