Product Description

JAVA: The True Story of a Shelter Dog Who Rescued a Woman takes you on a journey through your mind, heart and spirit, and shows you how to keep your balance in a life that sometimes spins you off center.

Stacy and Java weave a beautiful web of love in this story of trials, tribulations and triumphs, and show you the beauty that transpires from the human/animal bond. For anyone who’s ever had a challenge themselves, or worked with a challenging animal (or human), this book is a gift.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33789 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-10
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
"Honest and intimate, JAVA: The True Story is a testament to the gifts people and dogs can give." -- Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.; Author, The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

"Honest and intimate, JAVA: The True Story is a testament to the gifts people and dogs can give." -- Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.; Author, The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

"Stacy Lewis’ engaging tale with canine teacher, Java, pull us straight into the heart of the human psyche." -- Penelope Smith; Founding Animal Communicator; Author,Animal Talk and When Animals Speak

"Stacy's engaging tale of her challenging canine teacher pull us into the heart and corners of the human psyche." -- Penelope Smith; Founding Animal Communicator and Author of Animal Talk and When Animals Speak

"This story is living proof that animals are brilliant teachers imparting precious life lessons." -- Linda Tellington-Jones; Founder, Tellington TTouch®

"This story is living proof that animals are brilliant teachers imparting precious life lessons." -- Linda Tellington-Jones; Founder; Tellington TTouch®

“Honest and intimate, JAVA: The True Story is a testament to the gifts people and dogs can give.” --Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.; Author, The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

“Stacy's engaging tale of her challenging canine teacher pull us into the heart and corners of the human psyche.” --Penelope Smith; Founding Animal Communicator and Author of Animal Talk and When Animals Speak

“This story is living proof that animals are brilliant teachers imparting precious life lessons.” --Linda Tellington-Jones; Founder; Tellington TTouch®

From the Author
Sometimes I still get frustrated having a challenging dog, but those moments are becoming further and further apart as we both get grayer and wiser. On most days, I’m eternally grateful for all Java’s taught me. She’s helped me become a better woman, and I don’t think she ever intended such grandiose results. It was by no mistake how our paths crossed on that wintry morning at the shelter. She is an angel in my life. Where our paths lead us next, only the universe knows, but I still have my sparkly, silver magic wand in the back pocket of my old, faded blue jeans—and a poop bag.

From the Inside Flap
I remember it as if it were yesterday. Dressed to look like the sweet, little girl I was, I felt unbelievably proud of being chosen. At age five there was nothing better than kindergarten. There we were, a bunch of giggly, wiggly little children lined up like individual crayons on the floor, lying impatiently on our primary-colored mats. We pretended to take a nap, but in reality, we were just waiting for that special moment. Struggling to settle my body, I heard the clickety-clack of my teacher’s navy blue heels on the linoleum floor, and I giggled in anticipation.

As the clickety-clack came to a halt by my head, a warm hand reached down to touch my arm. Finally, it was my turn! Handing me the magic wand with a silver tinfoil star on top, I was the chosen one. My mission? Wake up the kids one at a time by gently touching them on the shoulder with the wand.

Unfortunately, I was overzealous, even at age five. Walking proudly through the sea of squirmy children! , I began to wake up my classmates with my special, super powers. Then, I lost my balance. My clunky, red, orthopedic shoe found it’s way quickly onto a finger, which was attached to a hand, which was attached to one of my classmates. A high-pitched, girl-squeal filled the air like a siren as I stumbled to catch myself.

It was an accident! It was an accident!

But through the tiny giggles of my classmates the teacher gently asked that I put my wand away and sit down. My sister did the same thing a few years earlier but she whacked all the kids on the head. It must run in the family. Born pigheaded, I never quite gave up the idea that I had special powers. I’ve held that magic wand close to my heart since then, even though I was asked to put it away when I was five.

Not always one to follow the rules or take the same path as everyone else, somehow I always get where I want to be. In one, powerful, nap-waking moment, I realized the power of holding the wand, and that the choices I made in life were mine—and sometimes there are challenges and consequences.

One of those challenges was the Grand Canyon. On the day before my hike into the Big Hole, I met with a psychic in Sedona, Arizona. Victor informed me I would be challenged repeatedly in my lifetime. I felt both invigorated and worried. Having already spent fourteen years in a tumultuous marriage, surviving a serious car accident, and a recent divorce, I faced a hike into the Grand Canyon the next day. What could possibly be more challenging than what I’d already experienced? Feeling angry, scared and excited all at the same time, I tucked his information away for later.

Victor’s words rang clear to me that day, when he told me, "You have an incredible amount to offer to the world, and you will be challenged over and over again." He was right. Challenged I’ve been, and offered I’ve done. It’s my pleasure to share with you the light, dark and everything in between of my journey from then to now.

I never dreamed I’d be where I am today—writing, creating, teaching, working with people and animals, and loving life. There isn’t any reason for why my life has gone the way it has, other than it’s the way it’s supposed to be. Years ago my therapist told me that resiliency holds a special gift for those brave enough to tackle it. I figured resiliency was just a necessary part of life that everyone experienced if they wanted to survive the challenges of living.

Challenges? We all have them. I’ve experienced my share of challenges, as I’m sure you have, too. It is because of the challenges my life presented me that I’m able to share my lessons with you. I look at challenges as opportunities—as beautiful gems that teach us how to grow and change, rather than obstacles that keep us stuck in fear. It doesn’t mean that on some days I haven’t wanted to whip those stupid gems back into the river and scream at my Higher Power for all of the blessed challenges. I’ve done that, too. But the lessons I’ve learned along the way, by choosing to see obstacles as opportunities, have made me who I am—just as your challenges have molded your life and experiences.

Java’s story gently nudged me, and sometimes snarled at me, to write this book and share both of our stories. The dance we’ve shared together for the past five years reflects the dualism in our lives in a way that’s creepy, clumsy, and filled with stunning beauty. She’s my angel, and I know I’m hers—although she may not admit it in public.

It is my sincere wish to you that you learn, enjoy, and live your life the way you truly want to live. With each new day, may you walk your path with awareness and love—knowing you have the power to wave your own sparkly, magic wand.

Blessings, Stacy and Java

Customer Reviews

Inspirational
This is a lovely story, one that inspired me not to give up on my own troubled dog, or myself. Anyone with a "bad" dog will find this book to be full of hope. If you are interested in TTouch, its also a wonderful testimonial of the power of this modality to transform animals, and people, taking them from a place of discomfort, emotionally and physically, to one of health and happiness.

Whenever I am frustrated with my troubled dog, I think of Java and Stacy, and all they accomplished together, and it helps me to find the patience to help my boy work through his fears. Definitely a book for dog lovers!

This book is a treasure
I love this book. I laughed, I cried, I hugged my "troubled dog" while I read this book. I am reading it again. My focus the first time was to gain insight and better understand my troubled dog and how to deal with him, but as I read I began to look at myself as well - my own fears, set-backs, successes, relationships, etc. This book has been a true gift to me. I know I will refer to it many times in order to push forward with the challenge I have with my "shelter" dog and my own life.

Couldn't put it down!
I just started reading JAVA last night, I could not put it down. It's been a long time since a book has been able to make me laugh and cry and totally escape!! I am a dog owner ofcourse so that is the great part, Stacy shares her relationship with her beauty Java and also relates to her own self as a human and how in life we go through many paths and she uses introspect through her relatinoship and experience with Java to depict this very thing! The way the book is written lures you in and makes you think of lots of different things. Even non dog owners I feel would love and learn a lot from this book. I highly recommend it, it's great! WEll done STacy and Java!