How could anyone do this?

A few weeks ago, a got a new foster kitty. Her name is Brenda, but I call her Mama Bear (because I'm also fostering her son). Here's an pic of the 2 of them (Mama Bear on the left, Bruno on the right):

When I got Mama Bear, one of the heads of our rescue, Res-Q-Pets, let me know that she had a limp and a swollen paw that had been injured prior to her being rescued a couple months earlier. She has been to the vet and had her wounds treated and the vet said it looked like something had been wrapped around her paw real tight (like string, wire, or a rubberband). So, we were waiting to see how it healed.

Fast forward about a week, I get home after being away overnight, I pick Mama Bear up and notice something on her nearly black little paw. I could hardly believe my eyes when I realized that she had a rubberband coming out of her paw!!! Well, I immediately was furious and emailed Lisa and asked her what we needed to do. Within a couple days, Mama Bear was taken to the vet, sedated, and the vet removed an ENTIRE RUBBERBAND from inside her paw. It had been wrapped around her paw several times, evidence that it was done by a person and not just something she had tripped into. Here's a pic of her paw after removal of the rubberband.

So, my question is, who in the world would possibly do this to a helpless creature?!? You have to understand, Mama Bear is one of the sweetest cats I've ever had the pleasure to care for. I just really don't understand what goes through a person's mind to think they even have the right to hurt another creature, especially those that are smaller. Do they not realize that God's put His creatures in our care?

Anyways, Mama Bear is only ~1-1/2 years old and spent who knows how long on the streets of Trenton in one of the worst neighborhoods, yet her demeanor is still so gentle and loving. I had a greater part in her rescue than I have with other of my fosters and I feel a great sense of joy to know that I've helped in even the smallest of ways. Now, 2 weeks past her little surgery, Mama Bear has virtually NO limp, her paw is normal size, and she now stands correctly on it. There is evidence of some permanent damage in that she doesn't put out her claws on that paw and it seems to be a little bit twisted, but none of that seems to ever bother her and she no longer seems to have any pain or discomfort. With that, I think this is a true success story!!!

Oh, and there is someone at my work who is thinking of adopting her so double bonus if that all works out!!!

The fruits of our labor...

I had my Wordless Wednesday partially done, but decided to forego it this week because I thought this post was more important for two reasons: (1) it's a very real reminder of how God uses His people, and (2) i think this is a worthwhile cause.

I went to a rally for the Children's Ministry volunteers at church and they had a guest speaker. The guest speaker told of a cause that is close to his heart. Why? Because the founder of the organization, Scott Harrison, was one of the speaker's Sparky's in the Awanas program. Well, this brings it near and dear to my heart because this will be my 4th year as a volunteer in the Sparks group (that's K-2nd grade) in my church's Awanas program. It was a great reminder that, even through we may never see the fruits of our labor or know how our faithfulness in God's service is used to help others, that God does use us to accomplish His work here.

No, it's not like our speaker went and told the child that he needed to go save people. But, by teaching the children about God, God's love for all people of the world, and about being in service to God, Scott Harrison a former Sparky who put his faith in God a long time ago has gone on to see a need and follow the cries of his heart to give other people of the world something that we take for granted...clean water. Another reason this is close to my heart is that I've been to Kenya. I've walked through the slums of Imara Daima. I've seen the children who walk to school everyday and fill their daily water containers with water from a river where the cows bathe. I admit that I take my accessibility to clean water for granted just as much as the next person. But this has been a reminder to me that there are some that don't know that clean water exists. I can't imagine a life without clean water...it is my beverage of choice.

The cause that Scott started is called Charity: water. Scott started out with what was in his heart and he came up with a simple and unique way of raising money for his initial project. His goal last year was to raise enough money to go back to Kenya and drill a well so the people could have clean water. After the success of last year and their live airing of the drilling project, the organization has decided to take on much more this next year and the goal is to raise 10x as much so they can drill more wells for 33 villages in Ethiopia to be able to have clean water.

So what is his unique waay of raising the money? For the project in Kenya, it was the year he was turning 32 so he asked all the people he knew that have September birthdays to give up their birthday gifts and ask for small donations ($32 for his 32nd birthday) to help people in need. Since he is turning 33 this year, he's asking for $33. 100% of the money raised will go directly to building wells. Of course, everyone is welcome to donate and everyone is encouraged to spread the word. You can visit the link to find out about Scott's story and, if you feel inclined, about how to help his cause.

Please join me in praying for Scott and his organization. If you are a September baby, please consider doing as Scott has done. If you were born in any other month, please consider donating or just sharing this story with others.

How do you kill the time while 10+ hours in the car?

You crochet cat toys, of course (as long as you're not prone to car sickness that is). Well, really I only crocheted during some of the 2 to 3 hour stints when I WASN'T driving:)

So how did I decide this would be a good car riding activity? I've often brought crocheting along when I've been a passenger in lengthy car rides and I've had a project due. But this time I was inspired by the pet rescue that I volunteer with (Res-Q-Pets), which is participating in the Plainsboro Flea Market on September 20th (in Plainsboro, NJ). They will be selling homemade goodies, most of which they want to be usable by pets. So I decided to offer up my services.

I elected to spend my time crocheting stuffed mouse toys with catnip inside. Well, of course I didn't bring the catnip and stuffing along so I crocheted each mouse up to the point of stuffing (which is literally up to its ears). During the trip south and back and between locations (combining to ~28 hours on the road) with me driving about 40% of the time and sleeping or just observing another ~20% of the time, I managed to crank out 23 mice (up to the ears).

I have since finished stuffing them all and have done the last bit of stitching on a few.

This was a great way to make the driving time go by quickly. However, I do caution anyone who tries this...make sure you look up at the scenery every couple minutes and take a break every once in awhile. Otherwise, it gets difficult to focus far off and you might even get a little dizzy.

If you are interested in making your own mouse toys, click here for the free pattern. They only take about 20 minutes or so to make each one, once you get the hang of it.