That is a veautiful story. -- Can you imagine what a scarcity of news there would be If everybody obeyed > the Ten Commandments? I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is IN GOD WE TRUST Karen Carter '74 -KC- Ministries -------------- Original message -------------- From: David Stahl <[log in to unmask]> > Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a > real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend > visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open > because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his > fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up > missing. Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and > there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite > toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very > particular that his toys stay in the box. > > It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. > > Something told her she was going to die of this disease, she was just > sure it was fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding > her shoulders. > > The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled > with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to > Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog > through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary > thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him. The > thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death. The double > mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and > Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. > > Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the > little dog just drooped, whining and miserable. Finally the day came > for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so > exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim > made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap. Lucky > stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It > made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed. When Mary > woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She > couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic > soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was > covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! > > While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after > trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite > things in life. He had covered her with his love. > > Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living > again, walking further and further together every night. It's been 12 > years now and Mary is still cancer-free. > > Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy > box but Mary remains his greatest treasure. > > Live everyday to the fullest. Remember it is a blessing from > God. The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones > with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They > are the ones that care. > > Inclusion is generous, but exclusion is selfish. >