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In my first two weeks with Chester, he is training me well!  Raising a puppy is a great and exhausting experience, but it has it’s rewards and Chester is teaching me valuable life lessons!

 

Number One:   Love is born out of trust.  Chester loves me, and he trusts me and I don’t think those two things can be separated!  It’s not just that he knows I will feed him and put out his water, walk him when he needs to go outside, but that he knows I will be there and he cannot be afraid that I will leave him.  When we brought him home we knew being seperated from his litter mates and mother he would be insecure and afraid.  I slept next to  him for several nights, stroking him and assuring him I was still there!  When we moved into the crate at bedtime I still laid at  his door and talked to him before he went to sleep.  We all need that in our lives, we need to know that we are not alone and that somone is there for us. My Lord and my wife have been those for me, I will be that for Chester.

 

Number Two:  The assurance of love is a constant, never ending need.  I make it a point ot spend quiet time with Chester everytime I catch him in a “non-frantic” mood.  I pet him and talk to him and assure him that he is my buddy.  Jack told me to talk to him just like I would talk to any other person, and I do, and it really works, he may not understand the words but he understand my voice and the tone and I can see that he believes me.

 

Number Three:  We all need our space.  Sometimes after some cuddling and petting, Chester will wander off to another corner of the couch and bury himself under a pile of pillows or a cool spot on the leather and fall asleep.  He wants to be with us, but he also wants to rest on his own, after all, he is wearing a fur coat all the time!

 

Number Four:  We all are more pleasant after a good workout.  Sadly with my back I have a hard time doing  that anymore but I can remember what a high it was to exhaust myself in physical activity.  Chester really needs that as a puppy, and the more he runs and frolics and tires himself, the happier he is, even at rest!

 

Number Five:  A best buddy is wonderful thing!  Jack Graham and Jim Haverstock have both been best buddies and Carl Turner too and, of course my bride, Sherelene.  There have been others too, but in our lives very few, really.  A best buddy is someone you are completely happy to just be with, hang out with, even be silent, knowing they understand you, that you understand them and a deep love and respect is there at all times between you.  If you have that in life you are truly a blessed person!  Chester is going to be a great buddy!

 

As Christmas nears, I wish you love, peace, happiness and some time with a best buddy!

 

Bessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

I got this from my brother Homer this morning and was so deeply touched I wanted to share it with all of you, let’s all go into the Christmas season asking ourselves that most important question!

 

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago . They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night ‘s dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding…

 

 

 

Blessings as you get prepared to celebrate the most important event in human history!

 

the pilgrim

 

O.K. to be clear, the birth of Christ is the greatest Gift the world has ever recieved, Period, end of sentence!  On a personal note, this Christmas I am getting something I have wanted for a long, long time!   Meet Chester, a two month old Golden Retriever!  I waited until I cut back my travel schedule until I had time to spend the first three months with a puppy and raise him right!!!  Actually it is more, him raising me, I guess!

 

Let me tell you the back story!  I’ve had dogs my entire life, but when Sherelene’s and my three chilcren grew up and left home, we both had very busy schedules and we simply didn’t have any more pets for a long time. When I started teaching with Jack Graham I had the pleasure of visiting him at his home, and meeting Linda and Roscoe!  Roscoe was his Golden Retriever, and they were best pals!  I really loved to visit Jack and Linda and get to sepnd time with Roscoe too.  I could throw him a frisbee until my arm was sore and he was still going strong!!  He was a real sweetheart and I think he really liked me too.  Little did I know that Golden’s love EVERYONE!  I guess I was not as great with dogs as I thought!

 

Well back in late fall Roscoe’s hips finally gave out on him and they had to have him put to sleep.  It was really hard on Jack and Linda, and honestly I was devastated too.  Sherelene could see how much it upset me and she said I think now is the time for you to get your puppy.

 

The search which started back in August was exhausting!  I never knew how many people were looking for American Golden puppies of the darker color and almost every one I found with puppies, they were all been spokent for.  I finally found a great breeder  and she had three females all do in a time frame that would get me a puppy by late Novemeber!  I was set!  Sadly weeks later all three females had false preganccies.  I have to admit I was in a panick.  Then I found a breeder with two males that were ready December 8th, perfect timing for me!  I was happy and made a deposit and picked a pup via internet images.  I know that sounds like a bad idea and it turned out to be.  For weeks I asked questions of the lady with the puppies and she was very reluctant to answer my texts and only sent and occasional image I started to worry about the whole situation.  When she revealed that the puppies would be going home at 6 weeks, it sent off alarm bells, that is pretty early to break up the pups and mom.  When I started to press for answers she blew up and started acting pretty freaky! I could see it was a bad idea, and was starting to realize a dream of getting Chester, (named years ago when I fell in love with the movie “The Kid!” )  Anyway it appeared it was not to happen. Jack and Linda contacted a friend of theirs who went to work looking for a pup and Jamie Baker, their friend a world class dog trainer, was still not having any luck finding a pup.

 

Here is where the real Christmas Story begins!  On a ride to Lexington Sherlene and I were talking and I was sharing my extreme disappointment with the failed search, spanning months. I said a prayer out loud in the car, “Father I know you love me and I feel silly praying about a puppy, but you know how much this means to me, I believe the “Real Chester ” is out there somewhere and I am not having much luck finding him, I’m turning it over to you, I trust you with this situation, please send me the puppy you want me to have!!”  I truly relaxed with it and let it go.  Some how I knew God was in control.

 

That night the original breeder called and asked if I had found a puppy and I told her sadly not.  She said she had a breeder friend that had a litter and she thought there were three males left,and they were to be ready by December 1st!!!  I called and she sent me images and this one below just struck me at how much I could see Roscoe’s face, in his!

 

 

So I picked him up on Saturday, and his official name is Chester Roscoe Fortney, and Jack and Linda are the God Parents!!  Below a few more images so you can share my joy!  Merry Christmas!

 

Chester and Sherelene

 

 

So that’s my Christmas story, a little long but it ended wonderfully for me!  It reminded me that God does care about even the small things in our lives and I”m home watching the snow fall and loving on Chester, a happy ending!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

 

the pilgrim

 

 

P.S.   Warning, more dog images are most likely coming your way!

 

Double P.S.  Since he moves faster than lightening, all these have been with the iPhone!!!

 

 

 

I’m fortunate to live in Corbin, Kentucky, because we have one of the greatest Bar B Q joints I’ve ever eaten in!!!  Smoky Bear Bar B Q is a local favortie and a destination for Bar B Q lovers across our region.  Their Jailbreaker sandwich (A toasted Keyser bun , toasted, butterd and seasoned, loaded with crunchy bacon piled high with tender pulled pork topped off with fried onion tanglers!  Smothered with their homeade ranch dressing and spectacular Bar B Q sauce.)  Brother yo uhave to try this one!!!!  They have a lot of other great stuff on the menu, super tender Brisket, Outrageous ribs and believe it or not a Killer 5 Pickle, Bill Fortney Approved Cheeseburger!!!!!

 

 

This is one great burger, juicy, cooked perfect, season to my taste and I enjoyed both Tater Tots and Corn Nuggets (stole them from Sherelene plate!)

 

The atmosphere is pure Kentucky down  home Bar BQ with a lot of cool signs, one of my favorite below!

 

 

The crew at the place; Owner, Barry Mays, Managers, Andrew Kerr and Robert Craft (not the owner of the Patriots, different one) and Wes Garlic along with our waitress, Tesla Wynn and last, but certainly not least, the cooks, Justice Mills, Robert Gambalt and Clifford Fisher, really did us right!!!

 

Where is this place, just ask anyone that doesn’t look hungry around Corbin and they would be glad to tell you!!! ( 1509 American Greeting Road, Corbin, KY)  So drop by and have a Jailbreaker, or the Jail Bird or the Prison Yard Salad, (lots of our law enforcement folks love the place!!!)  Seriously if you love Bar B Q and want some with some real character and a lot of nice folks around you, you have to check this spot out!!!

 

…..and did I mention the burger???!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

How good is the Bar B Q?  It was the only trusted place we would cater for when Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder came to Renro Valley and we hosted a pre concert cookout, they loved it!!!  Ricky gave it 5 stars and called it, “some real great hog meat!!!”  Doesn’t get better than that!!!!