Ready for a New Year

Imagine my surprise when MOM took me to play with Bert before she had to meet with a family about a funeral she will be doing Tuesday. 

A little tug of war.  Bert has a good technique in that he keeps low.  But he under estimates my head shake to rattle his brain.

This is a little "kiss" for Bert from his beloved Charlotte.  Sorry Charlotte I had to keep the Frisbee between us.

The things I do for a yummmie.  How long do I have to hold this?

Ready for MOM to toss the Frisbee.  I think Bert has a head start.  He is getting really good at catching it.

Then we went to run in the woods and jump over some fences.

And of course we had to play in the water.  It's not a complete outing for Bert if we don't dip our toes.  Well I dip my toes, he DIVES in.

Whew I am tired, I can barley write my blog.  I need to get a little shut eye before the clock strikes 12.  See ya all next year.

 

Dear Lord for this coming year just one request I bring:
I do not pray for happiness, or any earthly thing—
I do not ask to understand the way you lead me,
But this I ask: Teach me to do the thing that pleases you.

I want to know your guiding voice, to walk with you each day.
Dear Lord make me swift to hear and ready to obey.
And thus the year I now begin a happy year will be—
If I am seeking just to do the thing that pleases you.

Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

 Isaiah 43:18-19

Blessings,

Goose

 

A Whole Lot of Fun

Today I met with my friends for one last romp in 2011.  Of course Bert was there, Annie, my gal pal Belle, my friend Shasta and ever more friends.  Oh did we have a blast.  MOM and Vickie took so many photos it is hard for me to decide which ones to choose to show you.  So sit back and come along with us on our romp in the woods and a long with river.  Enjoy.

We started off playing catch the disc thing in the ball field before we heading off to the trails and water.

My gal pal, Belle chasing me.  Of course I always let her catch me.

Where is that disc thing.  I hope my Belle notices my ripply muscles.

Look at my buddy Bert trin' to take me out at the legs to get the disc thing.  I think that's cheating.

Yes in case you are wondering, the ears help with the air-o dynamics in retrieval.

Can you find me?  It's like playing "Wheres Goose?"

Can you find me here?  hehehe I like this game.  When I an running through the woods Bert's Vickie keeps saying, "Is that a deer?", "Look at the Deer."  Bert has one crazy Vickie.

Look at my crazy gal, Belle in that cold cold water.  It must be a Golden thing, right Bert?

Now others are joining in the water games.

You know how I love me a stick.  2 against 1.  For the record I won the stick war.

And there he is, in the water AGAIN.

OK, OK Bert I will test out the water. 

As you can see I made it across to the ice.  It was very slippery.

Bert coming over to join me.

We all can't help but watch Bert.

You think Bert has a hold on all the water fun, move over Bert cuz Annie has it going on.  She has the prettiest dive you've ever seen.  And she'll do it over and over again and again.

Look close and all you see is a tail sticking out of the water.

Well that's the end as me and my gal pal, Belle, head on out of 2011.  I sure hope 2012 starts out as good as this year ended. 
Blessings,

Goose

Mystery Solved, Sort Of

So as you know yesterday my MOM took me to work with her instead of taking me to Doggie Day Care.  She said someone wanted to talk to me.  No matter how hard I begged she would not tell me who.  I started to get worried.  There has been a missing cat in the neighborhood.  But I swear I know nothing about that, really I don’t.

As the day went on I got more anxious.  Then MOM took me outside, for a little “romp” she said.  With my uneasy state it felt like a “last” walk. 

This is me standing on a hill on the back of the 10 acres of the church.  I’m trin’ to see if I can make a break for it and pleading with MOM to tell me what is about to happen.

Then we went back into the church and I waited and waited.

I find some comfort that my friends said they would have my back.  Bert said he would provide me with an alibi and Nellie from Cat from Hell said she would vouch for me and my character. 

Then a man came in with a camera bigger than Bert’s Vickie’s and started taking my picture.  He took pictures from the side and front, sitting, standing and laying down.  What is all this for?  Will these be mug shots or a part of a photo lineup?  Should MOM hire a lawyer?  Am I about to be sent to the doghouse?  Then he left and said someone would be coming to question me!

It was more than I could take.  Moments later a lady in a trench coat came in with a pen and pad in hand.  MOM shook her hand and offered her a seat.  This is it; it’s the doghouse for me.

She asked all kinds of questions from the time my MOM rescued me (although MOM told her it was the other way around).  Good, good MOM tell her about my sweet side, to present day.  After about an hour of answering questions the lady patted my head and said that is all she needed and she would contact some of the people MOM mentioned.  And then MOM took this picture of me with the lady in the trench coat.

You can tell I am all wore out from the “interrogation”. 

Then MOM smiled and gave me a hug.  At first I thought it was a hug good-bye.  But as it turns out the man with the camera and the lady in the trench coat were from the newspaper and they were doing a story about me.  It wasn’t a hug good-bye it was a hug of “I’m so proud of my boy”.

Whew!!! I was so tired I could not even sit up for the car ride home.

Then I collapsed and gave thanks to God that I was not going to the doghouse.

So the newspaper article is about how we are trying to raise money to build a pet area at our local homeless shelter.  If you go to the top of my blog you can click on a link to make a donation.  Your donation will help families stay together and be cared for while their humans are getting back on their feet. All donations are welcomed and appreciated.

Blessings,

Goose

Tuesday Mystery

Let me tell ya MOM's a trooper. Even though she was not feeling her best when Bert called yesterday to see if I could meet him at the lake she said we could! I told her it was OK if we just stayed home til she felt better.  But Bert said that the fresh cold air would do her good.  Well, OK if she insists.  So off we went.

My crazy Buddy Bert got in the water right away.

This is me trin' to tell Bert to get out before he gets frozen solid. Then we would have to wait til spring to get him out. But would he listen... No.

Well I just had to join him in the river.  Although I did not submerge my whole body in it like my crazy friend. I did get a great stick out of the water.  I love me some stick.

MOM trin' to get me to jump for the stick into the water.  The spots you see are from Bert shaking off the water, just so he can jump in AGAIN. I think the ice water has frozen his brain.

He just won't get out!

Now the Mystery part.  This morning as MOM was driving  me to Bert's Vickie's place (better know as Canine Country Club or Doggie Day Care) she turned right instead of left.  What? She took me to work with her today.  Why?  It's Tuesday I am suppose to go to CCC.  Not that Iam complaining, I love to go to work with MOM but I only do that on Monday, Friday, Saturday and some Sundays.  It's a mystery.

Here I am sitting at MOM's desk writing to ya all.  And if truth be told I write most of her sermons too.

But the mystery thicken.  She said I was here with her today because someone wants to meet me and talk to me.  Who?  MOM would not say.  She said I would have to wait until noon to find out.  I don't know whether to be excited or scared.  I guess I'll let ya know when I do.  I sure hope it's not a detective who in investigating the disappearance of the neighborhood cat.  I know nothing and saw nothing.

Blessings,
Goose

Getting Better

MOM is getting to feeling better, she’s still not her best but there is progress.  So I opened the rest of my presents.  I hardly knew where to begin.  But that only took a nano second to decide.

I guess I was a good boy this year.

But you know the best present I got… my MOM. 

I get the same best present every year and I never get tired or bored with her.  She always says I’m her best present next to her Savior’s love.  I don’t mind being second place to him.

I wanted to share this picture MOM’s friend took on Christmas Eve at MOM’s church. 

Look how the Christmas lights make the cross glow.  It reminds me that Christ IS the Light and that the cross' shadow, even on that first Christmas, falls across the manger.

 

MOM does something every year after Christmas is over, and it last the whole year long. I thought you might like doing it too.  She doesn’t throw away the Christmas cards!  She put them in a basket and then draws a new one out every Monday morning. She then puts the card selected in a prominent place and makes that person her focus for the week.

Then she calls the person who sent her the card, or thinks positive thoughts about him or her throughout the day, offers a prayer each morning or sends an email telling them she is thinking about them. Or, sends a "just thinking of you" card.

You know what? Your Christmas cards show how much you have to be grateful for. Extend this feeling of gratitude throughout 2012.

Thanks for all the well wishes for my MOM, she felt every single one and I know it helped.

Blessings,

Goose

It's Only Day One

It's Christmas evening now.  And I suppose most have opened their gifts.  But not me.

When MOM came home from church last night (well really it was almost 1am) she did not look so good.  No amount of kisses and nudges made her feel better.  She is very sick.  So sick in fact that for the first time that I ever can remember she did not go to church Sunday morning, I hope someone else preached.  So because she is not feeling well I have decided not to open  my gifts.  OK, MOM said I could open them, so I opened a few but when I noticed she was not taking pictures and she was all curled up on the couch, I decided I am going to wait till she feels better to open the rest.

After all it’s only the first day of Christmas; there are eleven more days of Christmas to come.  Maybe I’ll open one each day of the 12 days.  I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas.

Blessings,

Goose

Stable Few

So my Friday outing with my friends was GREAT! There must have been 12 of us K-9’s there. I wish I could show you pictures but my MOM didn’t take any.  Oh sure she brought her camera, but as usual she was so caught up in the walk, and watching me and the other dogs she forgot to take pictures.  The best part was my gal pal Belle came with me.  And Bert was right, I for sure have to keep an eye, both eyes, on Murphy.  He sure liked her.  I’m watching you Murphy!  MOM did take one picture. 

When we dropped Belle off at her house we went home and this is how I spent the rest of the day and night.  I was so tired MOM had to help me on the couch.  I’m so tired I don’t even care that I have that ridiculous hat on and I’m cuddling the snowman pillow.

I guess it’s OK MOM didn’t take any pictures cuz I want to ask you a question on this Christmas Eve.

Do you ever wonder what you would have heard had you been there that night, that first Christmas night. It is a question that I think about each year. Would I have heard the choirs of angels singing or simply the sounds of barnyard animals shifting around. Would I have seen the star in the sky that night or simply two poor and very frightened kids. Would I have understood the hushed silence of the divine presence, or simply the chill of a cold east wind. Would I have understood the message of Emmanuel, God with us, or would the cosmic implications of that evening have passed me by?

It’s quite possible that two different people could have heard and seen two entirely different scenes. All of life is this way. God never presents himself in a manner in which we are forced to believe. We are always left with an option, that’s God's way. One can say "It’s a miracle", while another says "its coincidence."

You see, what we see and what we hear in life depends not upon the events but rather who we are as people. It's not what is out there but what is inside of us.

You may say, “had I been there at Bethlehem that night I would have seen. I would have understood.” Would you? There is one way of knowing, ask yourself what you saw this Christmas Season. When you watched the 6:00 o’clock news did you see chaos and strife, or did you see sheep without a Shepherd? When you went out to do your shopping did you see only hordes of people in the stores or did you notice the worried expressions on some of their faces? Worried because they are facing this Christmas without employment and they don't know how they are going to make ends meet.

And ask yourself what you heard this Christmas? Did you hear only the blasts of music and carols, or did you hear the silent sighs of the lonely or those who are in pain, who may be dreading Christmas because it accentuates their loneliness or their difficulties? And in the midst of the sounds of honking horns and people arguing over parking places, did you hear the faint sound of laughter that will be coming from a shelter because you furnished toys for the children there?

You see, so often what we see and what we hear is not dependent upon the event but upon ourselves. If you did in fact hear the cry from the lonely, the laughter of children in need, if you saw the sheep without a shepherd, then you might just have seen the events that took place in Bethlehem that night.

So we need to ask ourselves, “Am I a part of the Inn crowd, or the stable few?”

Merry Christmas and Blessings my friends,

Goose

Tomorrow is Almost Here

I know you might be saying, “Goose, Christmas is in 3 days, it’s not tomorrow.”  I know.  But I am talking about tomorrow when I get to go run, play, and romp with my friends.  I am so excited I can hardly wait.  And I know my MOM really needs it too.  It has been a long, and at times, trying week for her.

Me and Bert on our last walk. I think my butt is cuter.  But Bert has that whole gorgeous tail thing going on.

And I am going to ask MOM if we could go get my gal pal, Belle, to take along with us.  Bert is not the only guy that has a beautiful girl.

Isn't she beautiful?  Luv Ya Bellie Sue. :)

Tomorrow is going to be GRRRRREAT!  I hope your tomorrow is just as wonderful.

YOUR FRIEND, YOUR PARTNER, YOUR DEFENDER,

I am YOUR DOG...You are my life, my love... I will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of my heart.

My MOM says she owes it to me to be worthy of such devotion!

Blessings,

Goose

Thank Goodness It's Wordless Wednesday

Blessings,
Goose

Fury Paws Giving Praise

Well my friends MOM just got home from church.  And as some of you know every 3rd Sunday of the month it's "Bring Your Dog to Worship."  While I was not there I am told that a few of my friends were as well as some I have not met yet.  I thought I'd show you a few photos of worship.

Doggies coming in with their peeps.

Getting ready to sing and pray and worship. Murphy was there, how can you miss him?

This pup likes the front pew.

Getting to know everyone after the service.  These two little guys, Timmy and Bella were the best singers.

My buddy Bert was even there.

We are lucky dogs to belong to a community that invites us to come and worship with the humans.  You know what I'm wrong, we are not lucky, we are blessed. 

Blessings,
Goose