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Senior Times - February 2026 Page 15We can create traditional arrangements, trendyarrangements or something special.84 West Goguac St., Battle Creekwildnbloomingbouquets.com %u2022 wildnbb@gmail.com269-963-5571Happy Valentines!STOP IN... we have many colorful arrangements to choose from.Gifts, gift baskets, and keepsakes are always available.50 Sanderson LaneColdwater, MI 49036517.279.9587Maple-Lawn.orgAward-Winning | 5-Star RatedEstate Planning & Elder Law 269.963.8222130 East Columbia AvenueBattle Creek, MI 49015www.staceylottlaw.comStacey LottAttorney at Law FAFSA is the first step to fundingfor college, training, and trades.Education for Everyone!Scholarship applications due March 1st!Rev. Dr. James Gysel, Special to Senior TimesMATTERS FaithA PENNY SAVEDSo I was at Meijer returning an item a couple months ago and noticed someone in line ahead of me with $40 ready to spend on Michigan Lottery tickets. They bought the instant tickets and the ones you scratch off to become an %u201cinstant winner,%u201d and I%u2019m thinking, %u201cWow they%u2019re spending more on gambling in one moment than the value of the item I%u2019m returning!%u201d Have you ever bought a Michigan lotto ticket? Or hope to win big by gambling at the casino? Millions of people nationwide are hoping to win the Mega Millions or the Powerball each week, with the latest Powerball winner cashing in on over one billion dollars. I have bought maybe two or three on a whim in my lifetime. But I never won.I was reading online in the New York Daily News that,%u201c70 percent of lottery winners end up broke within seven years. Even worse, several winners have died horribly or witnessed those close to them suffer.%u201d In my mind it seems that you might be taking a huge risk by winning. Not only financial ruin, but ruin of relationships, health, and faith. An example is Jack Whittaker of West Virginia. He was already worth around $17 million when he won a $314.9 million multistate Powerball jackpot in 2002. After his winnings, Whittaker had hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash stolen from his cars, home, and office. He pleaded no contest to assaulting and threatening to kill a bar manager. He was arrested twice on drunken-driving charges and was accused of groping women at a racetrack. But that wasn%u2019t the worst of it. In 2004, his 17-year-old grand daughter, Brandi Bragg, was found wrapped in a tarp under a junked van outside her boyfriend's house. State police said her body had been there for weeks but would not comment on a report that she died of a drug overdose. His daughter later died of unknown causes. Both Whittaker and his wife said, %u201cThey wished he had torn the ticket up.%u201d (New York Daily News article 1-12-16)It%u2019s a heartbreaking story that didn%u2019t really need to happen. They have suffered under the allusion that having more money will solve all of their problems or at least make things a little better. I firmly believe that notion is a lie that Satan is putting into the hearts of people in big and subtle ways. The Bible is true %u2013 %u201cMoney that comes easily disappears quickly, but money that is gathered little by little will grow.%u201d Proverbs 13:11 NCVMaybe Mom%u2019s advice to me was the best%u2026 and it comes right out of the Bible%u2026 %u201cA penny saved is a penny earned,%u201d especially now that the penny might be worth even more now that they are no longer being minted!Jesus definitely had something to say about money and possessions %u2013 %u201cIf you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?%u201d Mark 8:35-37With faith, you%u2019re already worth more than money can buy, because your treasure is in the Lord of Life and heaven itself. And by faith you are safe and secure for eternity. My prayer is that this is true for you. Words for you to consider as you%u2019re doing financial and faith planning for 2026.~ Faithfully yours, Jim GyselCould Pet Therapy Be for You? By: Sherii Sherban, PublisherPet therapy can be beneficial for aging adults that are working to recover from or cope with a health concern or disorder. It shouldn%u2019t surprise you that people may have less anxiety if a pet is present during a medical procedure. In rehabilitation, people may be more motivated to recover and practice their therapy when working with a pet. People who have sensory disabilities can sometimes communicate more easily with an animal. This encourages more interaction with health care providers and other people.The goals of a pet therapy program might include:%u2022 Improving motor skills and joint movement%u2022 Improving assisted or independent movement%u2022 Increasing self-esteem%u2022 Increasing verbal communication%u2022 Developing social skills%u2022 Increasing willingness to join in activities%u2022 Improving interactions with others%u2022 Motivating willingness to exerciseAdded benefits of pet therapy include making you happier, lessening depression, and improving your outlook on life; decreasing loneliness and isolation by giving you a companion; reducing boredom; reducing anxiety because of its calming effects; and improving the relationship between you and your providers.