09/10/2026
Did you know that there is a new Toy Story movie out this year? Since I am quite a bit removed from children’s movies these days (my dogs prefer Hudson & Rex type shows – I think Teo is in love with Rex) I didn’t realize the Toy Story franchise was still producing new movies. I don’t think I have seen the 3rd and 4th ones! But I remember the first one very well! The song made popular by Toy Story, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” was the song that I used in my dance routine with my sweet Biba in 2018. It still brings tears to my eyes remembering the loyalty and love that I always saw in Biba’s eyes and the look of joy all over her furry little body when we did our routine together! She loved it! And so did I!
When Jubilee brought her two new additions into our kennels 2 weeks ago(surprise!!!!), I needed to find the perfect duo after which to name Jubilee’s pups! Before I knew that she had a boy and a girl, I considered mostly male duos. There are not many brother-sister names….I already had a Hansel and Gretel back in 2018! Woody and Buzz Lightyear came to mind because my 2 year old grandson has the giant Woody and Buzz dolls that actually talk to one another! But then, when the little girl puppy popped out, Buzz was out and Jessie was in! I love it! There are so many great moral stories in the Toy Story movies and Woody and Jessie’s friendship is definitely worth sharing with your kids….and adult friends!!
We bred 3 dogs back in July….Marigold, Jubilee and Hosanna. Marigold was a definite….we secured professional help!!! Jubilee and Hosanna were questionable. They have reached their retirement age and this would be their last breeding. I really didn’t think Jubilee was pregnant because I didn’t see any of the normal changes that we see in her early on. But as the weeks passed, I did start to notice that even though I could not see any increase in the size of her belly, she sure did think that she was pregnant!! She convinced me of this fact when she kept going missing under the giant root balls unearthed during the tornado we had last year! And Jubilee’s eyes are quite capable of communicating deeply into your soul….she made it very clear to me that she knew I had not prepared a place for her to whelp her pups and she was not happy about it. I got to work immediately and moved Marigold out to make room for Jubilee!! At 6 am on what I had thought would be her due date, she got up, went to my office and crawled under my desk…..not her normal spot. I thought it was odd. Then she got up, her water broke and she went to the whelping box….4 hours later, we welcomed Woody and Jessie into our kennels! No messing around! Woody did hold up the works for a while, but once he came out, Jessie was right behind him. There is a significant size difference between the two of the pups. Jessie is at least two thirds of Woody’s size!
I love the themes covered in the Toy Story movies!! Woody and Jessie offer some great insights about selfless love, healing from past pain, and the meaning of loyalty. I read once that the Toy Story movies are lessons on letting go for parents…..I can see that. I was once the most important person in the world to my kids….I had to let that idea go. My Navy SEAL son has a whole team of men that he would die for! But I have loved watching my daughter become a beautiful mother…now her kids are the most important people in her life!!! And like me, Woody learns to share his special place in Andy’s heart with new toy additions in their house. He sees that love grows when it is shared with others like Buzz Lightyear. Love is meant to be shared, and love involves sacrifices. The Bible says that God IS love, and he demonstrated that love by sacrificing His only Son, Jesus, in death, so that we, God’s people, could have life. When Jessie came on the scene, her hurt caused her to harbor fear and bitterness. Woody patiently demonstrates love by helping Jessie find hope and see that she has worth and can face the scary world. Woody’s loyalty and self-sacrifice demonstrate the love and worth that he has learned from his own experiences.
It is great that there are still some movies that do demonstrate the character traits of Jesus. We are all made in the image of God. We are not innately good, but because of God, he can make us good through the righteousness of Christ. And our worth is made evident by the price that God paid for our salvation. The toys in Toy Story are motivated by a fear of not being loved, not having value. God has solved that problem for each of us in Christ. A passage in Romans has a very detailed description of the worth that God places on us and the depth of His love for us….it is long, but worth typing here…..Romans 8:28-39
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I pray that these words encourage you today and maybe when we post photos of Woody and Jessie you will be reminded of how loved and valuable you are to God!!
