Paws to you my friends! I’m awake early today! A group of my heavenly pals and I have decided to go off on an adventure! We decided to explore the heavens to see what is beyond the meadow hill where we have stayed since our arrivals here in our beautiful heavenly home! There are no boundaries here! We are free to go wherever we wish, but we have been content and happy right here, and really haven’t thought about venturing out beyond our comfort zone!
      We were barking amongst ourselves a few days ago and thought maybe there are other things to see, other dogs and cats to meet or help in some way. There just might be more for us to do beyond our little piece of heaven!
      There is an instinct we all seem to possess, that there might be more to our lives than just lying comfortably or playing and enjoying the beautiful home we now reside in! We each are given a special gift from God, something unique that has been entrusted to us to carry through. We just need to listen and trust our own inner messages to lead us to the use the gift we have been given.
      While on earth, some of us dogs were there to give love and comfort to our masters, to bring joy to those around us. Some of us helped our masters hunt. Some of us were eyes to our blind masters. Some of us aided policeman to help keep our communities safe. Some of us visited the sick in hopes to bring a smile. Each of us gave something special to those around us.
      Oh, here they come! The lab gang, Remington, Ruger, Dutch, Sebastian, and Kachina, followed by Ziti, Tank, Rasta, and BB. I run down the meadow hill to greet them! We all bark and howl with excitement as we begin our journey. Suddenly the felines, Squeeky and Lucky, jump above the meadow grass meowing, as they join us.
      Of course it’s not long til the lab gang leads us down to the creek, and we all begin running and splashing in the flowing water. The creek winds around throughout this heavenly world, and the lab gang convinces us that it is the best path to follow! I think the lab gang had an ulterior motive of being able to play in their favorite place as we proceed on our journey.
      Ziti and Tank along with Lucky and Squeeky, were running on the shoreline, when we hear barks and meows! We all run up the bank of the creek and see Tank and Ziti digging. Lucky explained that they found a large flat stone, partially sticking above the surface. As they got closer they noticed something carved on the exposed surface. We all started digging in anticipation of being able to see what secret message might be revealed.
      Once the surface was uncovered, I barked the words that were carved in the stone....
      “Love is patient, is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, love never fails.”
      There was silence...as we gazed at the words! Remington barks out, “It’s a dog’s creed.” Ruger adds, “Yes, if we put each of our names in front of these phrases, we have truly lived our lives this way.” Lucky meows, “Even us cats have these virtues instilled in our hearts.”
      “Living a life of receiving and giving love has united us in this beautiful heavenly paradise,” Ziti barks a reply.
      “Each and every day I would run to greet my masters when they came to the door, never complaining about being left home alone, for their presence and love filled me with joy, and I knew they would return,” Sebastian added.
      I barked, “I loved walks with my master, and waited patiently until he’d get the leash and say c’mon let’s go! I confess that I may have paced a little or nudged his leg, to spur him on. But, oh how excited I was! Time spent with just my master and me! I am so glad we had those ‘love’ walks. I’ll remember them forever.”
      Tank howled,”We may not always act perfectly, but love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Faith, hope and love abide in our lives...but the greatest of these is love.” Everyone hi-pawed and howled in agreement.
      Well now it is time for a nap. As we lay by the stone, heads placed between our paws, doggy grins abound, peace surrounds us, and tails awaggin’... for in our hearts we know love and love never fails.
      ** Excerpts from 1 Corinthians 13