Sandy Dragon update :)

Sandy Claws Dragon has captured the interest of many of our friends. People often ask about him, or when they've heard about his health issues are afraid to ask about him.

Last summer he was one very sick dragon. I brought him to the exotic vet and rang up bills only a pet loving owner would admit to doing. The end result was a diagnosis of kidney failure and the need to inject fluids into him daily and give him meds orally, also daily. I felt as if I had suddenly become a vet's assistant.

Sandy was very lethargic. He was still a great snuggler, but didn't do much else. We've taken to feeding him by prying open his mouth and inserting food, and quickly removing our fingers before we get bit. At least most of the time. "Hi my name is Jacquie and I really love my pet."

A while ago we stopped giving him the meds and the saline. We noticed he started to improve. His poop became more solid (which is why we started the meds in the first place). A couple of weeks ago we noticed his tank seemed too small for him (we had been thinking about using a smaller tank since he wasn't moving much) and started taking him out again. He now takes a stroll around the kitchen.

Sunday (April 12) he was the focus of the children's sermon Ashley gave as part of Youth Sunday. The scripture was Luke 8: 26-37 -- the story of Jesus

casting the demons out of a man.

There are some things that look scary on the outside, but that really aren't. For example I have a lizard called a bearded dragon who we named Sandy Claws. He looks very scary from the outside. (holds up picture of Sandy showing his spikes) He has all of these spiky parts on the side and it looks like if you were to touch him, you would be in a lot of pain. But, if you do touch him, those sharp points are actually the softest part of him, and the rest of him isn't too sharp either. Sandy is very cuddly and nice.

This is like the scripture reading today. It's about a man who looks very scary, so everyone stayed away from him because they were scared. But there was one man who knew that it wasn't that scary man's fault. This man, named Jseus, knew the man was a child of God just like everyone. Jesus had the courage to go up to the man, and the kindness to heal him. Then, the man was all better. We should always have courage and kindness because those are two things that will always help us.

Now let's pray: Dear God, please bless everyone here and help them to always be kind and brave like Jesus. In your son's name we pray, Amen.

So perhaps the message was taken from our having seen "Cinderella" while in the planning stages of writing the message. It still fits. Have Courage and Be Kind. 

The next day Don bought him a new ramp/rock. He actually climbed on it. He is getting around more than we could have imagined.

The cats are still really good around him. If they know what is good for them, they'll stay that way!

He continues to give us much unexpected joy.