It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
JOY.
We got a dog.
Yes, you heard that right. Rumi joined our family.
Rumi is a 2-year old German Shepherd who was rescued and fostered, and she's now ours. (And that's Raylin with her... our youngest daughter)
Here are the three meanings of her name, you can choose the one that works for you:
#1) Rumiñahui was a great general in the Inca Civil War of 1533
#2) Rumiñahui is a beautiful 15,489 foot volcano that I've climbed in Ecuador
#3) Rumiñahui is a Ceviche chain in Ecuador that has the best food in the world!
We'll just call her Rumi and we're good with any of these meanings, but if you know the Cline Family, you know where her name comes from!
We picked her up last week after many conversations, and all I can tell you is that she brings us JOY.
She likes to go on long walks or any ride in the car. She likes to play, and while I'm sure there will be challenges, right now we're all just enjoying this new addition to our family.
Rumi was found wondering the streets in a town out in the dessert, and was rescued and restored to health. She still has a ways to go, but we have a happy, healthy dog today.
We heard a definition of Joy yesterday that was explained like this:
"Joy and Happiness are different things: Happiness is based on things that happen TO YOU; Joy is based on what has happened FOR YOU."
I like this definition and I'm still thinking about it. You might agree or disagree with it, but it should make you think.
Here's the deal:
I was once lost. Completely lost.
Jesus came, and I was found, and He's restoring me and bringing me to health.
I have a lot to be happy for, but I also have a great reason to have JOY.
I'm really happy with Rumi and the new addition to our family!
This Christmas, I choose to celebrate the JOY that I have, that we have,
in the gift of HIS Son, which gives us life. What He has done FOR US,
FOR ME, fills me with JOY.
Merry Christmas to each of you!
"Where there is love, there is joy." Mother Teresa
"Joy to the world! The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King." Isaac Watts
"This day is holy to God. Don't feel bad. The joy of God is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10b MSG
*2 things I don't want you to miss:
#1) I'm taking 2 weeks off of my blog post. I'll be back on the 5th of January!
#2) Be sure to check out the "Dog For Oscar Andres" link below! Let's all consider doing something to help make this happen!
Things I'm Reading, Listening To, an Watching This Week:
OK. Here's a great Christmas Jazz Instrumental Album by Saxophone great, Dave Koz! You can listen to his Essential Album as well. Great music!
I just listened to this podcast with Tim Ferriss and Jim Collins. Jim Collins has written some very influential books in my life such as Good to Great, Built to Last, Great by Choice and Good to Great and the Social Sectors. I enjoyed this interview.
We finally gave in and started watching The Crown on Netflix. We're still in the first season, but we're enjoying the story, the history and the series!
DOG FOR OSCAR ANDRES: Our good friends Oscar and Lori Aguirre are serving in Ecuador. They are raising funds for their son, 10-year old Oscar Andres, to get an Autism Service Dog. This dog will help regulate and decrease anxiety in Oscar Andres and will help him with confidence, independence and provide safety measures for him. It's an incredible project that our family has chosen to give to this Christmas, and I'd like to invite you to join us. They are $3,000 away from reaching their fundraising goal for this dog, and I thought this was so appropriate given my post above about our dog. Join us in helping to provide this service dog for a great boy! You can give by CLICKING HERE, and in the box enter: Service Dog for Oscar Andres in Ecuador. Extreme Response will get these funds to this family ASAP! Thank you for joining with us to help meet this immediate need!