My Dear Brothers and Sisters of the FML (fuzzy DADS and MOMS)
Dooks to one and all.

I have not been able to read all of the posts because of ill health,
which I hope next month will all be taken care of, or at least the
cause of the difficulties will be close to being solved.

I have read, recently, about some FMLers asking for help or advice. And
instead of helping, some choose to criticize and is thereby interpreted
as flaming, and this hurts the individual who is crying out for help.

Many years ago, I wrote an article about losing 6 female breeding
ferrets and one week later 1 hob, and these 7 were used to test out
Purina Mills Lab Formula for Ferrets. And someone just blistered me as
all balogna and unscientific and that I should not have blamed Purina
Mills. I then came back to that individual, through another FML
posting, stating all of the facts, that the water was all from the same
source, that all ferrets were in same type of cages for night time, all
ferrets were in the same room, that all ferrets received identical food
amount, as well as equal heat/cooling, and then I ended with a
statement that I was present at the autopsies at the Veterinarian's
office, and that each ferret's internal organs had burst, indicating
the presence of heavy metal in the feed. Then I asked the individual
what to their great scientific mind would they conclude was the cause
of the deaths of all 7 ferrets that were fed the Purina Lab Food for
ferrets. That person did not come back on again, that I ever saw.

The point is, what I sent was as a warning to all ferret owners/lovers
about the possibility of heavy metals in the food for these 7 ferrets.
The person who thought they were so smart, was shown that they do not
know everything. And I admit that I do not know everything.

But, I do know this: As Jesus said: LET HIM WHO IS WITHOUT SIN CAST THE
FIRST STONE!

None of us, Ferret Owners/Ferret Lovers/Animal Lovers/Veterinarians/
Medical Doctors/Teachers/Lawyers/Clergy, know everything. We are all
subject to error, and when we call for help, help should be given, that
may correct an error, but it can be done in ways that show respect for
others, especially those who are emotionally tied up in knots with
guilt feelings about did I do the right thing? To everyone that has
been Flamed or feel put down by others on the FML, I ask that you
forgive those who jump in without thinking about what you are going
through, for you love your ferrets just as much as all the rest on this
web-site. I know that not everyone that flames someone is trying to
look superior to all others, sometimes the wrong words are used and
then the meaning of the words are interpreted in another way than that
in which it was intended.

Brothers and Sisters, in my own peoples cultural sayings: Do not be
hasty to judge someone's actions until you have walked many suns in
their moccacins. Even though situations may be similar, there are still
variables that can, and do, make a difference in the reaction to the
situation. When I had a broken lower back, I had one doctor look at the
x-rays and state that there was nothing he could do to help me, and
that I should not be experiencing the pain that I was having. I asked
him if he had ever had his back broken. He said no. I then replied,
Then you do not know what you are talking about. His experiences were
not the same as mine, and therefore he could not relate to what I was
going through (3 years in a wheelchair unable to walk/with extreme
pain). Please, be more thoughtful in your responses, so that you are
able to make possible recommendations for a possible solution to the
problem.

I also noticed that someone has different sayings in regard to the
environment, and if you would like to add another, here it is. Chief
Seatle (white-eyes called him Seattle) wrote in the 1860's to President
Abraham Lincoln. After explaining to the President that we do not own
the land, we are but caretakers of that which the Great Spirit had
given us, he said the following: Mr. President, your God and my God
are the same God. And, Mr. President, unless the White Man changes
his ways, he will bury himself in his own garbage. Not too bad for a
"savage" of 140 to 150 years ago, is it!

To all of my Ferret Mommy's and Daddies who have recently lost the
physical presence of your beloved fur-kids, my tears are mixed with
yours. But I am also rejoicing, for I know that the fur-kids are with
the Creator, for as it is written in Psalms 50: 7 - 15 HEAR, O MY
PEOPLE, AND I WILL SPEAK. O ISRAEL, I WILL TESTIFY AGAINST YOU. I AM
GOD, YOUR GOD. NOT FOR YOUR SACRIFICES DO I REBUKE YOU; YOUR BURNT
OFFERINGS ARE CONTINUALLY BEFORE ME. I WILL NOT ACCEPT A BULL FROM YOUR
HOUSE, OR GOATS FROM YOUR FOLDS. FOR EVERY WILD ANIMAL OF THE FOREST IS
MINE, THE CATTLE ON A THOUSAND HILLS. I KNOW ALL THE BIRDS OF THE AIR
AND ALL THAT MOVES IN THE FIELD IS MINE. IF I WERE HUNGRY, I WOULD NOT
TELL YOU, FOR THE WORLD AND ALL THAT IS IN IT IS MINE. DO I EAT THE
FLESH OF BULLS OR DRINK THE BLOOD OF GOATS? OFFER TO GOD A SACRIFICE OF
THANKSGIVING, AND PAY YOUR VOWS TO THE MOST HIGH. CALL ON ME IN THE DAY
OF TROUBLE; I WILL DELIVER YOU, AND YOU SHALL GLORIFY ME.

Yes, God is the Great Spirit, Lord of Lords and King of Kings, God is
the Creator, the Savior, the Comforter. But most of all: GOD IS LOVE,
and those of us that Love the creatures of this world and that includes
other human beings, then we are doing Gods work on earth, and God Loves
all of us, including the FERRETS. We all Belong to God! In closing,
please be gentle with one another, please be forgiving when someone
makes a mistake. For none of us are perfect, only human beings trying
to do the best we can, loving creatures that are full of life and joy.
Forgive one another, Love one another, Help one another. AMEN.

Rev. Dr. Ronald L. Sims & Family: 2 hooman beans owned and controlled
by 2 canines, 2 felines, and too many fur-kids of all kinds who are
waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge.

[Posted in FML 5996]