Our Vinny (Vincenzo Adonis ‘Tiny Tuxedo’) crossed the rainbow bridge on September 5th and went to be with the Lord.
Vinny is a big bundle of love and we miss him terribly. He came into the family thirteen years ago. I remember my hubby and I first picked him on a farm in northern Illinois. We put him in the back of our Jeep Cherokee. He looked at us saying, “I’m ready to go home now.” His breeder nicknamed him Tiny Tuxedo because he looked like he had on a tuxedo so we kept that name.
Vinny as a puppy! This is the first photo that we saw of Vinny and we were in love!
When I write about him, it is not in the past tense because he lives forever in our hearts. If you are not an animal lover, you may not understand and that is okay. Let me explain to you that animal advocates think of their pets as a part of the family and they are their fur babies.
Vinny gave unconditional love and it hurts that he is not here physically. I continually keep pushing forward in my mind the loving memories.
Vinny loved to hug on you and give you a kiss on the cheek.
He would cuddle up with you and thump his tail when you would say sweet words to him.
He would herd you so you rub is tummy or to get a treat.
He loved to play in the backyard and catch sticks.
He loved his big brother Gio and would follow him everywhere in the house. Even though Gio was half of his size, Vinny would try to go under the kitchen table just like Gio. He didn’t understand why he wouldn’t fit. Then later, he loved being the big brother to Seppe and teaching him how to play together. Even though Seppe would pounce on him and bite on his tail, Vinny loved every bit of it.
Vinny loved playing in the snow! The more snow, the better.
Vinny didn’t like thunderstorms. He could sense when rain was coming even if it was hours away. Sometimes his teeth would chatter and he would pace throughout the house until it was over. To calm him down, we would pet him and talk to him to let him know that everything is okay. He would be so nervous that he bruised his tooth by jumping into the bathtub when he was a puppy. Later on, he chewed my shoeboxes or even pulled my clothes out of the closet in an attempt to find a calm place. He’s a sensitive soul.
Vinny always looked so handsome
When we would leave for work or church, Vinny would push the blinds out of the way so he could look out the window to see us off. Then as we returned back home, he would look out the window and start barking at us. Then as we opened up the back door or if we came in through the front door, he would be right there to meet us, wagging his tail at us. It is one of our dearest memories of him.
We often joked that he is a pretty boy because so many people would say how beautiful he was. He is handsome! But he didn’t know it! He was always so humble. However, grooming him to keep him so handsome was a challenge because he didn’t like it. He would huff and puff and try to get away you when were combing him. He has so much hair and it needed constant upkeep, but if he had his way he would not do it at all.
The hair after combing Vinny.
There are so many stories of Vinny that we could share because we had thirteen wonderful years with him. He lived a full life and our hearts are aching not having him with us in the natural. We know that his spirit will live on in us forever.
I hope your week is off to an amazing start. My hubby pulled out our autumn decorations in anticipation of the first day of fall on Tuesdays. Colored-leaves with lights, wreaths, styrofoam pumpkins and gourds, and dried pine cones will be placed throughout the house and the front yard. Now we need the temps to stay in the 60s and 70s and we will be all set.
If you have been following our blog for any time, you know that my hubby and I are firm believers in reading and studying the Word of God. In times like we are facing now, it is important to have that strong foundation in the Word and to be able to apply it to our everyday life. Reading is where it all starts, but the real change comes when you study it in greater detail. Many Bibles provide extra commentary or analysis of the Word, which will help understand the context of the verse or passage.
However, there are times when the commentary and analysis are not enough. You can read it and still not have a full understanding of what you should take away from it. There is only so much that can be contained within a few sentences or in a paragraph at the bottom of the page. There are some topics and themes that need a more in-depth study to truly understand them and to get the full revelation of it.
One such topic is the Rapture. The Rapture is often talked about but not fully understood by many Christians. The Rapture concerns the second coming of Jesus Christ back to Earth and is not fully explained in the Bible itself. To fully understand the context of this complex topic, it cannot be summed up within the confines of a regular study bible. You would need a full in-depth study if you want to be able to talk about it with your family or friends. In the new documentary, Before The Wrath, the Rapture is fully examined, studied, and explained by Bible scholars. Before seeing this documentary, my knowledge of the Rapture limited what was told by my pastor. But now by seeing how the Rapture is explained in relation to the ancient Canaan wedding, it is clearly understood by anyone who watches it.
Before The Wrath has been recently been released on DVD and Blu-Ray and as a digital download on iTunes and Amazon Prime. Since its release, it has been one of the top-ranked documentaries on Amazon and has been nominated for several awards. We recommend that all Christians take the time to watch it. We must educate ourselves on all topics of the Bible, especially ones that effects all of us.
Recently, in collaboration with LEV3L Digital, we hosted a giveaway on this blog. One blessed reader would receive his or her own copy of Before The Wrath. And the winner of that giveaway is
PAMELA
Congratulations, Pamela!!! Yeah! We will be in contact with you shortly about claiming your copy of the documentary. Thank you to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for our next giveaway, coming soon!
I hope everyone is enjoying your day, and are healthy and safe.
My hubby and I are celebrating our twenty-one year wedding anniversary today, September 11th. We wanted to share a little bit about what is on our mind as we celebrate this wonderful occasion.
Engagement Photo: 1999 / Easter Portrait: 2020
She Said: The Keys
I am grateful and thankful. I didn’t have a role model of what I thought marriage should look like when we first got married; so we had to create it. To create it we had to make sure we put God as the center and we intentionally communicate with each other. Being married to your best friend is a blessing but not always perfect. I often would hear marriage is not about work, but I found out to make your marriage fruitful, it does take work from both people. Sometimes I feel that I do not measure up because right now we don’t have any children and people can look at us funny. Even church people look at you funny like what’s up with you if you don’t have children hanging on you or around you. Children are lovely but they’re not the sum total of who we are as people. It took time for me to realize that God made each one of us special and no one is bigger or better than you because there’s only one you.
I have so much more to learn but four key takeaways include:
1. To communicate with each other
2. Be a cheerleader for your spouse
3. Listen to your spouse when they are talking to you and make eye contact
4. Plan for a date night every week just the two of you
Vinny, our thirteen-and-a-half tri-collie went to be with the Lord this past weekend. We are heartbroken, however, we know he had a great life and he knew that we loved him dearly. I was saying and thinking that we can’t have any fun because we needed to mourn and to reflect on the ways that Vinny blessed our lives.
However, we know that God brought us together so we have to celebrate this gift of marriage and be life long learners.
Joyce Meyer Ministries sent this scripture as a piece of artwork below to us and it speaks volumes.
HOPE
BELIEVES
BOLDLY,
DECIDES
DARINGLY,
SPEAKS
FIRMLY and
PERSEVERES
Passionately.
See Romans 15:13
He Said: The Journey
Wow! 21 years!
How can that be possible? It seems like only yesterday that we went on our first day to the Art Museum back in 1997. Right from the start, I know you were something special. You had a way about you that I had never seen in a woman before. You cared for me, even when I did not deserve it. You stuck with me, even when I was not acting right. I thank God for bringing you into my life.
Our journey started out as friends, but the relationship grew closer and stronger right from the start. We had so much in common that it was hard for me to believe a small-town country boy could fall in love with a big-city girl. It did not take long for me to realize that my life’s journey would be incomplete without you. I wanted you by my side for the rest of my life.
Today, I love you more than the day we walked down the aisle together. You are more beautiful than the first day I laid eyes on you. You are more compassionate, more caring, more creative, more intelligent, more everything.
While on the journey, you lifted me up out of the valley and cheered for me when at the mountain top. Because of you and your love, I am a better man, a better husband, a better Christian, and a better employee. You have made me better in every way.
I look to what the future holds for us and I am excited about the next steps of our journey. When I look into your eyes, I can see many great and mighty things for you and for me. A future filled with increased hope, with great joy, and many shared dreams coming true.
Take me by the hand and let us continue with that journey we begun 21 years ago today. I pray that God continually blesses you with an abundance of joy and happiness.
I pray everyone is having a great and awesome day. The leaves are starting to fall and the nights are getting cooler. Soon autumn will be here and it will be time sweaters and hot cocoa. My favorite time of the year.
We recently collaborated with LEV3L Digital to offer a giveaway where one person would be blessed to receive their own digital copy of the new documentary, Before The Wrath. We announced the winner and reached out twice; but unfortunately, the person has not contacted us in return. Since they have not responded, we are now offering a second chance for one of our readers to win their own digital copy.
Before the Wrath examines the second coming of Jesus Christ in what the Christian world calls the Rapture. In the documentary, scholars and theologians explain the Rapture within the context of the Bible and the wedding miracle of Canaan. The Rapture is often is misunderstood by many Christians and there are many people who are afraid to talk about it. This documentary will clear up the confusion and bring clarity to the topic. Along with the documentary, a companion study guide and devotional reading plan from YouVersion will allow you to go deeper in your Christian walk. We highly recommend all three.
You can watch the trailer of the documentary here:
For your chance to win your own copy of the documentary, please leave a comment below about what you hope to learn from watching it.
The giveaway will run until on Thursday, September 17th at 11:59 pm (Central Time).
One of the commenters will be selected at random as the winner and will be announced on Friday, September 18th.
Be Elegant – Be Graceful – Be You!
Stay Safe and Blessed!
We’re all struggling a little with the new norm caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s very easy to feel a little less positive than usual. However, there’s still a lot of reasons to remain positive. After all, you possess all the tools needed to come through this difficult time in full health and happiness. Only you can make it happen, though, which is why building a personalized and dedicated strategy is essential. Ask yourself the following questions for guidance. You will not regret it.
Am I Staying Active? Exercise is a huge part of our daily health. Aside from keeping your body weight under control, it has a huge influence on energy levels and general wellbeing. Oh, and the benefits for your posture, skincare, and general appearance are pretty amazing too. If walks and cycling have become a little boring, there are plenty of alternatives. Team sports can inject a social element under safe circumstances. Meanwhile, tasks like gardening show that sport isn’t the only way to stay active. The wonders of raising the heart rate and getting a little fresh air are truly amazing. For the sake of your looks, physical wellbeing, and mental health alike, you must not ignore it any longer.
Am I Getting Enough Sleep & Water? Simple lifestyle habits can hold a huge influence on your wellbeing, not least during this pandemic. Positive sleep habits and regular hydration are the fundamental features that cannot be ignored. Remote working and modified schedules have seen many people fall into the trap of late nights watching Netflix. Honestly, it’s better to turn off your electronics, relax with a cold drink, and prepare your mind and body for bed. You’ll wake up feeling miles better for it. When supported by regular hydration throughout the day, you will see an epic improvement in your health and wellness. Best of all, the rewards will start to show almost immediately.
Am I Protecting Myself From Viruses? While the COVID-19 virus is naturally your biggest concern, it’s not the only illness. It’s important that you look for all-purpose antibacterial hand sanitiser solutions. Meanwhile, following the guidelines on avoiding handshakes is vital. While keeping clean and wearing a mask is for your best interests, you also need to think about your defenses. Building your immunity levels through nutrition can be supported by medications to keep you in good health. Prevention is the best form of protection from minor illnesses, as well as serious ones. The next best option is to treat them quickly and efficiently. Whether it’s through home treatments or medical care, you deserve the right answers.
Am I Mentally Happy? If you are feeling a little down right now, you’re not alone. It’s hard not to be able to see people as often as you’d like. However, video calls and social media are a good way to stay in touch. Meanwhile, there are online communities for people to discuss their problems. Try to remember that this phase isn’t forever. Normality will return. Let’s just hope it happens sooner rather than later.
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Learn More About JT
Bubbling with Elegance and Grace started out as an outlet for my passion for fashion but has evolved into a place for me to teach, collaborate, and inspire. My hubby has since joined the team and we have been digital creators for 13 years. We are thankful for those who believed in us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
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