Welcome back to Faith & Joy, a weekly newsletter that makes you smile no matter how hard you try not to!

Hey everyone,

Did you know that you may have a fair shot at seeing the auroras brighten up the night sky in your state this week? According to some forecasts, the aurora borealis (a.k.a. the Northern Lights) could be visible in as many as 17 states this Thursday!

In other absolutely incredible news, this train in Japan has kissed fossil fuels goodbye and now runs exclusively on… ramen broth? Yep! Fuel has officially taken a turn for the weird, but it seems to be working.

Top that tidbit off with the fact that Houston, TX is covering a 6-lane highway with a massive land bridge, and I’d say it’s been a pretty great month so far for the weird and wonderful, and the weirdly wonderful!

As we all know, though, life isn’t all about marking the goalposts. It’s also about enjoying the journey to get there, and that’s exactly what this edition’s featured stories are all about. Enjoy! ❤️

_{If it's your first time reading or a friend sent this to you, you can subscribe here.}

Today's Enjoyment:

• Quote: How destiny is measured…

• Video Reel: This dog is “joy” personified!

• Trending Loveable Stories:

  • Homeless Woman Makes "Junk" Camper Home

  • "Rockstar" Pup Journeys 3,000 km Home

• Bonus Fun - Find The Kitten!

Quote of the Day 💭

Reel of the Day 📽️

“You can’t buy happiness, but you can adopt it.” 🐶🥰

Trending Stories 📰

SMILES

Homeless Woman Makes "Junk" Camper Home

Ever hear about the concept of "homesteading"?

With the cost of living skyrocketing, more folks are embracing this self-sufficient lifestyle. Among them is Mama V, a city-dweller turned homesteader.

Mama V swapped her urban existence for a quaint mini school bus nestled in the woods, where she started building a cabin. But with multiple cats and two dogs, space was tight. She needed a solution.

Then, a neighbor came along with a generous offer- an old camping trailer that had been collecting dust in his yard. Rather than sell or scrap it, he gifted it to Mama V.

She was thrilled!

She quickly sold her bus, eager to move into the trailer. But it had been idle for so long that it needed a lot of TLC. Despite being structurally sound with no leaks, a thorough cleansing was required.

Cue Mama V's friends, Jayme and Kevin, to the rescue.

Their mission? To transport the trailer to its new location and spruce it up.

Kevin managed the relocation with minimal guidance, while Jayme dove headfirst into the cleaning process, vacuuming up a staggering number of deceased wasps. Meanwhile, Mama V and Kevin stocked up on groceries and supplies. The trailer, luckily, had a fully functional fridge, oven, stove combo, and even a microwave.

Once Jayme and Kevin bid Mama V farewell, she began exploring her new abode.

It boasted two full propane tanks and a panel to monitor usage of all resources, right down to a handy thermometer. She proudly showed off her pullout couch, a complete kitchen, twin beds, a bathroom with a full tub and shower, and abundant storage space.

This may not be her dream home, but Mama V and her pets are content.

They finally have a spacious, cozy place to call their own.

(Click here to watch the full story)

(Join the Facebook discussion here)

ANIMALS

"Rockstar" Pup Journeys 3,000 km Home

Say hello to Elvis.

Once a homeless dog wandering the remote edges of Halls Creek, a town nestled against the vast Great Sandy Desert, this little stud now has a name and a family- in Perth, Australia.

The catch? A staggering 3,000 km journey lay between him and his new family. That’s over 1,860 miles!

"I was working on a Saturday and Elvis just rocked up to my office," Halls Creek social worker Rachel Dancey said. "He was really friendly but looked like he hadn't had a feed in a while."

Once local rangers confirmed Elvis was unclaimed, Rachel gave him a home and a fitting name.

"He was so well-behaved, he's like a little legend, hence the name Elvis because he's a bit of a rockstar," she said.

Despite his undeniable charm, finding a local home for Elvis proved challenging. However, a family in Perth was eager to welcome him.

"We just couldn't afford the cost of transporting him all that way," Rachel admitted.

Upon hearing Elvis's story, the Kimberley Vet Centre stepped in, launching a Facebook campaign. Tayla Portas, an employee at the Vet Centre, was astounded by the outpouring of offers to help.

The breakthrough came when Ryan, a WA Police pilot, stumbled upon Elvis's post during his downtime.

“I realized that we had one of our airplanes up there anyway, so I liaised with that pilot to see if he had some room and he could bring him down," he said.

"We spoke to our commanders to get approvals and then we picked him up."

Elvis was a champ throughout the journey and even got props from the pilots.

He was made snug in the police plane before flying from Kununurra to Halls Creek, then to Karratha. There, he spent a few days charming one of the pilots' families.

"I think the [pilot's] whole family fell in love with him," Ryan reminisced.

Another pilot flew him down to Perth - his forever home. According to all the pilots, Elvis was a dream passenger.

"He was the perfect passenger. We transport our police canines around the state quite often, however, they're not as calm in demeanor as Elvis was,” Ryan noted.

After enduring weeks of travel without a peep, Elvis finally arrived at his new home.

(Click here to learn more about Elvis’s incredible story)

Bonus Fun!!!

Can you spot the kitty?

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