Mon, 10 Sep 2012 08:10:14 -0500WeeblyWed, 27 Oct 2010 18:58:27 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/10/shoot-from-the-hip.html              “I bet you can’t hit that,” my friend said as he pointed to an apple on the ground.  As a twelve year old the “BB” rifle I held in my hands was still a bit large and heavy.  With determination in my face I turned from my friend and lowered the rifle to my waist as I looked toward the apple.  The world around me just went silent as every bit of confidence and experience welled up on the inside of me until it crested in its own internal stillness.  With the rifle resting in my hands at my left hip I shifted my body into position and squeezed the trigger with a “clicking pop”!  The apple on the ground jumped as the tiny “BB” hit it dead center!  My friend let out an “ah” as if he expected me to “miss” the shot.  I stood next to him with a superior poise and just smiled with delight.

            “Dead-Eye”―that’s what my father called me in hopes of gaining a hunting partner.  He was a bit disappointed when I didn’t want to shoot animals with anything but a camera but he still bragged about my ability to hit the target.  While most kids my age were being denied “BB” rifles with the phrase―“you’ll shoot your eye out”―I was being schooled in the art gunmanship. 

            “Never point a gun at anyone―even if you think it’s not loaded”.  That was one of the first and most important rules my father repeatedly cited.  Safety was first.  My father taught me exactly how to handle a gun and how not to handle one!  On that cool overcast afternoon in the backyard my friend knew that I was trained and a “good shot” with a gun sight but he wanted to “throw me a curve” and told me that I could not hit the apple from a “waist shot”.

            Many times life comes at you with a “put up or shut up” proposition and even though you may have never done something before, you must take action.  There’s no time to study the situation further you just have to make a decision you are willing to live with.  In times like these you never throw caution to the wind but understand that you can call upon your life experience and inner knowing to guide you.  Pull up all of your resources and know-how from within and remember your training and successes.
Just let the world around you go silent, quiet your inner self
and―“shoot from the hip”!

Jami Sell is an author and life strategist who hosts the inspirational website www.thoughtandbelief.com
 

(This article is my response to some folks who treated me pretty unfairly.  I can’t change them or the situation but I can take a disappointment, regroup and refocus my attention and turn a tragedy into a triumph that inspires others all over the world!)

]]>Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:48:43 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/10/the-magic-of-believing.html
"It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen."

Claude M. Bristol
1891-1951, Author of The Magic of Believing 

]]>Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:45:08 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/10/miracles.html"There are only two ways to live one's life...
One is as though nothing is a miracle,
the other is as though everything is a miracle."

~ Albert Einstein
]]>Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:59:28 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/09/the-frontline-plus-scare.html           I recently had a “scare” when I discovered that the company I had trusted as a reputable US veterinary website turned out to be Canadian and the Frontline Plus product I had used on my cats was from Australia!  I immediately wondered if my cats had been exposed to a “counterfeit” product that contained who knows what.
           I contacted the company which sold me the product in the following email:
Last year I purchased Frontline Plus for cats from what I thought was a reputable US company.  I realized today (one year after purchase) that (Company Name Omitted) is Canadian and  the product sent to me was from Merial Australia Pty. Ltd
Batch E40607BX  Exp.:  05-2012
Is this a real Merial product and is it safe to use?
Why does it have an expiration date when Frontline does not expire?
I need to reorder but don't want to use a counterfeit product not approved by EPA.
Jami
This is the response I received:
Dear Jami,
We only sell genuine Frontline products made by Merial and source out the best deals to pass the savings on to you.    There is no "Made in the USA" Frontline, Merial manufactures it in France then distributes throughout their world markets where they charge considerably more if their customers are in the US.  Any dating is stamped on for stock rotation purposes as the Frontline does not go bad.
The primary ingredient in all Frontline products is Fipronil which kills fleas and ticks. The Frontline we sell is exactly as described on the manufacturer's own web site Merial.com:
http://nz.merial.com/products/frontline_plus_cats.asp
(This is a link to the Australian website which is not the same as US.)
Thank You,
(Company Name Omitted)

            Further research revealed that the product sold to me was “real” Frontline Plus that was produced by the Merial Corporation for Australia.  This product is “legal” in Australia but it is not legal to sell in the US since it has not been approved by the EPA.  Many online stores “pose” as US websites that are operated by a reputable veterinarian but they are actually businesses that operate outside the US.  They are not subject to US laws and some will legally sell you products from other countries that are illegal to sell in the US.
           In a phone call with a Merial Corporation veterinary technician the Merial Corporation confirmed that all Frontline Plus is manufactured in France, and the main ingredient to kill fleas is Fipronil.  They would not confirm that all authentic Frontline Plus contains the same quantities of the Fipronil (or of other ingredients) and they stated that various countries have different application instructions according to that particular country’s guidelines for use of the product.  For this reason, application instructions printed on the package carton may vary from country to country.
           While there is no such thing as “counterfeit Frontline Plus” the Merial Corporation confirmed that some companies have counterfeited the formulae and packaging and have sold this under the Merial name.  The Merial Corporation further stated that they only sell Frontline Plus to licensed veterinarians and that consumers should only purchase the product from their veterinarian.
           There seems to be some licensed veterinarians that are selling authentic Frontline Plus on their websites but I can only say “buyer beware”.  There is no way to examine the product before you purchase it and you have no guarantee that the seller will give you a refund if the product should be counterfeit or if it is produced for countries outside the US.
                I recently (September 2010) purchased authentic Frontline Plus (12 Pack) for $123.99 from VetDepot.com.  The order was placed on September 23rd and it arrived at my mailbox September 25th!  I checked everything and this is the real EPA approved version.
VetDepot.com
848 N. Rainbow Blvd., Ste. 2228
Las Vegas, Nevada 89107
866-456-0400
                The cost per application is $10.33 while my local veterinarian charges $15.78.  The Australian version that I purchased unknowingly from a Canadian company one year ago currently sells for $7.42 per application.  The site that I used one year ago appeared to be a US company that was run by a licensed veterinarian.  As a general rule, the cheaper the product is the greater chance that it is either produced for countries outside the US or that it is counterfeit.I have three cats and all pet owners know that ANY savings on pet products is always helpful.
                While Fipronil is the main ingredient, no one, including the Merial Corporation, seems to be willing to confirm that the ingredients of Frontline Plus are the same in every country or that these ingredients are the same quantities worldwide for individual doses.  I don't believe there would be much difference between an Australian cat and one in the US.  Frontline Plus is sold in both countries and I have just unknowingly applied the Australian version to my US cats over the past year without harm.  What bothers me is that the Merial Corporation does not provide a "fact sheet" that lists the various countries and the differing ingredients of the product that is sold world wide.  If Australian Frontline Plus is safe for Australian kitties then why not provide a list of the ingredients?  If there is slight variations then what difference would it make?  The Merial Corporation is very cautious about disclosing any information about non-EPA approved Frontline Plus.  A "fact sheet" would also help consumers who are sold "illegal" products to recognize them and take appropriate action.  Instead of a "fact sheet" the Merial Corporation states that they cannot discuss anything about the ingredients because different countries have different regulations and application instructions.  This attitude makes me wonder if I have exposed my cats to something harmful, but then again what is the difference between an Australian and a US kitty?  If the product is safe for Aussie cats then it must be OK for my American kitties...
           I also contacted the Merial Corporation via email and provided a link to this site.  I asked them if they would like to make a "statement" or provide "contact information" that would be included on this page "exactly as it was sent to me" with no additions or deletions but I have not received a response (as of September 2010).
          Since I can't get the "facts" from the Merial Corporation I can only speculate.  The product that I applied to my three cats was genuine Frontline Plus that was not approved by the EPA but was approved for use in Australia.  Was it the same product that I paid considerably more for in the US?  That's the question Merial refuses to answer.  As I already stated an Australian cat is no different than a US one.  A cat is a cat and if a product is safe for one-then it must be safe for all cats around the world.  We of course have no way of knowing what is in a "counterfeit" product but the question remains, "Is genuine Frontline Plus that is produced in France for the Merial Corporation the same world wide?"  Why is Merial reluctant to either confirm that the product is the same or that it is different?  When I think of this question I can only imagine two possible reasons.  Either kitties outside the US are at great risk from use of this product or someone's bank account is filling up with US dollars!
          I hope my experience can help other concerned pet owners. ]]>Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:20:47 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/09/do-pets-go-to-heaven.htmlDo pets go to heaven?  When our beloved animal friends pass from this world, do they frolic around the throne of God or live again in some other universe?  Do pets just die and that is the end?

            I am sure that these and other questions have crossed the minds of pet owners all over the globe.  Pets are so much a part of our lives.  They often will stay with their owner even if they are neglected or mistreated.  But when we lose a pet, what happens then?  What are the answers that we seek and where can we find them?  There are many books and articles written on the subject that both “support” and “debunk” the idea that there is an afterlife for animals.

            I first have to say that the Christian bible does not contain a section called, “The Book Of Animals” where I can turn to “Pets” Chapter 3, verse 11 and read, “For a righteous man doeth love his pets and these follow him into heaven and the glory of the Lord forever.”

            There is no specific verse of scripture where it emphatically states in plain simple words that: “animals go to heaven”―even though we would like to find such a verse.  However, the following scriptures, in my opinion, are a group of verses that do address this very issue and they provide sound evidence of what happens to pets when they die.

Read More...
]]>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:48:08 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/08/the-front-lines.html   Nearly fifteen years ago God spoke to me and said that He would take me off the “front lines” in the spiritual battle.  He said that I had learned more than most men and He told me that if I wanted to, He would give me a family and a nice place to live in peace for the rest of my days.  My response was to say, “Lord, You know what is best.  If I should rest then that is the thing to do.  I would not want to continue in the battle if I were to make a wrong decision or get discouraged and reject You.  I don’t want to be “brave” and end up losing my own soul.  Whatever Your will is―that is what I want to do.”  Fifteen years later I am still on the “front lines” reminding myself that I chose to be here.  Strangely though, I thought that the “battles” would be more “earth shattering” but they turned out to be the very things that trouble me in my everyday life.  They are the “little things” that tend to provoke me to some action or attitude.  My Father God has always been faithful to teach me the ways of His Spirit.  He has revealed the eternal substance of my reward with Him and has sustained me with His love and power.  I celebrate every day while I look toward that eternal day in which there is no sunset and no dawning.        

]]>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:13:05 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/08/actions-for-all-eternity.html"Act well at the moment, and you have performed a good action for all eternity."

Johann Kaspar Lavater
1741-1801, Poet and Physiognomist]]>Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:26:56 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/08/action-and-achievement.html"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

Conrad Hilton
1887-1979, Founder of Hilton Hotels]]>Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:23:38 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/08/overcome-the-tug.html"You need to overcome the tug of people against you as you reach for high goals."

George S. Patton
1885-1945, American Army General]]>Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:49:11 -0500http://www.thoughtandbelief.com/3/post/2010/07/zek-is-healed.html I had just worked a ten day stretch and was exhausted physically and mentally.  Without any warning my cat Ezekiel (Zek) suddenly became very sick and listless.  The next day he developed a cough that sounded like pneumonia.  I immediately began to pray for him.   Now most people think of “prayer” as saying things like, “Oh please God help me!”  But I don’t pray in that manner.  I go to the Creator and I say, “Ok God, I know Zek is healed so what do I need to do?

As I focused on the solution instead of the problem I was reminded that I had several “victims by choice” that were around me and that rather than take responsibility for their lives these people focus in on me as their “victimizer”.  It was difficult to get these people out of my own thinking since their constant negative influence was like having loud music playing in the background.  While I didn’t consciously believe their “threats and curses” those false beliefs seemed to find a home in my belief system and it was very distracting to experience the “push against” me with intention from these people.  Some of this “push” is what hit my cat Zek since he claims me as belonging to him.  He stepped right in the path of this “pushing” from these misguided folks and got sick as a result.  In a very real sense, Zek was protecting me and fighting the negative vibration that was being projected by their thinking.  Still this negative vibration found a home in me in my thinking and I had to take responsibility for it.

As I continued to pray I felt strongly that I should NOT take Zek to the vet since they would treat his physical symptoms and not deal with the strong negative influences.  I also experienced horrible emotions and beliefs that I realized had been passed on to me from other people in my family at an age where I did not understand how to reject them.  The Spirit of God instructed me to “repent” or to “think differently” about these thoughts and beliefs.  One by one I obeyed His voice and rejected the false beliefs. 

The first belief was hopelessness.  As I thought differently about this and rejected it, Zek got a little better.  The second was helplessness.  As I thought differently about this false belief and rejected it, Zek again got little better.  With very little sleep, this process went on from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning when Zek emerged from his sickness and wanted me to take several walks with him.  He then started drinking water and asking for his favorite treats.  When I “repented” or “thought differently” about those negative emotions that were in me―my cat came out from under them and they could no longer affect him.

I am so grateful to God for the wisdom of His Spirit and for true “repentance”.  (Zek says he is grateful too…)

 
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