Mommy Is Discoraged

By Belle Touchton – The Missionary Dog
Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton - The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 NIV


Poor Mommy. I heard her tell Daddy that she thinks she is too disorganized to do this job. She wants to quit and go home. She had such a good day yesterday. She was excited because of the 5 new Christians. It seems like whenever we have a day that good, bad things happen for the next few days. I think Satan wants Mommy discouraged.

Mommy spoke at a church today. In the middle of her presentation, she hit the cord that connected her computer to her projector and the projector went flying off the table, bounced onto the stage and then onto the floor below. Mommy told Daddy that everyone gasped when it happened. Mommy looked at the expensive projector lying on the floor and said aloud, “That isn’t good.” Everyone laughed and she continued her presentation without her pictures. At least she was almost done. Pieces of the case and one of the feet broke off but the projector works. Mommy blamed herself because she’d put the projector on unevenly stacked hymn books on a tiny table.

We’d lived in hotels for 2 nights because Mommy had to speak early in the mornings. We drove all day yesterday. We were rushing to get to each place so Mommy just threw everything in the back of Halleluiah. It was such a mess that I had trouble finding somewhere to sleep. When we got to our campground today, Mommy started fixing Halleluiah. People had donated money, bought books, and filled out cards to be on our mailing list. When Mommy gets in what Daddy calls “Speak Space,” she gets forgetful. She had stuffed left over books, money, and information cards in brief cases, boxes, on the seat, and in her purse. I also saw her put both sets of camper keys in her purse. Daddy’s warned Mommy to always keep one set in the camper and I knew this wasn’t going to end well.

After about 2 hours of organizing, Mommy got worried. She was missing a business card from a pastor who wanted to be on our mailing list, a $25 donation check, and worst of all, Daddy’s camper keys. She searched for 2 hours. The good news is that her computer and projector cases, the 3 book boxes, and the shelves of Halleluiah are completely organized again. The bad news is that Mommy didn’t find anything she was missing.

Her best friend Nancy called while she was in the middle of searching. Nancy tried to calm Mommy down and when that didn’t work, she called our hotel from the night before to ask if they had the keys. They didn’t.

Mommy told Nancy that the only way to get more keys is to put in a different alarm system. Mommy told Daddy that only having one set of keys messes up her whole system because she keeps 1 set on a rope to wear around her neck when she goes to the shower and the other in her purse.

“I feel terrible,” Mommy told Nancy. “That woman was nice enough to give us $25 and now I lost it. I can get the preacher’s information from my cousin but the big problem is the keys.”

To Daddy she said, “Maybe I can’t do this. My life is too confusing. What if I can’t keep up with things anymore?”

Mommy speaks for a nursing home tomorrow and a television show on Tuesday. I think Satan wants her to stop doing what she is doing and I also think Mommy should just stomp her foot at that nasty old Satan. I don’t know why mommy is surprised she lost things. She has always has trouble keeping up with things after she speaks. When she leads people to Christ, she doesn’t come down to earth for hours. My opinion is that when she gets that close to God, she forgets about human things like zipping her purse. I was worried when she planned events for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday in 3 different states. I knew Mommy would do a good job but I also knew she was going to lose and break things.

If you know my Mommy, I’d like to ask some favors. First, pray for her. Next, would you remind her that that she is good at what she does and God wants her to keep doing it. Also, remind her that she’s always gotten discombobulated about details when she is in that place where she steps outside herself and lets God work. If you have some suggestions for how Mommy can keep up with things, you could pass them on to her. Tell her that she has been sick, that her mother-in-law just died, and if all this happened to anyone else, she’d be offering comfort and encouragement. It is silly for Mommy to feel so incompetent the day after she helped 5 people get to heaven. Even losing the keys isn’t the end of the world. The Devil is lying to my Mommy. Would you help me help her?
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Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.

This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road leading people to Christ, you can donate at Donate

Copyright: Pocket Full of Change Ministries

My Mommy Doesn't Work This Hard At Home

By Belle Touchton – The Missionary Dog
Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton - The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil 4:13 KJV

“Bob, where is my projector?” Mommy said into her ear bud. She must not have liked the answer. “But you wouldn’t have put it there. You knew I needed it and I can’t lower the spare tire. Even if I could, I can’t get it back up. Besides, the pin won’t ever come out for me.”

The back door was open and I stood on the seat with my head out the back window for moral support. I barked at the French Poodle across the street because I knew Mommy didn’t need company. She starts out thinking she can’t do things and by the time Daddy talks her through it, she gets it done. I know the Bible says she can do all things through Christ who strengthens her but for Mommy, I think it takes Christ and Daddy.

“Bob, I have on white pants. If you oiled the pin, I’m going to get dirty.”

Even I could guess what Daddy said next. Mommy ignored Daddy’s idea to change clothes and tugged on the pin. Of course, it popped right out.

“The pin is out and my hands are dirty. I’ll never lower the spare tire. It’s too heavy”

Poor Daddy. He can’t see Mommy but she had it lowered before she stopped whining about it.

“Those boxes of books are too heavy. I can’t lift them over the seat,” Mommy said as she pulled, grunted, and hoisted them at me.

I backed up none too soon as they plopped right where I’d been standing. Some books went crashing to the ground, knocking the phone from the back bumper to the ground.

“Shoot,” Mommy said. “Now I’ve dropped books everywhere.”

Daddy only slept 4 hours the night before and I knew his blood pressure was rising. He gets upset when Mommy messes up books. Mommy left the phone on the ground and picked up the books. They were fine.

“I found 2 boxes of books and the projector. I might as well put the camp chair back inside while I’m here. Which end of the chair goes in the bag first?”

Why does Mommy do that? She puts that chair in the bag all the time when Daddy isn’t here. OK – I’ll admit that she sometimes starts out backwards but she gets it in there. She folded up the camp table and put it behind the front seat. She pulled my leash stake out of the ground, twirled the leash around it, and put it under my seat.

“I’ll never get the tire back up,” Mommy wailed as she started lifting. “No, I’m not going to go find a man to do it for me. What do you mean use leverage? I don’t even know what leverage is and if I did, it probably involves getting my white pants dirty.” In a second, she had the tire back up, the pin back in, and her pants were still white.

“Hey, Bob,” Mommy said. “I found the Fresnel lens for the back window. It had fallen inside the back of the camper. I’ve been having trouble backing up. How does it go on?”

She listened, sighed, and said, “You know if you were here, you’d be doing all of this.” Of course he would. Daddy would rather do it than tell Mommy how to do it.

She went in the camper and got a bottle of water, a sponge, and some glass cleaner. She cleaned the window and the lens. Daddy talked her through rest. She poured water on the lens, slapped the lens on the window, and started mashing the lens to get the bubbles out. I’ve seen Daddy do this before and it took him seconds. It took Mommy 10 minutes but she did it.

Next, she went to the front of the camper and stared at the my seat. We’d been parked for days so Mommy had turned it around to sit and work. We were leaving early the next morning and I was glad Mommy was doing it now.

“I’ve never turned this front seat back around. I hope I can do it,” she said as she whipped it around and popped it into place. She went to the back of the camper and lugged all the boxes of books to the front seat floorboard. She stepped back and looked at it.

“I think if I slam on brakes, these boxes are going to crush Belle.” She listened to Daddy. “Yes, the boxes are taller than the seat. Yes, the bottom of the top box is higher than the seat.” She frowned and listened again. She took out the boxes and rearranged them the way Daddy said. I felt much better.

“Now I can’t find my phone,” Mommy said, looking everywhere. Boy did I wish I could talk. I went to the back and barked but she thought I was barking at the poodle again.

“Yes, I’m still talking on the ear bud. It can’t be far.” I relaxed when Mommy found it on the ground.

“Bob, my life is hard. I don’t know how you stand staying on the phone while I do all of this. I don’t work this hard at home.”

She’s right about that. At home, she has to go to a gym to get exercise.

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Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.

This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road leading people to Christ, you can donate at

Donate

Copyright: Pocket Full of Change Ministries

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It Takes a Village

By Belle Touchton – The Missionary Dog
Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton - The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady


Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. Matt 10:11

Mommy may say yes to God about taking these trips but it takes a worthy village for Mommy to go. Our village works hard. My friend Barbara works for weeks on mailings and handouts. Gail looks for places for us to go and speak. Our Board of Directors helps us decide what to do. People send us money. Daddy works really hard on Halleluiah, Mommy’s computer, and the website. Mommy’s church commissions her. A prayer team prays. Mommy’s best friend Nancy takes all of Mommy’s frantic calls and helps her figure out what to do next. Mommy’s friend and mentor Judy keeps her focused on the next right thing God wants her to do. By the time we leave, the entire village is exhausted.

I like it when Daddy goes on the first few days. No matter how hard Mommy and I try, we need Daddy. First, Halleluiah doesn’t much like sitting still so he always starts out grumpy. He also doesn’t like Pennsylvania so making him go back to work after he thaws out from winter is tricky. He started out grumbling, groaning, and leaking. We needed Daddy to make him stop whining and do his job.

Second, we need Daddy for the technology. Mommy and I spend hours every day writing our stories and putting out pictures. This year we added blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. I think Mommy is getting carried away but she didn’t ask me. It didn’t help that the company that hosts our website moved it to a different server just before we left. Poor Mommy. Nothing worked right on the first couple of days and she doesn’t like it when people go to our website and can’t find what they need. She needed Daddy and someone at the computer company named Chris. After phone calls and e-mails, Daddy and Chris got our website working but we couldn’t have done it without Daddy. Whew. Maybe we should elect Daddy the Mayor of our village.

In case Mommy forgot to say thank you, I’ll say it. Thank you, God for asking us to go into the world and tell people about you. Thank you, Daddy for being so smart and helping so much. Thank you, Gail and Barbara for loving, praying for, and working for God with Mommy and me. Thank you to everyone who sent money to help us tell people about Jesus. Thank you, Calvary Baptist for commissioning Mommy, donating money, and praying for us. Thank you to our Board of Directors for donating, giving guidance, and praying for us. Thank you, Nancy and Judy for keeping Mommy sane. Thank you to the rest of the family for being a good sport about Mommy’s crazy ideas. Thank you, the reader, for reading this, praying for us, and letting us minister to you. Thank you to the people on the street for talking to us and petting me. Thank you Mommy for taking me with you. I love our village.

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Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.

This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road leading people to Christ, you can donate at

Donate

Copyright: Pocket Full of Change Ministries

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Why Do I Need Shots To Get Ready For the Journey?

By Belle Touchton The Missionary Dog
Mommy: Cheryle M. Touchton - The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady


That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. Luke 12:47 NIV


Yes - I know we have to get ready but why do I have to get shots and a bath? Every year, as Mommy gets ready for our next missionary journey, she takes me to the vet. They poke on me, stick needles in me, and look places no one should look! Then they give me a bath and clip my long lovely toenails. Would someone please help me understand why I need shots to do my job as a missionary?

Mommy and Daddy are busy. Daddy is working on Halleluiah. The door was broken so Daddy put him in the camper hospital. We live in Pennsylvania now so some of Hal’s pipes froze and Daddy had to get that fixed. Hal needed an oil change, water in all his tanks, and two different kinds of gas. Poor Halleluiah! They poked on him as much as they poked on me. He also got a bath. Is he is whining too?

Mommy went to something called a Commissioning. It must be good because she was excited. I’m a missionary too. Why doesn’t someone commission me? Aren’t I important?

Mommy is washing clothes, packing, shopping, praying, and writing. She is also getting her hair and nails done. I’m not really sure how that helps either but it seems to make her feel better. Personally, I think it is a waste of time and money but no one has asked my opinion.

Since Mommy was ignoring me, I decided to write this story. We’re leaving on Thursday. We’ll be gone 40 days. We’re heading south and then out west. Daddy will be with us for 5 days and on Easter Sunday. He’ll fly back to State College. We probably won’t see Daddy again until we get back home. I’m worried about him because he doesn’t have many friends there but he does have work, church, and his Life Group. Oh – and I guess I forgot about God – Daddy has God. Now that I think about, I have God too. Maybe I should trust God and quite whining about everything.

Mommy and the Bible say that when we know what we are supposed to do, we have to get ready and then do it. Mommy says God wants us to go on this journey and that my shots are part of getting ready. Getting ready is a lot of work and sometimes it hurts but I trust Mommy and God. When that doctor shoved that nasty needle into me, I didn’t even cry. I still don’t understand why I need shots but Mommy and God know what’s best.

We need help getting ready for this journey to share Jesus with America. We need prayers and Mommy says we still need some money. Would you help us by praying or sending money?

Donate

Thanks – I’ll be looking for you on the missionary road.


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Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462. Money is ministry tool that enables us to continue this work. If this story helped or inspired you or you feel called to join forces with The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady and Belle, The Missionary Dog as they travel the missionary road, leading people to Christ, you can donate at:

Donate

Copyright: Pocket Full of Change Ministries

My Mommy Is A Tattletale

By Belle Touchton - The Missionary Dog
Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. NIV

I didn't feel good.I tried to tell Mommy but she was too excited about visiting her friend Julie to pay attention. The winding steep road to Mercer Island in Washington didn’t do much good for my ailing tummy.

“Belle, this is a nice house. Mind Mommy!” she said as we drove up. As if I didn’t mind her most of the time.

This was a big house. When we got there, Mommy’s friend said, “Welcome to my palace.” It was a palace. There were pictures of Jesus everywhere so I liked it right away. Looking out at the water reminded me of our old home, Sanctuary, in Jacksonville, Florida. It was also peaceful like my Sanctuary. I could see why Mommy wanted me to mind. Everywhere, there were things I could play with if Mommy would let me. I knew she wasn’t going to let me so I didn’t even try.

What I didn’t like was that Mommy locked me in the laundry room. I didn’t understand why she kept me on a leash when we walked around the house. We don't use leashes inside. I don’t really mind my leash because it keeps me close to Mommy so I relaxed. I was relieved when she brought in my doggie pen. Mommy says dogs are cave animals. I don’t know what that means but I like my pen when Mommy leaves me alone. Mommy and Julie left me alone on Sunday. They went to church and to tell people about Jesus. I stayed in my pen without even complaining. Overall, I thought I was a pretty good sport.

Over Saturday and Sunday, my tummy got worse. I stopped eating to try to get it better but it didn’t help. I don't think Mommy noticed until it was too late. On Monday, my tummy won. I had an "accident" on the floor and it should have been obvious to Mommy that I was sick.

“Belle, what have you done to this beautiful carpet?” She sounded like she cared more about the carpet than me. I hung my head in shame. I know better but I couldn’t help it.

Mommy started cleaning, but I’d made a big mess. I couldn’t believe it when she said, “Out Blank (I can’t use the word she said) Spot.”

"Belle, don't look so shocked. I wasn't using a bad word. I was quoting a line from Hamlet’s Macbeth"

I still didn’t think it was very nice. She put her face on the carpet. Was she praying?

“Belle,” she scolded. “Why didn’t you come get me?”

I wondered why she didn’t pay more attention to me. She should have figured out I wasn’t feeling good.

“We have to tell Julie,” Mommy said. “It’s the right thing to do.”

I didn’t want Julie to know. She’d only had one dog in her entire life and here I was giving all dogs a bad name. Now another dog would probably never get to visit this beautiful peaceful palace and it would be all my fault. She’d probably never invite me back again.

“Belle, I don’t want to tell her either but it is the right thing to do. We're supposed to always tell the truth.”

She put me in my pen, marched out, and told Julie about the mess I had made. How could Mommy be such a tattletale?

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Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.

This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road as a traveling missionary, send your tax deductible contribution to Pocket Full of Change Ministries, POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.

© Pocket Full of Change Ministries

Discrimination Is Wrong

By Belle Touchton – The Missionary Dog
Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:28-29 NIV


OK – I get it that some places don’t allow dogs. Many dogs are not as polite, well trained, or careful as I am and they spoil it for the rest of us. And yes – I’ll admit that dogs shed more than humans so I can understand people not wanting dog hair around. Some dogs even have disgusting fleas but I certainly don’t. Besides, some people have fleas.

My complaint is about parks that allow other animals to roam freely but they put restrictions on dogs. We went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the only place I was allowed was on concrete. I couldn’t walk on a trail, get in the grass, and I certainly wasn’t allowed inside their buildings. I also had to be on a leash at all times. What is their problem with dogs?

While I was there, I saw prairie dogs running all over the grass. They laughed at me standing on the pavement while they got to stand on top of their hills. The buffalo make a much bigger mess than I do and their mommy wasn’t near as careful about cleaning up after them as my Mommy is. Other places make horses stay inside a pen but not this park. Theodore Roosevelt National Park allows horses to run free anywhere they please. The deer and the elk run free across the trails and leave little presents for the people to step in. No one even considered trying to keep the birds on a leash. I didn’t want to believe it but it is true. That park discriminates against dogs.

Discrimination is wrong. I know it is because the Bible says so. When Mommy reads Galatians 3:28-29, I think to myself – there is no dog nor cat, buffalo nor elk, deer nor bird, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. For people, there are laws against discrimination, so why aren’t there laws for dogs?

It isn’t fair but Mommy says life isn’t always fair and I just have to accept it if I want to find any peace. The Bible also says I’m supposed to forgive and not judge. I guess I’d better listen and forgive the park or my anger will ruin trips with Mommy. That Bible sure is smart.

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Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.

This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road as a traveling missionary, send your tax deductible contribution to Pocket Full of Change Ministries, POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.

© Pocket Full of Change Ministries

My Mommy Is a Duck

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "Tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matt 14:28-30 NIV


Daddy is an eagle and Mommy is a duck. Daddy loves eagles. They're all over his desk and hanging on his walls. He used to write a column called “The Eagles Nest.” He talks about soaring and soars through his life. He never gets lost. He doesn't lose anything and he can open a cereal box just the right way. Things are easy for Daddy.

Mommy wishes she were an eagle. Mommy doesn't always like it when Daddy tries to help her. He won’t let her open cereal boxes because if she does, they won't close back. He goes along behind her closing things and if she gives directions, he takes the map and checks it for himself.

Things were extra bad in Washington. Mommy was tired and woried because I was sick. She was working long hours and I was too sick to help her. In fact, she spent a lot of extra time cleaning up after me. When Mommy gets tired, she forgets things like closing cabinets, drawers, or zipping her purse. What that means is that when she drives, our van, Halleluiah, throws things at me. It also means that things fall out of her purse. That drives Daddy crazy.

“Cheryle,” he said. “Zip your purse.”

“Who do you think tells me to zip my purse when you aren’t here?”

“I don’t know, but zip your purse.”


A few minutes later, Daddy said, “Did you close that cabinet?”


“Bob,” Mommy said as she closed the cabinet. “Leave me alone.”


“But I’m just trying to help,” he said. “Remember that service is my spiritual gift. What am I supposed to do when I notice things?” Poor Daddy. I think she hurt his feelings.

“When you remind me about everything, I feel bad,” Mommy said.

Poor Mommy. Everything Daddy said was right. Her purse was open and so was the cabinet.

I think Mommy and Daddy are both smart. They both can empty the holding tanks on Halleluiah but I have to admit that when Daddy does it, it looks easier. It makes me tired to watch Mommy do it but she gets it done. Mommy gets lost but always finds her way back. She says she doesn’t have a sense of direction but it seems like it is backwards. Daddy goes somewhere once and never forgets how to get back. Maybe Mommy wishes she were more like Daddy.

I think Mommy is fine the way she is. I just think she is a duck married to an eagle. She waddles through life, having fun, looking calm, but always paddling under the water. Ducks can fly too but it looks harder. When Mommy quacks, people quack back and some even follow her. Personally, I like ducks a lot. I love Mommy. I don’t even get mad when she leaves cabinets open and things fall on me. If she would just accept the fact that she is a duck, I don’t think she’d mind letting the eagle help.

It doesn't matter if they waddle or soar, when Mommy and Daddy keep their eyes on Jesus, they both walk on water. When God gives them a job, He makes them able to get it done. Mommy and Daddy work hard to say yes to God and they help each other say yes to Him. They also love each other and both love me. Mommy is the wind beneath Daddy’s wings and Daddy is the mud beneath Mommy’s webbed feet.


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Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.

This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road as a traveling missionary, send your tax deductible contribution to Pocket Full of Change Ministries, POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.

© Pocket Full of Change Ministries