Saturday, December 27, 2014

2014 Christmas

Hello Friends.

This Christmas was different that any other.  For the first time in 14 years I did not wake up on Christmas morning with my MOM.  See normally on Christmas Eve MOM does the whole Candle Light service at church.  She gets home a little before 1AM on Christmas morning.  We snuggle up on the couch and watch "A Muppet Christmas Carol".  Then we go to sleep, wake up, I open my gifts and MOM makes me turkey balls... YUMMMMMMM.  Then we go for a winter walk together, come home and just kick back. 

This year MOM worked at the homeless shelter on Christmas Eve until 6PM, then she had to be at church until midnight or so.  So she thought it best for me to stay at Bert's place because she had the be at the homeless shelter at 6:30am on Christmas day to cook a Christmas feast for the people there.  I totally understand.  And I had a great time with Bert and Miss Vickie.  They took very good care of me. AND a Christmas miracle happened while I was there.  Frankie and Ernie you may want to look away. 

Allred and me sharing the same bed!!!!  This is proof that miracles do happen.
 
MOM came and picked me up late Christmas day and when we got home I opened my gifts.
 
My brother Easy sent me all kinds of cool stuff.  A calendar, treats, stuffy bone, a bee, and a nice soft blankie.

Thanks brother.  Your the bestest and our hearts always smile when we think of you and your staff.

Then I got to open my gift from Mason the Big Stinky Dog.  Funny story here.  Seems my MOM and Mason's mom missed the deadline for the gift exchange.  Well Mason and I hooked up on Facebook and we took matters into our own paws and decided to exchange gifts.  I am so glad we did.  Look at all the cool stuff he sent me!  And let me tell you those sausage treats are drool worthy.  Thanks Mason for all the great gifts.
 
MOM also had a ton of stuff for me, a lot of it from the peeps at our church.  You also may be wondering how the card count turned out.  Well take a look.
 
Lets just say I edged MOM out in the card count.  Hehehhe
 
I have to show you this.  This is a gift my MOM received from a very dear and beautiful friend.  It's a William Wegman book called ABC.  You probably already know he is famous for photographing Weimaraners.  MOM was all kinds of thrilled to receive this book.  Butt wait it gets even better.

Look right there below my paw.  This is a signed copy!!!  A signed copy!  MOM's friend search the world over to find one, and she did, and she sent it to my MOM.

Hey Easy brother I think those two pups drawings look a lot like us.  I also think that Wegman should feature you and me in his next project.  If he thinks he is famous now, wait till the two of us grace the pages of his next book.
 
MOM and I finish Christmas the way we normally start Christmas... snuggled up watching "A Muppet Christmas Carol."  I sure hope you all enjoyed your Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and whatever you and your family celebrate. The best part of any celebration is being with the ones you love.
Blessings,
Goose
 




 
 
 


Monday, December 22, 2014

Super Star

Hello Friends.

Most of you know my buddy Bert.

For those who may not know Bert let me just tell you a bit about him.  He is a Search and Rescue Dog, a Cadaver Dog, a Therapy Dog, a Comfort Dog (he roams the Salt Lake City Airport bringing comfort and smiles to passengers and employees), he reads to children in schools and libraries, He also teaches children and youth how to be safe in the wilderness. 

He is also my friend, my buddy.  Butt now my friends, Bert can add super star to his resume.  




This Golden Boy was asked to be in a film.  And I must say he is a natural, despite the above photo, he really has that Golden star quality.  Just take a look at this:


Bawhahhahhaa.  That's my buddy.  As Bert's agent if any of you are interested in a autographed photo just let me know.  If you want a real laugh watch this next video.  It's the uncut out takes of the making of this film.  Make sure you pee before you watch, just sayin'.

 
I am also taking suggestions as to what Bert can do next. I mean why stop here.  There must be something more he can do. 
Blessings,
Goose
 
 

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Update

Hello Friends.

Little update on the card count.

That would be 59 cards to me, MOM has 7, and together we have 9. 
 
Do you think my MOM is a sore loser?

How about now?
 
Hehehhe.  Seriously MOM needed a good laugh and I was all to happy to help. 
Oh, and thank you by the way my friends for all the well wishes for my health.  Not a lot has changed.  Butt I am getting by and MOM thinks my breathing is better.  Not much can be done for my muscle loss in my back legs (and now stiffness in my front legs).  That's OK, I am still enjoying life with my MOM and we are taking care of each other.
Blessings,
Goose

 

Saturday, December 20, 2014

WOW

Hello Friends.

I just have the bestest of friends I tell you what.  Lately I have not been feeling my best.  So difficult for me to get up, I'm limpy, and I have been sliding off the front seat of the car.  Oh and I sleep a bit more than I normally do.  I keep telling MOM that it is just an age thing.  Butt you know mom's, they worry.   Butt recently I have had a change in my breathing.  Anyway, my buddy Bert wanted to make me feel better so know what that crazy Golden boy did (and his Vickie)? 

They gave me this gift basket.

Would you just look at all this cool drool stuff!!!!!

There are stuffies, all sorts of yummy treats, a doggy pen, doggy tissues, car sticker, doggy blankets, Christmas ornaments.  And best of all a VERY soft blanket for me and MOM to share.  I was so overwhelmed, MOM too.  And it did make me feel better.

MOM and I put the big soft blanket to use right away.  We are doing breathing therapy.  We breath in and out together.  I think it helps her just as much as it helps me.  The blanket has a dog with a heart on his chest and it says, "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself."-Josh Billings.  MOM says that is so very true.  Aside from the love of God for us there is no greater love than the love between a dog and his MOM.

Thank you Miss Vickie and Bert.  You two are the bestest of the best.
Blessings,
Goose



Monday, December 15, 2014

Still Counting

Hello Friends.

Hehehhee.  Let's see, 43 for Goose, 2 for MOM, and 3 for both of us. 

MOM has made this new rule: Whoever is ahead in the card count has to wear some festive head gear.  As you can see by the expression on the reindeer on my head he thinks this is a silly rule made up by a woman who knows she is going to lose.  What do I think of this new rule????

Raspberries to you MOM.  hahhahaha  If you ask me and the reindeer on my head we think it should be the other way around, the one with the least amount of cards gets to wear the festive head gear.  Don't you agree friends?
Blessings,
Goose

Thursday, December 11, 2014

See Beautiful

Hello Friends.

Wooooo Hoooo it's time for This Moment See Beautiful!  It's our opportunity to share how we have seen BEAUTIFUL.  Of course every moment is an opportunity to see, share, create and soak up beautiful.  And thanks to our beautiful host, SUGAR, we do it in a big way every 2nd Friday of the month.  I am not kidding when I say that I could show you a full length movie every month of how we have seen the beautiful that surrounds us.  Butt for now here is a short video of just the few ways.



Get out there friends and see and share BEAUTIFUL!
Blessings,
Goose

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Saturday, December 6, 2014

It Has Begun

Hello Friends.

That's right my friends, it has begun.  The Christmas and Holiday cards are rolling in.  And once again MOM and I are in a friendly competition to see who receives the most.  Thus far I have received 13 cards in the mail and 6 email cards.  I don't think my MOM received even 10 cards last year.  So far this year she has received 1 card, and that was from an insurance company.  I don't think that should count.  MOM disagrees.  Butt hey, it was not even from our insurance company. 

As you can see from that first photo I had my MOM go deep down into the basement to get the card holder she made me a couple of years ago.  If you have followed me for a while now you know until two years ago my MOM did not decorate for Christmas, except for a stocking for me.  But that all changed because so many of you "encouraged" her to do so.  And without any "encouragement" at all this year, she set up our tree (all 1 1/2 feet of it), put lights on it and those old old Christmas ornaments that her Grandpa made for her Grannymom.  She hung up my stocking and one for her AND she put a soft soft Christmas doggie blankie around my dog bed in the living room.  Soon I expect her to be humming Christmas carols when we go for our walks.  Hehehhe 
Blessings,
Goose

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Bert the Ladies Dog

Hello Friends.

I've noticed that my buddy Bert seems to have special something about him that makes the ladies go all gaw gaw over him.  It is quite the sight to see.  Case in point.  We have a friend named Miss Sophie.  Miss Sophie, like Bert, is a therapy dog.  She works at the same hospital as Bert bringing smiles to all they meet.  She also works with Bert at the airport.  They roam around and brings smiles and relieves stress from passengers and employees alike.  This past weekend we all went on a walk together.  And sure enough Miss Sophie sees Bert and just can't help butt throw herself at him.  Just watch the video and see for yourself.


I mean really what is it about him?

Oh sure I walk along all gentledog like with Miss Sophie.

Butt soon as she sees Bert she zips past me to be with him, and jump on him, and kiss and attack him.

So as I walked along through the marsh I pondered what it is about my buddy Bert that makes the girlies go nuts for him.

Then it hit me as Miss Sophie runs to catch up with the irresistible Bert.

Maybe...
Just maybe...

Could it be????

All the goose poop (not mine butt the birds) that he rolls in?  Is that the reason the ladies just can't help themselves around him?  Is that his secret weapon?

Butt if that is it, the goose poop being all magical, how do you explain this........ (just watch the first video)


To my understanding there is no goose poop inside the airport, so Bert could not have rolled in his favorite cologne.  Yet when Miss Sophie sees her beloved Bert at the airport she leaps as high as the planes fly.

"Seriously Bert, what is your secret?"
"Secret?  Secret to what?"
"The girls falling all over themselves to get to you."
"Brother Goose have you seen me?  I mean just look at me!  Oh and a little splash of goose poop, the birds not yours, on the Golden furs never hurts."

And there ya have it friends..... goose poop.
Blessings,
Goose

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Thanksgiving

Hello Friend.

You may remember on Sunday I was in deep thought as I looked out my front window.  I was think about Thanksgiving, about the past, present and future.  So today I thought I’d give you a little message with a Thanksgiving theme.  Of course I will scatter in some photos.  Some of these photos are recent and some are from the past.  I even have some photos of my buddy Bert when he was just a wee little pup and of course some of me and my Golden Gal Pal Belle.  (Oh and F&E just a warning Allred might show up in a photo.)

Brain science has now discovered what The White Queen in “Alice in Wonderland” always knew: "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards."

The most recent research in cognitive science, which is a fancy name for the science of “how the brain works,” reveals that remembering the past and visualizing the future use the same neural mechanisms. Memory and prophesy are flip sides of the same mental coin.  Memory works forward, and the very skills that enable you to remember your past enable you to envision your future.  To walk down memory lane is, at the same time, to follow the yellow brick road into your dream future.

In Roman mythology there was a god known as “Janus.” Janus was believed to be the god who was a guiding force for individuals at fresh starts, at new beginnings, and at all times of transition.  Janus was always depicted as having two faces — one face looking backwards into the past, the other face turned towards the future. Hence the hinge month of “January.”

For Christians to be “two-faced” was to be a prophet, except a prophet was seen in threefold scenarios, not two.  A prophet was supposed to have three faces: a face oriented toward past, the present and the future, simultaneously.  A prophet doesn't foresee the future.  A prophet sees the past, present and future at once and as one.  For Christians this ability to bring together the past, present and future is best represented not by Janus, but by Jesus.

It’s Thanksgiving in the United States.  Our annual Thanksgiving holiday may be our most prophetic of all holidays.  On one hand, Thanksgiving is all about family, friends and tradition. Even though we are now a “fast-food” nation and a “take-out” culture, Thanksgiving is the one day when we remember old recipes, when we literally and intentionally “taste” our past and let the food tell the story of our families and the Pilgrims and Native Americans.

Why do we do this?  Why do we make such a huge investment in this short weekend holiday by traveling far and near to be with family and friends?  Because we want to recall, remember, rekindle and rebuild family relationships.  Thanksgiving is the time when we look around the table and give thanks for our roots and our reasons for being together.

More and more the big “draw” of the family get-together has a different motivation.  Over the last twenty years “Black Friday” has grown from being a fun day of sales to being a seismic event that determines the end-of-the-year economic health of major corporations.  So crucial are the sales numbers racked up on this coming weekend that stores have now slid down the slippery slope from “Black Friday” to “Grey Thursday.”  After years of consciously trying not to “intrude” on the sacred “family holiday” of Thanksgiving, retailers have now decided that “Black Friday” can legitimately begin before the turkey gets cold on Thanksgiving Thursday.  The “gathering together” for a bit of family time at Thanksgiving has now become a “staging time” for an assault into the shopping malls and big box outlets offering outrageous deals…if you get there first.

So what is Thanksgiving about in 2014?  It’s now 393 years after that “first Thanksgiving” harvest celebration shared by the Native Americans and the new settlers in Plymouth.  So what are we looking back at, and what are we looking forward to?  If remembering and imagining are part of the same mental process, is Thanksgiving a time to look back at family, friends and traditions and looking around the table at ones we love?  Or is Thanksgiving a time when we take a deep breath of the past so we can and plunge into a future of consumerism, obsessed with grabbing great deals for the upcoming Christmas extravaganza?

In Ephesians 1:15-23 Paul writes to the Ephesian community but he makes his words applicable to all who might receive it.  It begins with a profound expression of thanksgiving — and as with our twenty-first century thanksgiving moment, it’s a two-faced, Janus type thanksgiving.

Paul’s thanks are not directed backwards to the past and then forward toward the future.  Paul’s thanksgiving prayer is directed outward and upward.  It’s directed “outward” to the community of disciples, to those whose faith has led them to have a “spirit of wisdom” and a “heart enlightened.”  Paul declares that the faithful know the “hope to which he has called you” and so may revel in and reveal the “riches of his glorious inheritance” — that is, a new life “among the saints.”  His thankfulness is for the faith of those who confess a commitment to Christ and live life based upon that commitment.

But then Paul follows up that outward thanksgiving with an upward expression of thankfulness and praise.  Paul’s “thanksgiving” is upwardly founded and outwardly grounded.  His outward gratitude could not be complete without his gratitude for the upward divine grace that made such faith possible.  Paul’s ultimate thankfulness is directed “upward,” “heavenward,” toward the power, majesty, and beauty of God.  Paul’s upward thankfulness is for the revolutionary “change-up” that took place when Christ was raised from the dead and redemption became a reality for all.

What are we really thankful for this Thanksgiving?  Are you thankful that you get a four-day weekend off from school or work?  Are you thankful that you have a warm home and a lovely meal to sit down to and enjoy with friends and family?  Thanksgiving is a strangely laser-focused yet loosey-goosey holiday.  It’s defined with laser-like focus: a time to “give thanks.”  But WHAT we give thanks for is left up to us.

When family members and friends work hard all day to create a wonderful environment — great food, warm place to gather — that is something to be thankful for.  But the real “thankfulness” that Thanksgiving should bring out in each of us is not a thankfulness for “things.”  Thanksgiving is not about where we are, what we are eating, or what our shopping strategy is for Friday.  Thanksgiving must be rooted in a thankfulness for the greatest relationship we have been given, a relationship with the risen, regnant and returning Christ who calls the faithful to a “glorious hope” and an illustrious “inheritance.”

Admit it.  Every family gathering includes some we cannot wait to “embrace,” and some for whom we have to “brace.”  Those whom we cannot wait to “embrace” are those whose lives intentionally include and envelope others.

The grandmother who always remembers to send a Birthday, Halloween, Valentine, and, even though you are not Irish, a St. Patrick’s Day card and a little note meant just for you.

The distant cousin or friend who checks in on Facebook, knows what days are special to you, and lets you know they know it.

The little brother or sister who waits for your text every day, and you wait for his or her reply.  Those are the ones who at Thanksgiving are easy to “embrace.”

The “brace for” family members are not so easy.  Every family has those who are part of the family tree, but do not fit into the family plan.  But they are still family.  We welcome them with grace and hospitality because they are family, but also because, as people of faith, we know our “family” goes way beyond our genes and geography, I know my MOM’s does.  Our “family” will always be who and where we make it.

It was probably goose or wild duck, not turkey, that was the centerpiece of that First Thanksgiving.  There would have been fish present in the form of eels and various shellfish like lobster, clams and mussels.  Probably no salmon, just like no sweet potatoes or cranberries at that first Thanksgiving (which I think is a shame), although many people have made smoked salmon and salmon dip a feature of Thanksgiving appetizers today.

You know what?  Salmon are either the most brilliant or the stupidest creatures on earth.  Salmon babies, known as “fry,” hatch out in beautiful flowing fresh streams of water.  They have plenty to eat and a safe place to live.  Then they leave.  They travel downstream to escape this nice, safe habitat, so that they might merge into larger streams, rushing mighty rivers, and ultimately into the vast ocean.

Fresh-water born salmon migrate to the salt-water environment of the ocean, a journey that requires them to navigate hundreds of miles and requires them to completely change their bodies.  Fresh water salmon fry become salt water salmon.  For a while.

And then they “come home.”  After spending years being salt water creatures they finally and fully feel the pull of home.  They MUST go back.  They journey through the ocean, go back into the fresh water rivers, navigate through locks and dams and bears and eagles and eager fishermen, and finally — a few of them — make it back to their family table, to the place they were born and nurtured.

The simple salmon “embraces” every part of its family heritage, at a huge, indeed at an ultimate, cost.  When we intentionally gather together and regroup our families, it can also be costly.  It costs us our independence.  It costs us our self-made identities.  It costs us our personal power and preferred placement.

We become salmon.  We join together and become greater together, individuals with a new and vital future found in company with others. Why?  Because we return to our roots even as we are looking towards the future.  Because we dare to look both backwards and forwards at the same time.

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:13).

What “works” follow us into eternity?  Not the works of our hands, as in our mansions, our Mercedes, our monies, but the works of our hearts, our deeds of love, beauty, truth and goodness.  This is that for which we give thanks to God this Thanksgiving.  You know what giving God thanks will get you?  It gets you Grace.  And you know where Grace leads you?  It leads you to JOY, overwhelming joy.
Blessings,
Goose