Animals are Love

Pets are our close companions because they provide love, comfort, safety, warmth, happiness, levity, wonder, laughter, and friendship. Pets teach us to have more patience with life and to enjoy the simple things.

I believe all the animals I have had in my life are truly spiritual beings, and it’s my opinion they have been put in my life for a reason: to help me be a better person in the here and now and to teach me things that will lead me to a joyous hereafter.

Here are some quotations about animals and please share your own thoughts about these wonderful marvelous creatures that share our lives.

A house is not a home without a pet.

Animals are such agreeable friends–they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.
– George Eliot

Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled.
– Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!
– Theophile Gautier

If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.
– James Herriot

My most treasured possessions are not things; they are only things, my friends, family and animals are what counts.
– Olivia Newton-John

The difference between friends and pets is that friends we allow into our company, pets we allow into our solitude.
– Robert Brault

The best thing about animals is that they don’t talk much.
– Thornton Wilder

All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.
– Samuel Butler

NEED WASHING?

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in WalMart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence.

It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the WalMart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, ‘Mom let’s run through the rain,’ She said.
‘What?’ Mom asked.

‘Let’s run through the rain!’ She repeated.

‘No, honey. We’ll wait until it slows down a bit,’ Mom replied.

This young child waited a minute and repeated: ‘Mom, let’s run through the rain.’

‘We’ll get soaked if we do,’ Mom said.

‘No, we won’t, Mom. That’s not what you said this morning,’ the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom’s arm.

‘This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?’

‘Don’t you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ‘ If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything! ‘ ‘

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn’t hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.

Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child’s life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

‘Honey, you are absolutely right. Let’s run through the rain. If GOD let’s us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,’ Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked.

They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories…So, don’t forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Take the time to live!!!

Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you’ll need each other — And don’t forget to run in the rain!

Let’s Begin With Today

Let’s all begin with today,
by making amends,
to whom ever it may be,
whether it may be family or friends.
I ask that all of the ugliness,
be left behind and alone.
Without darkness, and moisture,
ugliness, as with fungus, cannot be grown.
Out of the darkness,
it takes just one sparkle of light,
and soon this unwanted anger,
will soon be out of sight.
Both kindness, and compassion,
I’d rather seen grown,
and along with all these emotions,
only love will be sewn.
We are all born, of
the human family.
So, then none of us here,
can ever be perfect you see.
I, among some others,
have made our own mistakes.
Understanding for others,
is what forgiveness, and new beginnings takes.
Until we all can look into,
the mirror and see perfection,
please, put a stop to this ugliness and hurt,
and lets build a more loving, and strong connection…………..

I pray this message is heard from within the hearts needing this and that we all find our path, more loving and compassionate towards all in creation, and we all find the strength to make the changes needed to walk in a sacred manner. With much respect and love to each one of you, Cherokee Billie

The Apron

I don’t think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids..

And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.
After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ‘old-time apron’ that served so many purposes.

Send this to those who would know (and love) the story about Grandma’s aprons.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

I don’t think I ever caught anything from an apron – but love…

Paul McCartney’s ‘My Valentine’ Featuring Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp

Paul McCartney, the most prolific songwriter in history, has directed a video to his latest song using the talents of Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp. Natalie had 1 day to learn and Johnny had about 15 minutes before filming began. Paul’s vision was not for a sign language interpretation OF his song, but for the use of signs as an artistic element IN his song. The key word is “interpretation” as ASL is a concept language. The final editing was left in the hands of Paul and his producers. Listen to this beautiful song and watch the lovely movements by these gifted artists including Johnny Depp playing guitar.

The Cracked Pot

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

‘I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.’

The old woman smiled, ‘Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?’

‘That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your
side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.’

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.

Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.’

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

From this story, I want you to consider the following six (6) points for your own life:

1) We all are cracked pots! Some of our cracks are just more visible than others but equally all of our cracks produce something good – whether it is pretty flowers along the way or internal strength and self-confidence. In a similar way, your child’s ‘cracks’ often provide you with the most sweetest of fragrances in your life. Take all of this in and ask yourself, what is flourishing, growing….blossoming in your life and in your child’s life because of your cracks? Take a moment to jot down what you come up with. The answer(s) may surprise you.

2) Speak out and up quick! The cracked pot went on feeling bad, miserable and ashamed for two (2) whole years. What about you? How long do you beat yourself up? Is there something that is/has been eating at you, keeping you awake at night, gnawing at your sanity for a while? For days, months, years? If so, let it out now – talk to someone today.

3) Do what you need to do when you need to do it. The cracked pot thought that it wasn’t doing what it was designed to do. Many times, we can also feel like we are not doing all that we are capable of doing as a parent, an employee/employer, a spouse, a friend….or just as a person all of the time. You may not be and you know what else? That’s perfectly 100% ok! Your life would not be nearly as fun as it could be and it would be over way faster than it should be, if you try to do everything you need to do all at once. It is truly not about doing all that you are capable of doing all at one time but rather doing what you need and can do at the right time. This may mean that you cut those 30 items on your daily to-do list down to 10 or even 5….and that one of your to-do’s include some ‘you’ time, in one way, shape or form. You may know by now, that self-preservation (i.e. taking care of yourself) is a big soap-box point of mine. Read More Here

4) Don’t apologize for your own (or your child’s) ’imperfections’. The cracked pot kept apologizing for its crack and its perceived impact of this crack. Likewise, we can also sometimes have the tendency to repeatedly apologize for what we think is not quite right with us or our child. I’ve had many parents tell me how bad they feel when they have had to bring something up to the school about their child. They say things like: “I don’t want to be seen as the crazed and overprotective mom of ___(their child) or “I don’t want to rock the boat” or they start many a sentence with the words ”I’m sorry for/about X____ (whatever it may be). If you do or are doing this, please stop. Rock that boat, be the crazed mom/dad and start celebrating you and/or your child’s imperfections.
Remember: ‘perfect’ is in the heart of every imperfection.

5) Stop projecting and comparing. Like the cracked pot, many times we compare our perceived weakness (i.e. our cracks) to another person’s perceived strengths (i.e. their hidden cracks, I like to say) – and are all the more miserable for it. Or just like the cracked pot thought that he was causing the water bearer more work, we also can sometimes project our insecurities onto others. This is often due to our own lack of self-confidence and our tendency to think others are expecting more from us than they really are.

6) Keep the good ones. The water bearer knew about the pot’s crack the whole time and still saw the beauty and blessings from it. The good people who are in your life who know about and have known about your cracks for some time (even when you try to hide them), who keep it to themselves and don’t talk bad about you to others, who don’t throw your flaws back up in your face, and who continue to love and support you and see your beauty regardless…..these are the good ones you need and want to keep really close by your side.

Lastly, just like the water bearer used the pot’s cracks to bring sweet smelling and beautiful flowers to his master’s table, I encourage you to be your own water bearer this month and look at your cracks for what they are and for what they give you and with both arms flung wide open, embrace all of your cracked pot self! (I say this in the best possible and most compassionate way – and in return, please stop for a moment and take notice (and pick a few if you like) of all of the beautiful, precious and most amazing flowers that have sprung up and are springing up because of you.

As always, I would love to hear from you. Please take a moment to share your thoughts, comments or feelings about either this topic and/or anything else you so desire.
If you want more direct and personal support from me and learn how to positively grow and move forward as a person, then please take advantage of my Online Spiritual Guidance , one on one.

100 Years Since the Titanic Sank

Life can change in a moment and this is what I feel Titanic represents. You can think everything is going perfect and then suddenly you hit an iceberg. I often think of those people who fought to survive the sinking of Titanic and the courage of so many who sacrificed their lives for others in a moment of great tragedy.

I feel that all the departed souls of this experience look down upon all the attention going to this significant day and that they smile knowing that they will never be forgotten, even if their names were not known.

Take a few moments and reflect upon those that went before us.

The British liner RMS Titanic collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic at 11:40 p.m. April 14, 1912 ship’s time and began sinking. (The ship went under two hours and 40 minutes later with the loss of 1,514 lives.)

From a Belfast cathedral to a ship in the cold North Atlantic, thousands are gathering to remember RMS Titanic, 100 years after the sinking of the luxury liner.

In Belfast, where Titanic was built, thousands will attend a concert at the city’s Waterfront Hall or a requiem mass at St. Anne’s Cathedral on Saturday.

Aboard the cruise ship MS Balmoral, which is retracing the Titanic’s route passengers and crew will hold ceremonies at the site of the disaster, 400 miles (640 kilometers) off the coast of Newfoundland.

Another cruise ship, Journey, will join Balmoral at the site.

To see photographs that were taken on the Titanic by someone who survived Click Here

The Seven Wonders of the World

Junior high school students in Chicago were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes:

1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India
3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter’s Basilica
7. China’s Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn’t turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.” The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.”

The girl hesitated, then read, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch…
2. to taste…
3. to see…
4. to hear… (She hesitated a little, and then added…)
5. to feel…
6. to laugh…
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.
May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful – and we don’t have to travel anywhere special to experience them.

Enjoy your gifts!

Silent are the Spirits. Honoring Native American Week.

Silent are the spirits.
The people that shed blood for their land.
Tears now stain the four winds for
their mountains that no longer stand.
For the buffalo and the arrow made from a hunters hand.
lonely fly’s the eagle. The broken spirit bear.
Gone are the warriors. The drums of a distant land.
The dreams of a people.
The realm of life man could not understand.

Man’s law changes with his understanding of man.
His greed is the evil love of power.
A world burning in the fire of desire incensed by Hate
Stupidity and Ignorance. Only the laws of the spirit remain always the same.

This distant warrior was a person whose Spirit is one with the Creator. His heart belonging to a People whose life was a sacred gift given by the ancestors. Ones spirit cannot be destroyed for the spirit is eternal as the stars, just beyond the darkest hours of life.

It is said that the vision of life is not in death but that of the Eagle
humbled with clarity and purpose to carry the spirit to the highest levels of self understanding and spirituality. Ones path is a tapestry of knowledge, awareness and enlightenment touched by empty moments reflected in the storms of existence. The earth and self are of one mind that binds the Spirit to the real and eternal tempest of life.

Cherokee Dawn

I awaken to the silence,
Softly it wraps around the world;
Dreams still float upon the air,
Not yet ready to loosen their memory.

Quietly I step outside,
The sleeping world unaware that I am there;
Above me the sky is still dark,
Stars still glimmer, but the moon is low.

All about me the air is hushed,
Breezes gently ruffle my hair; caress my cheek
First morning song of the lark gently wafts across the valley,
Seems for me she sings alone.

In the east there now is a faint luminescence,
A hint of pearly tones etch the edges of the tree crowned hills;
Strong and tall they await the coming,
Of a new day, filled with promise.

More light gently flows westward,
Now across the valley I see a vision;
The hills are wreathed in a living mist,
It moves, touches each thing in it’s path.

The sky now is filled with glorious colors,
blue, cerise, lavender, the hues of dawn;
Mists slowly ebb backward into the forests,
Retreating, going home to await the night once again.

My prayers are now said,
Sage smoke still spirals to the heavens;
I touch the ground gently in a gesture of gratitude,
As Grandfather Sun now has risen over the hill tops.

The wispy mists now are gone,
No longer can they be seen anywhere;
Birdsong echoes from hillside to hillside,
The morning well greeted.

Day has come to Cherokee,
Peacefulness surrounds the Great Smokies;
Was it mist I truly saw,
Or was it old ones, keeping watch through the night?