Happy Mother's Day - Sunday, May 8, 2011

(It's Mother's Day already somewhere in the world - This is for Australia, New Zealand, India and Nepal and all those other places!)

Good morning everyone, and especially to all the "bee-yoo-ti-full" mothers, both present and departed. Today is Sunday, May 8th, 2011 and we are celebrating those who not only gave birth to us, but those who loved us enough to raise us and who raised us with the capacity to love unconditionally.

I barely remember my birth mother, Sissy's TooToo (by T and J), of Elkland, Missouri.
While I know my bloodlines by reading them off my "Birth Certificate" also known as a
"Certificate of Pedigree", I am who I am because of my adopted mother, Michele (by Ruth and George) of Temecula, California. At the tender age of nine weeks I had already been ripped from my birth family, shipped to California, undergone surgery for an inguinal hernia and tossed into a plexiglass box full of shredded newspaper in a local pet store. It was there that I first spotted my REAL mom and made it my business to leave that pet store with her, no matter how long it took.

She wasn't particularly impressive on the outside. She was a little older than the
other ladies who had come into the shop. She looked maybe a little sad and lonely, and she could stand to lose a few pounds, but I saw the beauty in her soul and the light in her eyes and I knew that we were destined to be a couple...a TEAM, if you will. I thought she was absolutely the most beautiful human being in the whole world. I could tell she only stopped in for a quick puppy kiss and to sniff the sweet milky smell us puppy kids have when we're babies. If I didn't act quickly, she'd walk right back out of my life forever.

Together, I knew we could handle anything that came our way. It took me two hours to talk the other pups into chewing on her shoes, barking incessantly, piddling in the middle of the playpen, etc. and otherwise make themselves totally unacceptable to her. Finally, at long last, it was just her and me..side by side on the little bench. Yup. Me and my "soon to be" Mom!

The sales lady, exhausted from bringing Mom pup after pup, finally asked us if we were
going home together. I saw the lady's lips moving slightly as if she were praying we'd say "Yes!". Mom paused for a moment and then asked "How much?". She just about
passed out when Ms. Saleslady quoted her a price, but I was negotiated for and finally
Mom whipped out a credit card. She looked at me, hugged me even closer and gave me a
big kiss, while saying "You can't put a price on love!". I totally agree with her on
that! Moms are just naturally beautiful that way. Truly!

Helen Keller once said "The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even
touched, they must be felt with the heart".

And Khalil Gibran, the Lebanese poet said, "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart".

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross was quoted to say, "People are like stained-glass windows. They
sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within."

"You don't love your Mother because she is beautiful. She is beautiful because you love her!" (Mary-Margaret O'Brien)

And on that note, I know you are all anxious to celebrate this special day with your
beautiful mothers. We will be serving Pupcakes and Snausages in the Great Hall to give our special moms a day off from the feed bowl.

Special Announcement - Graham Quacker's family has adopted a baby chick with a
dislocated leg. We ask that you offer prayers for the baby's speedy recovery. Also Graham is now sharing his personal pond with a Red Slider turtle that heard that the Quacker home is a shelter for homeless critters of all shapes, sizes and species. We hope they will be coming to Chapel with Graham.

We are still recruiting volunteer speakers for future Sundays. Please let me know when you'll be available and we'll work your presentation into our Inspirational Message.

Before you leave, please turn to your neighbors and wag your tails (and fluff your
feathers) as a sign of peace and love. And wherever your Mom is, please take a moment
to silently thank her for being your Mom, and for giving you the opportunity and foundation to share your love with the rest of the world.

Blessings to you all....

Mary-Margaret O'Brien
Lt. Chaplain - Yorkie Brigade Chapel
"Yorkie prayers are Angel's wishes!"
"Pups for PPL"
"A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue." Anonymous