My Mommy Is a Duck

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

"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.


==========================================================

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

Let Me Run My Race

By Belle Touchton
The Missionary Dog

Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Cor 9:24-27 NIV


The Bible says I’m supposed to beat my body, make it be my slave, and keep running my race. I admit that I got sick for the third time but that is no reason to fire me from my job. This last time was the worst and apparently the most expensive. I scared Mommy and Daddy but these things happen. It doesn’t mean Mommy should stop taking me on trips. If Mommy can take risks to serve God, I can take risks to serve God and Mommy. My “race” is to be Mommy’s missionary dog. I encourage people to talk to her and I keep her company. I like my job and want to keep it. Read 1 Corinthian 9:24-27 and please don’t let my getting sick disqualify me for my prize.

I got sick on Monday. Daddy was to fly in on Tuesday and Mommy and I were excited until I got sick. By Tuesday morning, Mommy was frantically calling vets. She finally got an appointment for late Tuesday. Poor Mommy and Daddy hadn’t seen each other for a month and when Daddy landed, he had to catch a cab to come to the animal hospital. If I hadn’t been so sick, I’d have felt terrible. When Daddy arrived, I was too sick and Mommy too worried to give him any attention.

Three hours, $700, and many shots later, we left the hospital. The doctor said I was very sick. I hope they didn’t spend $700 to find that out because I already knew that.

I’m really glad Daddy was here. He spent his week with me giving me 13 pills a day. Why won’t he give me my regular food? Mommy and Daddy make me eat this terrible food the vet gave us. I don’t mean to whine but that vet wasn’t much of a cook. Daddy tried to trick me and hide my pills in that yucky food but I knew they were there. I only ate them because Daddy looked so miserable. He doesn’t like touching that food so you can you imagine how I felt eating it. I’m starting to feel better but I’m still too sore from all those shots to run or jump. I also don’t understand why they couldn’t put all of the medicine in one needle.

So yes – I have been sick three times and two of them were serious. And yes, it was expensive but I do volunteer my time for these mission trips. It’s not like they are paying me or anything and I’m usually pretty hearty so I don’t think they should complain. Besides, these illnesses were related so I might not ever get sick on a mission trip again.

People keep talking about sending me home and I’m hurt and insulted. I think I earn my keep and am worth having along. If I go home, who will Mommy cuddle with? Who will walk trails with her or remind her when it’s time to wash dishes? She needs me to stand in the front seat to find animals for her. I certainly don’t think Mommy is going to sit, speak, or turn circles to draw crowds and she hates my treats. Part of my race is to stand in the back of Halleluiah while Mommy is backing up and bark if she gets too close to something. If I go home, who will do that? I want to keep running the race God told me to run.

Mommy explained that people love me and are worried about me. She doesn’t want to take risks with me but other missionaries take their children into places much more dangerous than the United States. If Mommy can take risks, so can I. I’m putting my foot down. I’m staying with Mommy and Halleluiah so I can finish my race. Would somebody tell my mommy for me?


==========================================================

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

I Would Wiggle Off the Alter

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

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rom 12:1 KJV

All this talk about living sacrifices makes me nervous. Mommy went to church on Sunday at Southside Baptist and ever since, she’s been talking about presenting her body as a living sacrifice. Apparently, Pastor Gary Webber said living sacrifices try to wiggle off the altar. All I’ve got to say about that is, “Of course they do!” I know those Bible stories about sacrificial lambs, ropes, knives, and fire. I am a Shetland Sheep Dog. If people will sacrifice sheep, what is to keep them from sacrificing a sheep dog?

Ever since Sunday, Mommy has been saying that she shouldn’t try to wiggle off the altar. She said it Sunday night when she wanted to get home sooner and knew God was leading her to take her time and minister along the way. She said it when she wanted to eat at a restaurant and knew she had perfectly good, healthy, and low calorie food in the camper. She said it again when she wanted to go to bed and still had writing to do. When I wanted her to stop working and take me for a walk, she told me to present myself as a living sacrifice. I’m sorry but if anyone is planning on doing to me what they did to those cute little lambs in the Bible, I plan to try to wiggle off that altar.

On Monday morning, Mommy and I led someone to Jesus who needed Jesus a lot. If we had rushed home to see Daddy, we would not have been there. When this sad woman prayed to receive Jesus, her face changed right in front of me. I thought about the Bible verse that talks about mourning turning into dancing. Like always, I guess the Bible is right. Mommy sacrificing what she wants to do and following what God told her to do put Mommy in exactly the right place for that woman. The funny thing is that after Mommy helped that woman meet Jesus, she was happier than she probably would have been if she had rushed home to Daddy. Following God was good for Mommy and the person Mommy helped.

This living sacrifice thing might not be as bad as it sounds. On Sunday, I wanted to go with Mommy into the church but when I saw her turn on the generator and air conditioner, I knew I was staying in Hallelujah. Maybe waiting patiently was me presenting my body as a living sacrifice. When I do the right thing, I feel better even if it isn’t want I want to do at the time. I’d probably still try to wiggle off the altar if I saw knives, ropes, and matches but maybe one day, I’ll understand that even that would be worth it if it was what God required of me.

Donate to Keep Us on the Road

And We - And I Do Mean WE - Are Off

By Belle the Missionary Dog
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Cor 1:9NIV

We’re on the road. I’m happy riding next to Mommy in the front of Hallelujah. Mommy and I love Jesus and I get to help Mommy tell people about Jesus. Mommy thought I might not get to go on this trip but I wasn’t worried. I’m Belle the Missionary Dog. Helping Mommy is my job. I knew I was going. After all, Mommy always says that God is faithful and that when He calls us to do a job He will make a way.

Everything was fine until Saturday morning when Mommy and I went outside to clean Hallelujah. Mommy cranked the engine, pushed the button to turn the generator on and nothing happened. She pushed it again…and again…and again. Mommy always says that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Why did she keep pushing that button?

When she told Daddy about the problem, he asked, “Did you try cranking the engine first?” I wish you could have seen Mommy’s look. Even I knew to crank the engine when the generator had been sitting for a while.

“I’m just making sure,” Daddy muttered. “What happens when you push the button?”

“Nothing,” Mommy said.

“What do you mean nothing?” Daddy asked.

“I mean nothing,” Mommy said. Now they were making me insane.

“The engine doesn’t turn over?”

“Bob,” Mommy said. “Nothing happens!” Mommy always says Daddy doesn’t like surprises. Couldn’t she tell he was just surprised?

Daddy went outside and pushed the button. “It didn’t crank,” he announced. Mommy got that look again.

Next, he climbed under Halleluiah. “It’s not cranking from the button on the generator either,” he reported.

That was when Mommy said the horrible words, “If I don’t have a generator, Belle can’t go.”

“Why?” Daddy said and I thought in unison.

“If I have to go inside somewhere, I can’t leave her in the camper without air conditioning,” Mommy explained. Mommy always says you are supposed to speak in faith. Why was she even saying I might not get to go?

In our house, when God tells us to do something, we do it. Mommy always says if we know what God wants us to do and have a problem, we pray, ask people for help, continue doing the work in front of us, and wait on God to do the rest. For the next three days, Mommy and Daddy worked hard. They asked for prayer, continued getting ready for the trip, and looked for someone to fix the generator. God is faithful and it looked like they were doing the footwork so I waited.

On Monday, Mommy and Daddy put Hal in the generator hospital. Mommy and her friend, Cathy Tubbs went evangelizing and led two people to Jesus. Mommy always says that when you are worried about something, to sow seeds of faith. It seemed like she was doing that so I kept waiting on the Lord.

We were supposed to leave on Tuesday and on Tuesday morning, Hal still wasn’t ready. Mommy always says God is never late but He is seldom early. We didn’t have to be in North Carolina until Thursday night so it didn’t look to me like God was late yet. I wasn’t worried.

Finally, Tuesday afternoon, they got the generator working. Yes, I was happy but I knew it all along. It cost $600 but Mommy always says God funds what he calls us to do so I knew God was going to send the money to pay for that generator repair.

Mommy and Daddy got Hallelujah packed. They even remembered my treats. We left on Wednesday and drove all day. Tomorrow is Thursday and we are only 3 hours from where we have to be tomorrow night. Mommy always says that if you ask God for knowledge of his will and the power to carry it out, He will answer your prayer. It looks to me like God did just that. Would someone please tell my Mommy and Daddy to listen to what Mommy always says? If they did, I think they would get more sleep.

Join Our Team By Donating

I Get It - They Are Red Rocks

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


Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Luke 8:6 NIV

I get it – they are red rocks. People like to look at them. I understand that they are pretty. I just don’t think they are very useful. Where is the grass? In fact, where is the dirt? My Mommy and I have been in Sedona, Arizona for a week. After we look at all of those rocks, what are we supposed to do with them?

First, where am I supposed potty? For my entire life, Mommy has taught me to potty on something soft – grass, dirt, and even snow. Now, I’m supposed to use rocks? I registered a similar complaint when we stayed in downtown Philadelphia and I was supposed to use concrete. I want to go on record stating the rocks are even worse than concrete.

Rocks are sharp. They hurt my feet. Mommy wears shoes so maybe she doesn’t know how they hurt my feet.

Rocks are uneven. How am I supposed to walk on them? Mommy wears shoes and even she has trouble walking on them. There are many places to hike in America. Why are we hiking here?

Rocks are hot. In fact, Arizona is hot. I used to live here and I remember how hot Arizona is. It is 100 degrees here. Doesn’t Mommy realize how hot those rocks are? Again – she is wearing shoes.

Finally, how does anyone grow food here? There is no dirt. I take that back. There is a tiny patch of dirt here – poured over the rocks. Mommy won’t let me use that to potty because that tiny patch of imported dirt is the poor hotel owner’s attempt to grow something. It does not look like it is working to me.

I don’t think rocks are useful, even if they are red, but I guess I should stop whining about them. People in Sedona need to hear about Jesus even if they don’t want to. I’ve noticed that many people here are not as interested in Jesus as people are in other places. Maybe their hearts are like the rocks here. Knowing Jesus will make their hearts soft so I guess telling people about Jesus is useful, even in the middle of hot, sharp, uneven, hard red rocks.


Why Quarters?
Photo Gallery
Join our Prayer Team
Donating
MAP

Dogs Are Too Smart to Say No to Jesus

By Belle the Missionary Dog
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. KJV Rom 6:23

“I’m sure my dog is going to hell,” a man told my Mommy. She’d just told him about me, my writing, and how I help her in ministry. Then, Mommy asked if this man knew where he was going in the next life.

“I’m not sure,” he said, with a glint in his eye. “But I’m sure my dog is going to hell.”

“Maybe Belle needs to tell your dog about Jesus,” Mommy joked.

The man launched into a rant about everything his dog does wrong. That poor man! His dog wakes them up in the middle of the night to go outside. He chews things up, barks too much, and runs out the door when it is opened. Even I wouldn’t want to live with that dog.

That dog obviously hasn’t been taught to mind his mommy and daddy. I’ll be happy to talk to his dog about Jesus if they want me to but it isn’t bad things that send people to hell. Everyone does bad things. God wants to give everyone eternal life with Jesus. Saying no to Jesus sends people to hell.

I’ve met a lot of dogs who didn’t mind their mommy and daddy, but the dogs I’ve met are smart enough to know a good thing when they see it. Jesus is good! In fact, He is the best! Humans sometimes say no to Jesus but I think dogs are way too smart to do that.

Join our Prayer Team and maybe you can pray for this man and his dog.

Photo Gallery

Donate Here

MAP

Mommy Broke Hallelujan

By Belle the Missionary Dog
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

Broken Door Panal

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
KJV Rom 8:28

Mommy hit a curb. Daddy said it was an optical illusion. I don’t know what that is, but I was in the front seat with Mommy when she hit the curb. I think what she drove over used to be a driveway. There were big trucks parked right behind that Taco Bell we tried to turn around in. I think Taco Bell got tired of trucks pulling into their parking lot so they built their side up to be a curb.
It was a big curb and when we hit bottom it went BANG.  Then, as Mommy kept rolling over it, it screeched. At first, Mommy was calmer than me. The noise hurt my ears so I started barking.

“Shhh. It’s OK, Belle. We’re OK,” she soothed. “Calm down.” Mommy pulled over and opened the door.

I heard another crunch. A big piece of metal was sticking up from the running board and blocked the door. Mommy tried to bend it back but it didn’t work.

Then, she did something silly. She got out and left me inside. I didn’t like that so I started barking again. Mommy needed me but she ignored me. Sometimes, my mommy is hard to help.

It was bad. The hose we use for dumping nasty water was hanging behind Hallelujah like a tail. When Mommy put it back, she got yucky water all over her hands. The door panel and back bumper were hanging off. The running board was cracked. There were scratches under both sides. Mommy propped everything back on and drove slowly back to the campground we had just passed. She took a deep breath and called Daddy.

Poor Daddy. He gets upset just like me – only instead of barking, he asks Mommy questions faster then she can answer. I think Daddy calms himself down by trying to understand things. Mommy doesn’t always know the names of things on Hallelujah so she had trouble helping Daddy understand. Daddy was on an airplane and they made him turn his cell phone off before he could help us. I know my daddy so I know that was the longest plane ride of his life.

Mommy and Daddy talked later that night and sounded so sad. Mommy doesn’t like to make mistakes. When she makes mistakes, she gets discouraged. When she gets discouraged, she wants to give up and go home.

Daddy doesn’t like it when he can’t fix things for us. When we get in trouble far away, he gets scared.
Mommy and Daddy love God a lot and do their best to do what He says. I think sometimes they forget that God will use everything for good. Maybe they think they are supposed to be perfect and handle everything themselves. They may be smart but they are not as smart as God. He knows what He is doing. They are really good at fixing things but not as good as God. Mommy and Daddy only see what is right in front of them but God sees forever. Would someone tell my Mommy and Daddy that God knows what He is doing and will use all of this for good? Also, please join our prayer team and pray for Mommy and Daddy. I think they need it. Join our Prayer Team

Donating