May 15, 2011 - Happy Sunday!

Good Morning on this beautiful Sunday, May 15, 2011. Most everywhere the sun is shining and life is good. Our prayers are in force and the tornados have stopped. Unfortunately they were replaced by flooding, which in turn will cause many more problems. Before we get started with today's message, let's put our paws together and ask God for some relief from the flood waters, and ask for his help in the recovery of our economy. I know the Lord never gives us more than he thinks we can handle, but so many are at the breaking point, and so many souls have been lining up at Heaven's gate recently because of the tragedies in the South.

Please, Lord, we ask you, PLEASE help us get through these trying times and help us to see the way beyond. Amen.

Now...today's message is about "commitment". Yes, about taking personal responsibility for following through on your promises.

Let's talk about adopting a fur baby, for example. God made newborn fur babies so darn cute that they're hard to resist. We're little, cuddly, smell sweet and give tiny little kisses that are absolutely addictive to most humans. We are adopted and we become a part of a family. We learn, we love and we grow.

The first two parts are a given - we learn what the humans want from us and we try really hard to live up to their expectations. We also love our adoptive families unconditionally. We don't question our people when they put us outside and they go off for hours at a time because we trust they will always come back for us. Even if we get swatted for some minor "faux pas" (puddles, shredded toilet paper, a little brown pile on the carpet) we know that they will forget and they will hug us and forgive us and we will love them again as if nothing ever happened.

It's the last part - the growing - that some humans have trouble with. Hardly anyone of any species ever stays the same size. That's just life, guys. And when we start knocking over Aunt Grace's porcelain collection, or shedding on the couch, or eating bowls of kibble proportionate to our weight, some humans forget that we are family, and they forget their commitment that they made when we were babies. And some of us end up in the back yard or kennel for days instead of hours. We are fed and watered when someone remembers to do so. We get fleas and sores and no one cares. And finally, some of us end up at a shelter because our families no longer want a grown up dog. We are abandoned and left to our fate.

Rescue groups and shelters are full of residents that are grown. We have already learned and loved, but we are (pardon the expression) "dumped" because we grew. Many of us, but not all, get a second chance. That's when those second chancers will find their forever families. That's when our existence is truly validated and we know we are part of God's plan.

There are all kinds of commitments that humans make throughout their life. Commitments to each other, like "marriage", and a while into the relationship the reality of the commitment sets in and the humans forget their promise of "until death do us part".

Or promises to God - like saying "Dear Lord, if you just let Uncle Aloysius get better, I promise to quit smoking", but when God helps Uncle Aloysius walk again, the human who made the bargain with God in the first place celebrates by bumming a cigarette off the first smoker he sees.

Even our Inspirational Message for Chapel is a commitment that I've made to you all and I intend to keep. You are all part of my family and we never let our family down, no matter what.

I'm sure you each can think of promises that you or those close to you have made that are broken without another thought. Unless that promise was made by a dog (or a duck). And us pups ALWAYS keep our promises. Once we are part of a family we are a part of it forever. If you leave, we grieve. We find your scent and we follow you to the ends of the earth. If you see us years later we will remember you and love you with all our hearts as if you had never left us.

We wind up these inspirational messages with a couple of quotes: A quote from John Holmes: "A dog is not "almost human" and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such." and one from Robert Brault: "An old dog, even more than an old spouse, always feels like doing what you feel like doing."

Let us grow old with you and you will never be sorry.

Please put your paws together and bow your heads as we ask that our Lord or Higher Power help us to honor our commitments and fortify our resolve on a daily basis:

Dear Lord - we ask you to make us wise and alert in our duties. Help to keep us faithful in the time of routine; to be quick to make decisions; and and to be courageous to act in a time of crisis. Help us to always keep peaceful and focused in our minds and our hearts so that we can take care of our families and keep them from harm. Take care of our loved ones when we are separated. Help us honor our commitment and always keep us true to each other. If we have to be apart, help us to return to each other with safety and love. Amen.

(a moment's silence as our prayer fully sinks in....and then Mary-Margaret speaks!)

And now I ask that you turn to your neighbors and wag your tails or fluff your feathers as a sign of peace and love.

We still need volunteers to be guest speakers at Sunday services. Please PLEASE submit your stories so we can incorporate them into our messages. Mom says I'm going to have to start paying her if we don't get some outside help and ....well...collections have been pretty meager in the cyber basket.

We will be serving raw carrots and freshly picked green beans from our garden on the side of the church by the now-functioning fountain dedicated to our parish by the Sisters of St Francis. We have a new member to introduce to you: The Sangster family has adopted little Raffie (Prince Rafael Zane) and he will be in the nursery class for Preschool Puppies starting next Sunday. Congratulations Sangster family!! We also remind you that our Parish Library is open 24/7 if you would care to review our Parish Family Albums and get to know your church family members face to face.

A reminder to you all to pick up your tails, links and photos from our cloakroom on the way out. Our "lost and found" is getting a little cluttered, and those items left after Memorial Day will be auctioned off at our next yard sale, June 5th, with the proceeds going to our Summer Camp fund for Underprivileged Pups (SCUP).

Blessings to you all...

Have a wonderful day!!

Mary-Margaret O'Brien
Lt. Chaplain - YorkieBrigade