Good Samaritans, Guide Dogs, and God’s Good Gifts

When Sheila Roberson came to Tim’s Gift to share about a man in our hometown who has a guide dog, passion and purpose fueled her admiration for Guiding Eyes ( where guide dogs are trained) in Yorktown, N.Y.! Sheila’s enthusiastic spirit and deep yearning to share about the local guide dog and Guiding Eyes was proof that Sheila, a Good Samaritan, asked to write a story that would help people understand how guide dogs impact the lives of those without vision. May her story escalate gratitude and bring awareness to Guiding Eyes and God’s gift of eyesight.

“Do you value the God given ability that allows you to see and offer gratitude daily for your eyesight? Think about the beautiful colors, natural beauty, families, friends, animals, trips we take and memories we make that our eyesight allows us to see.

Our eyesight gives unlimited opportunities in life including mobility to live, work and perform daily chores and moment to moment living functions. What about driving? We take for granted the gift of driving to the grocery store, beach, restaurants, drugstores, doctors’ offices, work, and wherever we choose to go daily. What if you lost your eyesight and could no longer drive? What if you lived alone and could not do daily duties? What if you depended on a white cane to navigate? Can you imagine crossing a busy intersection or going to the store for essentials with the assistance of a guide dog who could help you accomplish this and navigate any situation that would allow you to maintain your living independence?

Well, thanks to well trained guide dogs, this is what allows many people who are visually impaired or blind to live essentially normal lives. These exceptionally trained guide dogs are a blessing to the people who need them. Guide dogs are specifically trained to be the ‘eyes’ for visually impaired people. Training and raising these helpful dogs can cost $50,000 and are provided free of charge to the person receiving a guide dog.

Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown Heights, NY has one of their guide dogs living here in Clinton, NC assisting one of our neighbors. Isn’t that awesome?

If you would like to help continue to provide sight assistance for others, you can donate to help raise and train guide dogs at Guiding Eyes.org #ClintonCares or #SampsonCares or can mail donations to Guiding Eyes, 611 Granite Springs Road – Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 # Clinton Cares or #Sampson Cares.

Please use these hashtags when you donate. All donations are tax deductible. I visited Guiding Eyes in Yorktown Heights in August and assure you any donation you make is working to raise and train these much needed dogs to assist the sight impaired. Any amount donated is greatly appreciated. May God bless you for taking time to read this story and ponder making a donation to help people in need of a guide dog. Thank you very much, Sheila Roberson.”

While typing Sheila’s story, my heart swirled with emotions of gratitude, love, respect, humility, honor for God and Good Samaritans who see a need and take action to ‘just do it’! How sad it must make our good, good Father, when we take for granted the many gifts He gives that blesses us beyond measure’!

With hands resting on my keyboard, eyes closed, and Him dealing within me…songs surge like the rising tide at sea. Feeling so close to Christ, tunes burst forth with gratitude to God for gifts He gives over and over again and again that are easily taken for granted as we keep depending on Him! Softly singing as the clock strikes 12 AM, lyrics from ‘The Midnight Cry’ sound an alarm … “Be aware – I am coming soon”! Psalm 48:14 pounds with promise, “For this is our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever!”

Singing softly “Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you. I am high and lifted up, shining in the light of Your glory”, joy fills my heart. Then, lyrics from an old hymn sent me back to childhood singing beside my mother on the pew where our family gathered every Sunday morning, “Walking in sunlight all of my journey … Pressing my way to mansions above; Singing

His praises, gladly I’m walking, Walking in sunlight, sunlight of love”! Wide awake as the clock strikes 1 AM, Heavenly Spirit, Gentle Spirit stirs my heart to tears, “Heavenly Spirit, gentle Spirit, O descend on us, we pray; Come console us, and control us, Christ, most fair, to us portray. Pilgrims, strangers, ‘mid life dangers, We on Thee would e’re depend; Spirit tender, our defender, Guide us, keep us to the end.”

These songs and Sheila’s story ( which I began typing late night August 31st and am finishing early morning September 1st 2022) have truly tendered my heart as I pray they have done for you. Let us strive to be Good Samaritans, walk in faith wherever we go, and to God be true!

And if you see a gentleman walking on the streets of Clinton with his guide dog … stop to thank God for your eyesight and for Guiding Eyes too… for providing the guide dog to help our neighbor be able to go and do! Dear Heavenly Father, we give all glory and honor to YOU!