Month: July 2024

Panda – Forever Joy!

Panda, a Terrier/Poodle, pure energy, pure joy, pure unconditional love. Panda was with me until I left Arizona. My mom had moved to Denver, Colorado and was residing in a senior retirement apartment community.

Panda and I bonded deeply. I have never been as aware of how profoundly my dogs impacted my life as I am in my soulful remembrance of them through writing.

Panda had amazing exuberance and excitement whenever I came home. In fact, even when I would go out to empty the trash and return. Panda would be so excited she would jump up and down as though to jump into my arms.

She was a gift of life and happiness to all. Panda was a lap dog and we had sacred moments of love and communion time together. Like all dogs, chasing a ball was prime time play and we had our ball games and toy throwing moments. Panda was in my life to give me unconditional love. I was in deep judgment of feeling I was failing in my ministry. Panda was always there to evidence her joy in my being.

I do believe the angel kingdom brings us our pets. They are to serve a soul purpose for us and to teach us that tender care and regard for them and ourselves is what they are in our lives for.

Panda did have a soul playmate – just as Light and Sebastian were soul linked – so were a shiatsu dog named Chink. Chink was another niece’s dog – (I have 4 nieces). Chink was smaller than Panda but the two of them bonded in playful love and would chase each other around the house until they dropped from exhaustion.

Eternal Love

I never realized how deeply Panda loved me until I left my church in Arizona after 11 years of service. I was returning to California to spend what I thought would be a couple of weeks with a beloved soul sister, Dr. Elizabeth Marshall, and her family, till I found a new life and purpose. I had depleted all I had to give in my years of service, being there for my family, the church and congregation demands, and I had nothing left to give.

I left Panda with my sister and her husband. The adopted family I stepped into had a full house and it turned out I became a male nanny for six children. I returned to Arizona not long after I left for a brief visit. Panda went wild and was thrilled to see me. My heart ached in leaving her behind, but again – circumstances were such I could not bring her back with me. As I was about to return to California, she jumped in the back seat of the car and wouldn’t leave. It took four of us to get her out. That was heart-breaking and the regret I feel for leaving her remains.

I knew I would never have another dog where that would be a reality. That held true. I was 42 when I left Arizona and 40 years later, I wound up with joint custody of a dog named Gus.

Gus is the dog that has entered my life to let me know all my dogs have forgiven me and that I will see them again in Eternity.

Our pets cherish us and do have eternal love for giving them care and love. There’s no measure to the immensity of that love as I am so deeply remembering.

Take a deep breath – in remembrance of your pets – they will feel it wherever they are in Eternity.

Monthly Theme and Weekly Speakers.

Every month, we take the Key Principles of MYOB and put them into practice in our lives. Looking at the deeper call before us — What are we each to “Be” to bring about societal change through our soul evolution in ways that establish justice, love, and care for all – without exception. Please join us weekly on Thursdays at 7 p.m. EDT for our virtual program.

AI image generated by Copilot.

Tucsonia – A Royal Soul

Akita Image by maxxxiss from Pixabay

The next two dogs in my life I had to release to new homes because of events and circumstances. I still feel the incredible sadness in my heart for doing that.

Tucsonia came into my life just before I left California to begin my ministry. She was an Akita. “The Akita is a muscular, double-coated dog of ancient Japanese lineage famous for their dignity, courage, and loyalty. In their native land, they’re venerated as family protectors and symbols of good health, happiness, and long life.”

A beloved friend, Evelyn, knew of our collie, Light, disappearing before I was to leave for Tucson and my serving my first church as Minister. She called me to say that there were soon to be new Akita puppies being born and she wanted to gift me one. This was mid-summer, and I was due to leave in the fall for Tucson. After the initial pre-care required, I came to pick up my new companion. Akitas are highly intelligent and are extraordinarily playful. When Tucsonia would stand on her hind legs she looked like a bear cub.

Tucsonia – On Guard!

Tucsonia was sensitive to noise and would bark as a warning immediately at any sound that disturbed her. Early on in my move to Tucson, my mom, Esther, came to live with me. I had gone out one night and when I returned home, I heard Tucsonia barking. I went into the house and Tucsonia was at my mom’s bedroom door, barking and not moving from the door.

My mom had dropped something and that frightened Tucsonia and she would not let her out of the bedroom. It was frightening for my mom, but for Tucsonia she was on guard.

All my family in California moved to Tucson to be with me. My nieces got married there and soon there were great nieces and nephews in the picture.

My eldest niece had a St. Bernard named Sebastian. Tucsonia and Sebastian became best friends. We shared the same home space for a period. There were a couple of times the dogs got out of the yard, and it was a loving soul who found Tucsonia and called us and let us know, but dear Sebastian wound up in the pound and we had to go pick him up from there.

Tucsonia loved to get down on her front paws, rear and tail in the air, and that was her cue – let’s play. When my niece went out to empty trash, Tucsonia would often hide in the bushes and when she would jump out at her and chase her, and this was most assuredly a statement of “Let’s Play.”

Tucsonia always slept beside me and had her own mattress. This was a deep connection.

One thing that was extremely hard on both dogs – the extreme heat in the summertime and the ticks that would appear. Both dogs suffered in those months – even as much as we kept them indoors.

Letting Go

My niece, her husband, and two children decided to go to Colorado. We had to vacate the house we had. Moving to Colorado would offer a new life for them and the climate would be healthier for our dogs, Tucsonia and Sebastian.

My niece’s marriage was failing, and immense responsibilities were on her shoulders. In Colorado she had to find new homes for both Tucsonia and Sebastian. She did meet the new owner of Tucsonia and felt great that he lived in the mountains and took Tucsonia on walks. She did not meet Sebastian’s new owner.

The grief of releasing Tucsonia and Sebastian remains with both my niece and me. Tucsonia’s gift was the depth of her awareness and love and feeling at night, lying beside her, that she had understood me and had come to me from the angels after my dog Light decided to stay in California. See Blog on Light.

Releasing pets when circumstances seem overwhelming is extremely painful. There is one more incredible dog being that came into my life in Tucson – a Terrier/Poodle named Panda. That story to follow.

The journey of self-forgiveness for the life circumstances that I felt required letting go of beloved pets remains. My healing remembrance – I know I have their forgiveness.

Monthly Theme and Weekly Speakers.

Every month, we take the Key Principles of MYOB and put them into practice in our lives. Looking at the deeper call before us — What are we each to “Be” to bring about societal change through our soul evolution in ways that establish justice, love, and care for all – without exception. Please join us weekly on Thursdays at 7 p.m. EDT for our virtual program.

Image by maxxxiss from Pixabay

A Story of “Baby Thing”

starling

From Ernest Holmes – Science of Mind Text – “… there is that Eternal Voice forever whispering within our ear, that thing which causes the eternal quest, that thing which forever sings and sings.”

A couple of facts about starlings: “Starlings are known for their beautiful iridescent feathers, which can appear black, purple, green, or blue, depending on the angle of light.

Starlings are extremely vocal birds, and they have a wide variety of calls and songs. They are also able to mimic the sounds of other birds and even non-bird sounds, such as alarm clocks or car engines!”

That voice within Baby Thing touched my heart forever – reminding me we are all here to triumph and to sing our song that lifts the heart of all – without exception.

A Rescue

In my late twenties, my partner, David, and I rescued a starling that had fallen out of a tree. We nursed this precious being … that I named “Baby Thing” back to health and Baby Thing lived in our home. Baby Thing learned to speak and would often be saying words, not always discernable, but very engaging. Baby Thing loved Mario Lanza singing songs of Caruso, and when I would play Mario, he would sing his heart out and hit the high notes. It was Baby Thing’s way of making a JOYFUL noise unto the Lord.

Check Mario out with this YouTube audio – “Without A Song.”

I would share in the JOY of Baby Thing flying out of his cage and onto my shoulder when I came home. What an immense sense of LOVE that was.

On warm days, we often kept Baby Thing on a porch, with the cage closed. One day we came home to discover a cat had knocked over the cage and attacked Baby Thing. Baby Thing was still alive, and we immediately went to work with prayer and the most tender care. And yes … Baby Thing lived through that horror … never looking quite the same … yet still hitting those high notes with Mario Lanza.

The miracle of Baby Thing was the JOY he felt singing his song and expressing love, no matter what he had experienced.

Baby Thing reminds me that we all are to find our Voice and Song. That song is meant to be healing and honoring for all for the right to be. In this world now where we have the opportunity of such enlightenment, we are still in centuries old warring, hatreds, and the denial of freedom for all without exception to realize their inner song as Baby Thing so magnificently expressed. May we be in prayer for our planet to awaken to what we are here for – the quest that our songs of authenticity and love can be known for all. Thank you, Baby Thing, for your forever heart-print upon my soul.

A starling carried a universal message for all humanity – Let nothing prevent you from singing your song, from claiming what is yours to BE. Have the courage to rise from adversity and as your earth journey is complete, you will soar into Eternity.

Monthly Theme and Weekly Speakers.

Every month, we take the Key Principles of MYOB and put them into practice in our lives. Looking at the deeper call before us — What are we each to “Be” to bring about societal change through our soul evolution in ways that establish justice, love, and care for all – without exception. Please join us weekly on Thursdays at 7 p.m. EDT for our virtual program.

Two Mallard Ducks and a Story of Camelot

Mallard Ducks

In my years living with David, he knew how attracted I was to the duck kingdom. We got 2 magnificent mallard ducks, and I named them Lancelot and Guinevere.

We had a side yard and we created what we called their “Camelot.” We had a bathtub for their swimming and water and a slide that led up to the tub. They could waddle up the slide and jump in and they could just jump out of the tub or slide back down.

There was an indoor duck house – painted pink and grey. I adored Lancelot and Guinevere, and we would have sacred times together. Our cottage home was a delight and there was a front porch. We had a front garden and you had to step down steps into the front yard from the street.

When I would come home from work, Lance and Gwen would come running from the side yard, quacking excitedly and wait for me to sit down on the front porch and they would slide in next to me for bonding time. How can one ever forget such love and devotion? I would pet them, and both would look up at me with love in their eyes – YES – for real. We would also have play time together around the bathtub pool and of course feeding time was pure joy.

Just knowing their soul bonding with me and our play and communion times was a gift of love beyond defining.

Our moments together gave me deep insight into the love they exuded and how profoundly they loved each other. The vision of my daily homecoming and greeting by Lancelot and Guinevere is always in my heart.

There was a morning, however, that David asked me not to go outside… A racoon had gotten into the yard and Lance and Gwen were no longer in this realm.

Whenever I am around ducks, I speak to them and let them know how profoundly I adore their kingdom. I love duck pictures and anyone who visits me will be keenly aware of that.

The gift of Lancelot and Guinevere –There was such JOY experiencing their love and they are part of my soul eternity.

Monthly Theme and Weekly Speakers.

Every month, we take the Key Principles of MYOB and put them into practice in our lives. Looking at the deeper call before us — What are we each to “Be” to bring about societal change through our soul evolution in ways that establish justice, love, and care for all – without exception. Please join us weekly on Thursdays at 7 p.m. EDT for our virtual program.

Photo by Heather Paul, Flickr