What I've Been Doing!!

Dear Grandpa - It's been about a week since I've had time to breathe even. Here's what I've been doing, starting with the everly MOST important:

1) I've found my calling. As Lt. Chaplain of the Yorkie Brigade, I found myself becoming more and more interested in studying words of inspiration written by God, Buddha, Allah, and men such as Kahlil Gibran, Rudyard Kipling, Steve Allen and others. A little over a week ago I opened the Yorkie Brigade Chapel on Yahoo Groups and my congregation now numbers 26 Yorkie persons and pups.

2) This morning was my very first mini-sermon, actually more like a "thought for the day". My goal was to post something inspirational, like words to live by. The words are in English (as opposed to Doglish, which is very difficult for humans to learn). My secretary (your daughter, my mom) posted it at 9:01PST so it would be the first post that the East coast members of my "chapel" would see this morning. So far, so good. I think everyone liked it.

3) This was my presentation at Chapel this morning:

Good Morning and Welcome to the YorkieBrigade Chapel, a place where all are
equally welcome; a place we can share our prayers and provide support and
encouragement for each other.

I'm your Chaplain for today, and I'd like to open with something that St.
Francis once said:

"Those who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of
compassion and pity will deal likewise with their fellow man."

We are all brought together by our mutual love of Yorkies and by the love OF
our Yorkies. I would venture to say there's not a human here today that
wouldn't be willing to go to the ends of the earth for not only their
Yorkie, but for any Yorkie in need.

We agreed that our Sunday services should provide something that we could
all think about...we could reflect upon...and we could keep in our hearts to
enlighten our spirits.

With that in mind, I would like to share St. Francis of Assisi's prayer with
you all:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to
console; To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Saint Francis of Assisi
-- The Patron Saint of Animals

Bless us, Oh Lord, and help us to strive to live as St. Francis lived, and
to remember to be as we wish others to be.

Amen

Doughnuts and coffee in the lobby courtesy of the Ladies' Guild. Don't
forget to pick up your links and photos on the way out. Bingo and Potluck in
the Great Hall next Thursday at seven.

Remember: The group that "Prays together, Stays together!".

4) Nobody threw any vegetables or rotten fruit at me, they stayed for the whole service and said "Thank you!", so I guess I did ok. Mom's getting sort of inspired by the research she's doing for me. No matter what religion anybody is, or even if they don't believe in a power higher than themselves, I'm hoping to enlighten everydoggie and everybody with thought-provoking words of wisdom. Maybe next week I'll use something from the Dalai Lama (the man in Tibet) not to be confused with the Delhi Llama (imported to India from Peru), or maybe somebody else.

5) We are going to work at the office today. Deadline (says Mom) for the 1099's to go out is tomorrow. We don't want to miss that. Already people are wanting to get their taxes done.

6) Our house is CLEAN! Christine is a miracle lady. She came on Wednesday and deep-cleaned stuff. Everything smells so nice. She is going to arrange for a carpet shampoo person to come in and spiff up the carpets. I know that would really make Mom happy. I've been in a contest trying to win Mom a Bissell carpet shampooer with 12 brushes. So far I've gotten a lot of votes, but not as many as Steve the Cat or Zoe Marie Spumoni (also a cat) in the first week. The next week I got trounced by a Cavalier spaniel and a rabbit. This week hasn't ended yet but there's a kangaroo running competition with me along with about 20,000 others. I suppose we'll just have to go BUY a darn 12-brush shampooer. We have one that pushes hot water and shampoo stuff through the rug but no brushes (also a Bissell).

7) If anyone wants to vote up until next Tuesday when voting closes, I'm number 29400. The link to my entry is at Vote for Mary-Margaret

8) Mom says to tell you that she's sorry she's so exhausted when you call but between running a business, doing investigative work, and helping me establish my "chapel" it's pretty overwhelming. Oh...well, don't tell her I said this, but you know she is getting a bit creaky in the joints. People don't last forever...they kind of wear out like anything else.

I think that's about it, Grandpa. Hope you have a good time at Mike and Janet's tonight. Janet is such a good cook and a great hostess. I do miss hanging out in her kitchen. It's been a couple of months ever since your birthday last November. And I really miss you, too.

Love and kisses,

Your Grand Doggy...

Mary-Margaret