Thank You St Francis

Today was the day we celebrate St Francis.  He is certainly my favorite saint....I believe he probably was a little Wabi Sabi.....he certainly didn't fit in...he preached to birds.....and he believed in Social Justice.  He is someone I certainly connect with.

And so today in church they talked about him....and this afternoon they had a Blessing of the Animals.  And so I brought Charley and Corky back to church....sweet Charley loves our church yard....I like to think he loves peaceful places....he quiets down and seems solemn.

And so Charley, Corky and I went to the Blessing....we read and responded....we prayed and Charley and Corky were blessed by our Priest....who is an animal lover himself....as we prayed together as a group for animals and creatures everywhere....those who are lost, or suffering, or dying....and I thought of my sweet Layla who has left us...and I thought of the boys who are my charges and all they do for us.  As I took in the beautiful surrounds of our church grounds...the statue of St. Francis....the trees the people.  And someone asked if the blessing helps animals go to Heaven....what is this for?  I thought about that while we read and prayed and repeated....why do I do this?  It's my covenant with my creatures.....it's what reminds me the pact I made with them....when I saw each of them in the shelter....the promise.....I guess that I made to their Creator.....that I would care for them, I would give them warm places to sleep, I would keep them clean and brushed and fed and most of all I would just be the place where they can be safe, and have fun, and know that they are free of any fear or danger or harm.  That is why I bring my boys, and wish I could bring the girls....to remind me of my promise to them....and to thank them for the promise they have made to me....to be with me, listen to me, keep me safe.....and walk with Gordon and I on this journey.
And when the time comes, I will be with my boys.....I will hold their head in my lap and I will kiss them, and thank them, and wish them well as they leave this life they had with me.
And the other part of St. Francis for me, is his prayer, and how I have a covenant with the other beings around me....to help them....to co-exist and be a "part of the solution" in this very dark and frightening world.
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.  Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled and to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.  For it is giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and is in dying that we are born to eternal life."  That is his prayer.....and I think that if Charley prayed in the way we do, this would be his prayer.
And so as I picked apples, he ran in the field and played I watched him enjoy this beautiful day and I thanked his Creator for entrusting us with a beautiful red dog named Charley, a goofy blonde boy named Corky, a strong willed goat name Cali and a sweet goofy girl named Daisy and a bigger than life chef who believes in my dreams so much that they become my own, and helps to make them possible.