#HappyNewYear

2016 Was A Great Year

Looking back at 2016 so many great things come to mind. There are so many things to celebrate in 2016 when I stop to think about it.

Let’s pause for a moment and grab a Starbucks Tuxedo New Year’s Latte and celebrate 2016 together begwen blog style:

* The Cubs won the World Series! This happened for the first time in 100 years!

* Global carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels did not grow in 2016. We are making progress in our environmental stewardship!

* The American Ballet Theater continues to be an example for America as Misty Copeland continues to shine as a Principal Dancer. She is the first African American to be given that rank in a major ballet company. 

The impact of Misty’s role will continue to transform the sport and art of ballet to include artists and athletes of all races.

* I get so caught up in the negative effects of climate change but there have been some great strides this past year including the Humpback Whale being taken off the endangered species list. After writing a blog about the death of a juvenile humpback during the summer this is great news! Also, manatees are so precious; it is awesome to share that the global manatee population is no longer endangered.

* The Olympics were amazing! Simone Biles’ performances were truly beyond words. She blew the competition away and her athleticism and skill was stunning. In the pool, it was great that Michael Phelps pulled it off yet again. Also, Simone Manuel was the first African American swimmer to win a gold medal (100m freestyle), whoot!

* The battle against malaria is still raging. More and more people in Africa are sleeping under mosquito nets. Way to go Gates Foundation for the progress on this! I found out this year at the Gates Foundation Visitor Center that the mosquito is the world’s deadliest animal – so “bug off” mosquitos in 2017. It is hard to believe that such a small animal is so deadly. Grateful for progress!

* There were a few new ice cream flavors to make us happy in 2016. The “Cookie Two Step” by Blue Bell, which has cookie dough (in spite of warnings from the FDA about uncooked dough) and the “Empower Mint” by Ben and Jerry’s for those mint lovers out there.

* On a personal note in the begwen family: We improved in our remote control drone flying skills, we laughed, we saw some memorable shows, we celebrated a great wedding anniversary, we cheered each other on, grew, prayed, learned a few things, worshipped, hiked, skied, tried to stay healthy, and played.

Looking forward, I can’t wait for the many celebrations and victories of 2017. Let's be "impatient optimists" (Bill Gates Foundation) as we see 2017 unfold. There are great possibilities this coming year for our personal lives, country and world.

So Happy New Year to you! Thanks for sharing this Starbucks Tuxedo New Years Latte with me as we ring in all that awaits us in 2017!!!

May 2017 be better, beautifier, braver, and brighter than you can dream. May your life in 2017 truly be blessed!

The Thanks Challenge

 Maroon, gold, and chestnut brown leaves decorate the earth in the Northwest as trees feel the change of the seasons. As the leaves fall and cover the ground, we are reminded about the grace that fills our lives. These simple gifts cover us and enlist our gratitude, yet why aren’t we more grateful? Why does that gratitude seem so fleeting? Gratitude seems so basic, so simple, and can even be overwhelming when we think about the many things that we are thankful for.

Reviving the gift of gratitude beckons us in this particular time of the year. 

Let’s make a point this month to commit to a lifestyle of giving thanks. 

Ready for something new? Here is a challenge for you.

1. Every day until Thanksgiving choose two things for which you are thankful. 

2. Write them down as a note on your phone, or on an old-fashioned sticky note, or on the bathroom mirror (just be sure to use a dry erase pen) and then make a point to tell someone every day. 

3. Just mention what you are thankful for to a friend, family, co-worker, neighbor, or even the cashier at the Dollar Store.  

I know for myself, when I sit down and really reflect upon all that I am grateful for, it makes me wonder how I ever allow myself to go through life taking so much for granted. 

I bet that if we recognize the gifts of grace that surround our lives and express gratitude for them, we would have more JOY. 

By expressing gratitude for the celebrations, meaningful events, simple pleasures, and even the challenges and difficulties that sharpen us it brings contentment and peace into our hearts. And when we take time to tell others the things/people for which we are thankful, we encourage them to reflect upon their own life, as well. 

Together let’s make a commitment to be bold about thankfulness and allow daily gratitude to revive your heart this entire month of November and into Thanksgiving! 

A Whale of a Tragedy

Today was a shocking and tragic Sunday for the kids and me (my husband was not with us). Our usual routine of church was followed by a trip across Lake Washington to the West Seattle Ferry terminal. The draw of the Puget Sound is strong for us as we enjoy the intricacies of Northwest costal life.

When we got to the ferry the workers immediately told us about a sad event.

A whale had died nearby.

The kids and I quickly got out of our car and ran to the rail of the ferry terminal bridge. It was there where our hearts sank deep - deeper than the deepest parts of the Sound. My son said with vigor, “It’s a real whale, Mom.” Looking out, we saw a beautiful humpback whale that was beached on the shore, dead.

We had seen a dead grey whale in the middle of the Sound on a ferry trip in May. It seemed unbelievable to all of us that another whale would die in almost the same place. In my lifetime I had never seen a dead whale in the Sound and to see two in three months seemed impossible.

Initially, I thought this whale seemed smaller than I would expect for a full-grown humpback. A biologist came by and said that this whale was only about one to two years old. She called it a juvenile whale. It’s beautiful mouth and body with white flippers and black fin shone in the overcast sun.

Later, I learned that before we came to the ferry dock people had seen him stranded, struggling, and later beached. They covered the whale with wet blankets and poured water on it. They tried to get it free into deeper waters, but to no avail.

Fortunately, this particular type of whale is not an endangered species as there are at least 80,000 living in our world. For that we are thankful. Yet, there is no question that my kids and I would have been in the water pouring water on the humpback and trying to lead him to deeper waters had we found it struggling.

The plight of nature is hard and sometimes makes us sad. We fight to make a raw, pure, and clean environment in a world of toxins, waste, and plastic refuse in our waters. We fight for this because we are so grateful for our mutual life together with nature here on earth. 

To say the least, my kids and I looked out at that humpback whale with true ambition for the Puget Sound to flourish and not perish like this beautiful one!

Emily and Her Guide Dog in Training (AKA, "The Guide Dog Blog")

Tarzan at the Pool

As we all know, most thirteen year olds are busy with schoolwork, friends, hanging out at the mall, and cell phones. Emily is not a typical thirteen year old. Her love for animals and the sight-impaired have been coupled together to lead her to raise a guide-dog puppy through Guide Dogs for the Blind. This puppy is going to give guidance and help to someone who needs it.

It all started with a scrapbook. Emily was looking at their dog, Spritz’, scrapbook from his puppy days. Spritz is a guide dog that had a “career change” and moved in with her family as a pet. She thought all of those pictures of her being trained were so inspiring. After seeing that scrapbook, she couldn’t stop thinking that she had to raise a guide dog. She knew that she could raise a puppy and change a life.

Emily and Tarzan in Training

Initially, Emily told her mother what her dreams were. Her mother said, “Oh, sure Honey, we will look into it.” Emily came back again and again saying, “Well, 'yes' or 'no'?” Her parents were hoping that she would forget.

Finally her parents gave in to her pleas and they joined a guide dog club.

Emily's Parents at the Guide Dogs for the Blind Headquarters

It was there that she learned even more about the difference a dog can make. She learned that a blind person is not naturally connected to the surroundings. They are given a second chance at life when they get a dog, because they are able to function in our sight-rich world. Guide dogs are taught "intelligent disobedience." (As opposed to teenagers who often pick up "unintelligent disobedience.") They learn to stop at curbs, turn directions, change speed, and see danger. This is key to survival.

The first four months are the most important months in a dog’s life. Emily got to work right away trying to get her dog, Tarzan, to sit, a basic dog command. 

Good luck right? 

Always Together

Tarzan just wouldn’t sit. Emily was really frustrated. One day the family was getting shoes at Famous Footwear. The shoppers there were commenting on how nice Tarzan was. Emily said, “sit” to Tarzan, and he proudly sat down right away. His fans were thrilled and Emily was flabbergasted! She felt like Tarzan had just won "best in show" at the Westminster Dog Show. "Awe, how cute," they said.  Emily learned that some dogs need a crowd to perform in front of. :) Now Tarzan is a star and proudly sits regularly. All of the commands that Emily teaches Tarzan are relevant to his future life and work.

My Uncle Allan was blinded thirty years ago in a car accident. Soon after he lost his sight he had a trained dog by his side. This dog helped him get around and navigate this fast paced world. Clearly, these dogs are not born like this. It takes trainers like Emily! 

The Guide Dogs for the Blind is an organization that raises and trains sweet puppies to be career guide dogs. I am especially proud of my niece who is making a difference in our world through her guide dog puppy, Tarzan.