John

There once was a man sent from God, his name was John.  A familiar verse in the Bible.  I'm not talking about the same John mentioned in that verse.... but those words just spring to my mind as I think of a man we recently met -- his name is John, and he was sent by God into our lives.

We met John a few months ago. We sat across the aisle from each other at church. During worship, Chester perked up, wandered over to greet John.  I noticed John sat alone.  I noticed he had kind eyes and a huge love for dogs.  And I noticed he had a large bandage around his neck. 

After the service, John came to us.  He sat down, and lovingly pet Chester.  He held his finger over the hole in the neck bandage, so he could speak, his voice, raspy, strained, difficult to understand.  His eyes so kind and caring, full of compassion and love for others...dogs included. Walking through hard seasons can give you that kind of heart.  Or...bitterness.  In John though, all I see in his often tear-filled eyes is....love.

It had been awhile since we were at church on a Saturday night.  Last night we were there.  John found us again. We hugged, happy to see our friend.  John sat down, and Chester snuggled up next to his friend. John rested his hand on Chester's head, petting him constantly, rubbing his ears, just loving on him...as dog lover's do. When John stopped petting to grab a pen , Chester nudged him gently with his nose, as if saying, hey, don't stop :-).  John, no longer able to talk, his voice too weak, now spoke with his pen.  He scratched a note to us on his yellow pad, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you."  The words just made my eyes leak.  Had it not been for Chester, would I ever have noticed or met this kind man? Would I?  I hope so, but I don't know ~ ~ how many "John Moments" have I walked past?  I am so thankful that months ago, Chester walked across that aisle to make the first move, to meet ...a friend.

We, gathered closely around John and prayed for him.  He wrote notes, we read, we talked, he scribbled quickly, we listened. It was clear John was missing his voice, weak as it was. It is difficult to write notes and say all that is in your heart ... so, we just hugged some more and Chester sat close with his friend.

There once was a man, sent by God, his name was John.  John is now in our hearts and in our lives. And we are in his.  If you wouldn't mind, would you whisper a prayer for our friend.

Yoga with Chester



I love you, Melissa !

 

I love you too, Chester!


 

"Hey Chester, wanna do Yoga on Tuesday?"
"I'm totally up for it!"

Tuesday was the big day,  Yoga with Chester.  Melissa indeed had picked out some exercises to do with her buddy.  She stretched, he stretched.  She reached up high, he did the same.  She went down low, and down Chester went. Melissa yinged and yanged, Chester yinged and yanged. (obviously, it goes without saying,  I don't know much about Yoga).   Melissa taught Chester some great Yoga positions.  It was a beautiful moment. :-)

Chester's favorite pose ~ the tail wag, of course.  He excelled. Melissa did a very cute wag as well.  His second favorite pose was the bridge, when Melissa made a bridge, hands on floor, balancing on one knee with other leg stretched out straight (wow); Chester did the army crawl, on his belly, traveling under the bridge ~~ to receive peanut butter cookie from mom-Peggy on the other side.  Chester discovered, Yoga is fun.  Yoga is delicious.

Something happened after Yoga.  Melissa and Chester sort of took a nose dive in energy and concentration and weren't their typical perky selves for the rest of Physical Therapy. They were zoned, staring off into space, concentrating on who-knows-what, perhaps ceiling tiles, or perhaps the creation of the universe.  Hard to tell.  Not sure if their ying and yang got messed up, or what exactly happened, but, it was not a pretty picture, at least from Melissa's therapist's point of view.  She's the kind of GREAT therapist that well...she likes to make the most out of every minute.  Finally, she looked at the zoning Yoga-Team, & in her very serious voice said, "Melissa, Chester, next time we do Yoga last!"  Melissa and Chester sort of gave her this glazed look that said, "Dude, we totally don't get why you are so stressed, and like so, uh, not happy.  Maybe you should try to chill with some Yoga moves? "

When their hour was done,  Chester walked Melissa to her minivan.  They gave each other very relaxed hugs, and that was the end of their FIRST, and hopefully not last, Yoga Day.  I don't know about Melissa, but Chester slept the whole way home ~~ stretched out and smiling, totally. 

Moms definitely need hugs too.
(Peg, Melissa's terrific Mom)

 

A picture paints a THOUSAND words.

Weekly, Chester and I attend a training session with "the BIG dogs" ...those dogs who are in training to be service dogs. These big dogs have foster parents who give of their time, and of their hearts, to love, nurture, and train these pups, knowing all the while this beloved pet will leave them, to love and serve some special someone in need. It is heartbreaking and oh so rewarding all at the same time. These ordinary people are heroes in my book.

On Monday nights, we get to hang out and wag tails with UDS (United Disability Services)  Big Dogs. Chester, since he was a pup,  has had a special invitation to work out with the big dogs, so to speak, practicing his manners and skills. (Truth be told...It's mostly for me, so I can learn from the heroes!)  He's the only yellow vest in a sea of red ~ but no one seems to mind.

Tonight was a special night, an especially special night. Melissa and her mom came to visit UDS training. They came for two reasons ~ Chester and Digby.  Chester and Digby  have two things in common.  They are both in the line of service. One a Therapy Dog, the other a Service Dog in training.  They both LOVE Melissa.  Chester, as you know is Melissa's Therapy Dog at Schreiber Pediatric.  Digby, a Service Dog in training,  is being trained by Melissa's Jr. High School Teacher, and he spends each day in her classroom.  The student's are helping to train Digby as well. Just about the best set-up I can imagine.  (Side note... what are the odds of Melissa's doggies knowing each other?  I mean, really? Another God appointment I think.)
 Tonight Melissa came to Doggie Class to see what her favorite pups do at school!  Sometimes a picture speaks a thousand words, so I will let the picture do the talking for me. 

 .

If you ever questioned the value of Pet Therapy or Service Animals ~~ just take a look at these smiles.



Secret Messages

 

Chester and his Melissa 



Chester and Melissa are quite a team.  The boy definitely gets an extra bounce in his step when he knows it's Melissa-day at Schreiber Pediatric Rehab.  When he rounds the corner to Physical Therapy it's like his tail wags extra much, and he is prancin' faster than normal to get to his girl (and her Mom...Chester loves Melissa's Mom, Peggy).  Melissa is in Jr. High, she is a sweet-heart, so full of fun and life and joy and Jr. Highness.  Melissa goes to Schreiber weekly to help stretch and strengthen her muscles that need extra special care because of cerebral palsy.  Chester gets to be with Melissa every other week. 

This week Chester and Melissa had this secret message thing goin' on.  Chester wears a gentle lead, it's a type of collar that goes over the nose and hooks up at the top of his head behind his ears.  It's a great invention that gives me, the handler, good, gentle control, and he responds quickly and easily with it on. The deal is, Chester thinks it's rather confining sometimes, and so there are times,  when I'm not looking and we're working, he will take his paw and slip that little baby off his nose.  Very sneaky.

Today Melissa says. "Don't you think it would be a good idea to take his gentle leader off while I throw the ball for him?"

Looking at Chester I say, "Chester, did you tell Melissa to say that?"  He cocks his head, perks his ears, and looks at me with his big brown puppy dog eyes. "I mean ~ you know that if YOU ask me, I'll say no, but if SHE asks me I'll say yes."  Honest and true, they both looked at each other and totally grinned big time.

I took his gentle lead off.  I'm a mush.

Later, after Melissa practiced her balance, throwing the ball for Chester, and him retrieving (without the gentle lead...and being rewarded with yummy bits of  peanut butter Girl Scout cookies ~Melissa's idea of course!), we were moving on to other exercises.

With this exercise, Melissa sits on a giant turquoisey ball, I mean giant, really big,  and balances, using every muscle in her body, while brushing Chester at the same time.   Melissa was walking across the room to get to the big blue-rubbery-ball, leash in one hand with Chester at her side, crutch on the other side for balance.  Chester knows it's a long journey across the room, and he patiently walks with Melissa every step of the way, and somehow she seems to balance more easily holding his red leash in her hand.

Melissa almost gets to the turquoise ball.  Chester spies GIANT BALL.  Melissa lets go of Chester's  leash and he rather attacks this ball, gently attacks :-), and in so doing pushes the ball right to Melissa.  You know, so she doesn't have to walk any further.

"Melissa, did you tell him to do that?"  Her very FUN therapist asks.

Melissa laughs that deep giggly laugh that I love to hear. 

"I think you two have some secret message thing going on today, you know, I help you, you help me!"  Her Therapist says while shaking her head.

And again...Melissa and Chester totally grin at each other.  It's like they know something we don't know.

Later on...Therapist asks Melissa, who is now slowing down and ready for a break, "What would you like to do with Chester next?"

"Yoga", Melissa replies.

"YOGA?" asks the therapist.  They've never done Yoga. 

"Yoga.  I like Yoga," Melissa says.

"Does Chester do Yoga?" her Therapist asks, looking at Chester and me, kinda with this sideways-look that is begging me to say no, Chester doesn't DO Yoga.

"For Melissa, Chester would DO Yoga," I reply.



"OK, next week bring me your Yoga book, and we will pick out a couple of Yoga exercises that you and Chester can do together, that sound good to you?" Therapist says while smiling AND rolling her eyes at the same time.   ( I didn't know therapists rolled their eyes :-)



"Yes." Melissa says matter of factly,  and then smiles at Chester.  And I think he winked at her.  He did, I know he did.

Peggy, Melissa's Mom says... "YOGA with Chester!"

I can't wait for this one, neither can Melissa, or Chester for that matter.

Be looking in a few weeks...........YOGA WITH CHESTER, I can only imagine.


  
 





Girl Scout Cookies

Today at Schreiber Pediatric Rehab, Chester had one of the best days ever.  Not only was it his day to see Melissa, (one of his MOST favorite girls)  it was the day his Girl Scout Cookies arrived.  Melissa is a Girl Scout.  Weeks ago, Chester ordered peanut butter cookies from Melissa.


Upon arrival in the Physical Therapy Room, Melissa and Mom opened the delicious peanut butter cookies.


Chester....guess what we have for you? :-) they said.


His tail was thumping, he was almost in their laps (ok, he was), and could hardly wait for his new treat.  They gave him a bite. He had never had Girl Scout Cookies before.  Never.  Until now.  HE WAS IN HEAVEN. And he was a mess.


Mess meaning......he became obsessed with those cookies.  I had to hide the box under my coat.  He stared at my coat.  He would not respond to the word CHESTER, or WATCH ME or LEAVE IT or PUPPY PUPPY PUPPY or a gentle tug on his cute little leash.  All he could do was glare with great longing at the coat. 


Maybe we shoulda given him the cookie at the end of therapy? Melissa and mom asked :-). 


Finally, we hid the box in another room.  That helped, and gradually, miraculously,  he was able to re-focus, and get to work with Melissa (one of his most favorites, did I mention that?). Chester gets LOTS of treats when he is doing physical therapy work, and as LUCK would have it, I ran out of his used-to-be favorite-treat  before he and Melissa were done.


SO, I asked someone to please sneak into the room where the box was hiding, and bring me ONE, just, ONE Girl Scout Cookie. I broke the yummy peanut butter cookie into tiny pieces ~~~ and began to treat him for jobs well done.  OHMY, it was like he kicked into high performance gear, and was Mr. KPETS  with extra pizazz and charm.  What we won't do for cookies... 


Anyways, when that cookie was gone, we still weren't quite done with therapy work.  Melissa & Chester had a few more exercises to do.  I found a few pieces of dry doggie treats in the bottom of my pouch. After giving him one of the dry boring treats, he paused, then coughed, sorta like he had a hairball stuck in this throat.  And then he looked at us, barking one time, with an attitude.  Obviously, he was not in the mood for inferior treats.  

Melissa's mom said, Chester are you being sassy?

Therapist replies Definitely sassy.

We all burst out in laughter -- that belly laughter that is so good for the soul.  It was a  good way to end our therapy session.  Chester proudly escorted Melissa to her car, and before he trotted away,  gave his favorite Girl Scout a very peanut-buttery thank you smooch.

Laughter and Girl Scout Cookies ~ a  Dee-li-cious Day.

Writing Class

My friend Karen and I are taking this Beginning Writer's Workshop at the Local Literary Guild. We're a small group, and the people that I've met don't seem too "beginning in their writing skills" if you catch my drift.  Talent with a capital T.   Last week I took Chester to class, unannounced. My buddy and I had an evening appointment with KPETS  pretty darn close to class time, and pretty darn near the Literary Guild Building in downtown Lancaster. So, rather than take Chester home and be late ~ well,  I took Chester.

Our instructor had never had a canine in his library classroom, but he was open and welcomed the boy.   Chester took the initiative to greet everyone with a tail wag. He personally made contact with each one.  And when a student arrived sort of late...well, he was the one to get up  and say hi, welcome to class, glad you're here. Mr. Hospitality himself, good boy.  He then settled at our feet, under the big table, and snoozed for the remainder of the evening.

It could have been my imagination, but, class seemed a bit warmer, friendlier, more relaxed.

Fast forward one week....Tonight, no Chester.

"Where's the dog? Where's Chester?  We told you he could come to class :-).  He was such a calming presence."  Everyone chimed in.

All agreed...bring the dog. Please...

My 3rd graders used to like to write stories with Muffin, (our previous golden girl), she made writing stories...easier.  Kids smiled as they gripped their pencils...and the writing slumps, when your brain takes a vacation to Mars,  didn't seem to last as long. When her tail wagged, it was like she spread Tinkerbell-joy-dust throughout the room.   From math to language to recess, it was just a better day with The Muffster in our midst!  
So, next week --- think I'll bring Chester.  Guess what works for 3rd graders, works for older-than-3rd-graders too.

Chris and Victoria

Today we met Chris and his fiance Victoria at church.  It was a God appointed meeting, that's all I can say. Well, I can say wow and whoa as well.  It's one of those times that could only have been planned and orchestrated by a Papa in heaven who is crazy-in-love with His kids.

Today, Chester and I woke up and went to church. We usually don't go on Sunday morning, we usually go on Saturday night. And Chester doesn't always go, just sometimes.  Last night, Saturday, well....we just didn't  have the get up and go, to get up and go. This morning, when I woke up --- I could hardly wait to get in the car and go... with Chester.

At the same time, in another city,  Chris and Victoria decided to visit Christ Community Church in Harrisburg for the first time. Kind of spur of the moment.  Neither Chris nor Victoria live in Harrisburg, we don't either for that matter,but one day while driving by the church, & seeing the sign, Victoria thought I'd like to visit there one day.  This was the day.

Chris and Victoria sat a few rows behind Chester and I. Chris in his wheel chair in the aisle, Victoria on the end of the row snuggled in close, both holding hands. Chester noticed Chris, and definitely wanted to sit by him and not me.  I have learned to listen to Chester's promptings, so, after making sure Chris was OK with this arrangement,  we readjusted so Chester could be near his new friend.  After worship, Chester wanted to lay at/on Chris's feet, and so I relocated my stuff to make this happen.  This is NOT typical Chester behavior, meaning, he usually likes to rest at my feet.  Not today.  

I noticed Victoria had tears in her eyes most of the morning.  So did Chris.  When we had a moment to talk, I said, "You have no idea what a GOD MOMENT this is."  Victoria, nodded her head. More tears.

After church, I learned their story.  This cute couple is engaged to be married. Victoria has been encouraging Chris to look into getting a service dog.  Chris has been reluctant, hesitant. His cute red-headed fiance has sent him some web-links for service dogs.  They have discussed it numerous times.  Chris explained that she is really good at dropping hints, but Victoria is gentle and doesn't push.

Last night, they talked about the dog subject again, and Victoria realized that if Chris was to have a dog  it would rather take a miracle,  like he would really need a sign from God or something like that.  Sooo, I love this part -- they go to a church that neither of them has ever been to before, and here is cute Chester in his yellow therapy dog vest.  Victoria gets all teary.   Chris rolls his eyes and thinks this must be a set up...but how could it be... they don't known anyone here and they've never set foot in this place before.  Actually, it was a set-up. Papa is so darn sneaky, I love it!

Chris later told me that he had to see a dog, experience a service dog, to get it.  Chester obviously KNEW it was his job to help Chris get it.  And so, throughout the entire service, Chester was with Chris, attentive, calming, loving. Let me assure you, I could in no way make Chester do this --- it's just the way Papa made him, sensitive to the Spirit, sensitive to people.

Chris and Victoria invited Chester and me to lunch.  We gladly accepted.  Chester walked into the restaurant at Chris's side. People talked to Chris and to Chester. This was new, and welcomed by Chris ~~ people don't always engage in conversation with a person in a wheel chair, often looking past them. Not so with Chester.  He's totally an ice-breaker!  Throughout our meal, Chester lay quietly under the table, at times with his head resting on Chris's feet, sometimes Victoria's feet.  During lunch, as the three of us got to know one another, I had the opportunity to share how a service dog, when it's the correct match,  could help Chris with countless skills, and help him gain more independence~~ not to mention be his faithful, loving, calming, companion. 

Chester was quite convincing today  --- just poured on the love.  Chris is going to make the contact to get going with a service dog.  And each one of us, well, our faith grew by leaps and bounds today. We do have a Papa who loves us, we really do. (and He can be pretty darn sneaky)