Grand kids are a joy and a blessing

Joy and a blessing, joy and a blessing....that is what I have to keep telling myself when the grand kids come to visit.  Now, before I go any further, I have to say that I love my grand kids.  Jon and I raised them for 8 years and we would not have done that for any reason other than love.   
We have had 2 of them for the week because the school decided they needed a fall break.  I can't remember ever getting a fall break when I was in school but that was 100 years ago so I guess things have changed.  I was really looking forward to this visit. We didn't get to see much of the female grandchild last summer so I was happy to be able to spend some time with her.  Tomorrow they go home and I am SO ready for that. The week starts out great but by the time they are suppose to go home I am a raving lunatic!!  The house is a mess and that boy NEVER stops talking and I mean NEVER! Talk, talk, talk......WOW and he argues just to argue.  If I say the sky is blue he will say "no Grams the sky isn't blue"  and I reply "how did I make it through this life so wrong all the time?  I just need a 12 year old to correct me and tell me how stupid I am". And if one of them did something the other one did it better or faster or easier.  I am just done.  
And when did they become so mean?  They cannot have a conversation with each other without insulting each other.....you are fat....you are ugly....you are stupid....etc.   I just don't remember my brothers and I being so hateful to each other.  Now I know I am old but dang!!  I tried to tell them they should be nicer to each other because they are sibling but that went in one ear and out the other.  I hate that I feel this way, that I am looking forward to them going home.  I should be sad but I'm not.   
 Is it because they are teenagers that they are so annoying?  Maybe so. I used to tell them before they went back to live with their mom that they had to go before they became teenagers.  They thought I was joking about that but I was dead serious.  I refuse to raise anymore teenagers.....been there, done that.  I remember my kids as teenagers and that is why I refuse to do that again.  
So anyway I love you kids but tomorrow cannot get here soon enough for me!  Adios! 

Why worry...give it to GOD

I have to admit something.  I am a worrier.  I worry far too much but I learned something today.  Today I listened to a sermon from the church we used to go to in Arkansas.  It is called That Church...catchy right? 
 They changed the name after we left.  When we were going there is was called Mercy's Cross.  Not sure why they changed the name, maybe to be catchy.  Anyway they do this series every year where they take popular movies and pull a biblical theme from it.  This particular sermon was on Jaws.  Now that isn't one that I thought would be relevant but I was completely wrong.  The theme of the sermon was worry and how it is a sin.  I guess I never thought about my worrying as being sinful but this sermon changed my mind.  My current worry is my goat Sarah.  Goats have worms in their stomachs all the time and the key is to keep the worm load low so it doesn't cause any health issues.  Well I didn't keep a close enough eye on her and now she is severely anemic, this can kill a goat.  Now I know some of you would say it is just a goat, what is the big deal?  The big deal to me is this...God gave me these goats to take care of and I feel like I am not being a good steward of the gifts He has given me. By letting this goat get sick I failed in my duty to God to care for these goats.  I expressed this to Jon last night and he says I am being too hard on myself, that he doesn't know anyone who worries more about their animals than I do but that really doesn't make me feel better.  As silly as it might sound I pray for my goats.  I lay hands on them and ask God to heal them and keep them safe but I wonder if God is listening and if his plan is for this goat to get better.  I hope and pray that she will overcome this but what if God has something different in mind?  Is this suppose to be a learning experience for me? I often think about this when I look back at other things that have happened in my life like when my dad died.  He had so many people praying for him but God obviously had other plans.  Was I suppose to learn something from his death and/or did it affect someone else to bring them to know Christ?  In the end all the worrying I did didn't change the outcome and I am learning to accept that God had a plan even if I don't know what it was.  I know he is in control of everything but that doesn't make it any easier to not worry.  Philippians 4:6-7 says 
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  

Sometimes that is a hard thing to do. To give everything over to God and trust that he has your back but by worrying I am questioning whether God is big enough to do that.  By worrying I am doubting God's ability to take care of my concerns and that is sinful.  I know I will continue to worry, I think it is just human nature, but I will try to worry less and rely on God more, to pray more and give my worries over to Him.  If you get a chance I highly recommend you listen to this sermon and any others they have on their website.  ThatChurch.com is one of the things I miss most about living in Arkansas. 
https://youtu.be/OOFZ5L0GFiQ

God's Blessings 

Why do we keep doing same thing and expect different results?

Today I listened to Glenn Beck like I do most mornings but today was a different kind of show.  Today he asked if there was anything he could do to help.  He took phone calls from people all over the country who had different problems but the one that came up the most was health insurance.  So many called in and/or wrote on his Facebook page complaining about their health insurance, how much it has gone up along with the deductible, and how little it actually pays for.  It made me realize how blessed we are as a family. Because Jon is retired from the military, we have Tricare Prime as our health insurance.  Our insurance runs us around $650.00 per year....yes per YEAR.  Most families pay double or triple that a month.  Tricare Prime is really good insurance.  We pay $12.00 for a doctor visit and between $25.00 and $30.00 for emergency room visits or any kind of procedures we need done and we have no deductible. Jon deserves the benefits he has.  He put in almost 30 years in the military.  That meant a lot of time away from his family and time spent in places that put him in danger. We lived apart over 3 years while he was in Japan and I was in Louisiana.  He spent almost six months stuck in Oman and he spent time in Kuwait.   He earned his benefits. 

Listening to these people call in and tell about how high their insurance premiums were, how high their deductibles were and how they are having to work 2 and sometimes 3 jobs just to keep above water makes me sad but also thankful. It makes me sad to see so many people that are fearful of getting sick.  Fearful of losing their jobs and fearful of losing their homes. I have family members that are in the same situation.  Not able to afford health insurance and scared that something will  happen to them that will make them unable to work.  I've been in those shoes.  In my former life, I lived paycheck to paycheck not really sure if I would be able to pay the bills and still put food on the table but I was young and healthy.  I didn't think about buying health insurance.  I rarely went to the doctor but I was lucky enough to work in a pharmacy and had access to medication if I did get sick.  So many out there don't have anything to fall back on if something happens to them.  If they lose their job, have an accident or become seriously ill.  So what is the answer?  Is there a solution to this problem? I think, if the free market were allowed to prosper, the cost of medical care and health insurance would not be as costly but I don't see that changing.  The government is too entrenched in our lives. They tell us we HAVE to buy health insurance and then, because of regulations, make the insurance almost impossible to buy.  It is not possible to buy health insurance across state lines and that gives most insurance companies a monopoly on the market it their state.  If we were able to buy any insurance, the companies would become more competitive and that would lower the premiums....but that won't happen.  Health insurance companies and their executives are becoming filthy rich on the backs of average Americans and then they hire lobbyists to go to our elected officials and persuade them to not change the laws so they can keep getting richer. 

 Government intervention is the reason for our health care crisis plain and simple.
  
So why do we continue to re-elect the same people who do the same things, day in and day out?  Who keep getting richer while average Americans keep getting poorer.  I'm not sure why but we do.  The people of Arizona keep re-electing John McCain who has been a politician for 35 years. Kentucky keeps re-electing Mitch McConnell.  He has been a senator there since 1984.  South Carolina keeps re-electing Lindsey Graham.  He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1995 and then went on to become a Senator.  Nancy Pelosi has represented California's 12th district since 1987.  Barbara Boxer has been a Senator since 1992.  Charlie Rangel has been in office since 1971!! 
These are just a few examples of politicians that keep getting re-elected even though they are doing a terrible job of representing their constituents, well maybe not Pelosi , Boxer and Rangel. The do represent California and New York soooooo. 

I keep hearing from Glenn and others like him that we need to call our representatives and let them know how we feel about the issues that affect us.  I gotta wonder if they are even listening anymore.  If we don't get people in office that ACTUALLY care about those they represent then nothing is going to change.  If we keep re-electing those that are getting richer while Americans keep getting poorer nothing we have no one to blame but ourselves.  


End of Rant.

Are church denominations biblical?

Something I have been pondering for a while is the question of church denominations.  We have tried several.  I grew up Lutheran and that is the church we were married in.  We went to an Evangelical Free Church in Iowa which I really liked.  Until recently we were attending Baptist churches here in Texas although I didn't always agree with their theology.  We have gone back to our Lutheran roots for now anyway because we have become disillusioned with the others.  I wish we could go back to a time when there were no "denominations".  To a time when people met together to worship, fellowship, and help each other.   I think churches today have become so hung up on the service they have forgotten to serve.  Many churches have become so big and impersonal, it is all about the atmosphere and music, we have forgotten who we are there to worship.  It has been suggested to us to start a home church, an idea that I actually like.  Maybe we could get away from the conflicts that seem to plague today's churches and get back to the basics.  I'm not sure where I am going with this but it is something I have been thinking about for a while.   

Are we only the body of Christ on Sunday?

After posting my last blog about churches I didn't receive any feedback which kind of disappointed me.  The only thing I saw was a post from a pastor who basically said it was my own fault if I feel the way I do.  He didn't send it directly to me but I knew from the content that his Facebook post was a response to my blog. It was not what I expected.

My next question is this...Are we only the body of Christ on Sunday?  We have some friends that Jon met at the flea market in Linden a couple years ago.  They go to the church we went to and we do a lot with them.  We go out to eat, shop and generally help each other out when we need it.  They are really wonderful people. I think the reason we have hit is off is they are prior military, have moved around as much as we have, and understand how hard it is to get connected in a new community.  They reached out to us when we were looking to make new friends and connect with people.  I guess I am writing this particular blog to ask how often you, as a member of a church, reach out to new people outside of church? Do you see them on any other day besides Sunday?  They are the only people from any of the churches we have attended here that did and we didn't even meet them at church.  It just so happened they were going to the same church as us.  Are we not suppose to interact with others from the church outside of "church"?  Acts 2:46-47 says
"Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

So the new testament church met daily, not just on Sunday. Why don't we, in the modern church, do the same?  Is it that we are just too busy?  Is it that we just don't see it as important? Do we have enough friends and just don't need anymore? Are we content to just do "church" on Sunday, check that box off our schedule, and go on with our lives?  

I know I am guilty of this.  I come up with excuses as to why I don't....I am uncomfortable reaching out to new people....I like my life the way it is.....what if I don't like the person after I get to know them?  But I feel like I am missing something.  I feel like I am not living for God the way I should be.  I know it is a weakness of mine and something I continue to pray about and ask for guidance. I don't really know why I am writing this blog, maybe to help me work out my own issues.  Maybe to encourage you to go talk to those new people and maybe invite them to lunch. Hopefully you are encouraged to reach out to someone who needs a friend and maybe I will too.  

  

Is tithing just keeping a building open?

Jon and I have been having a challenge lately.  We were going to a baptist church in Linden, Texas but decided we needed a change so we started going to a Lutheran church in Atlanta, Texas instead.  It is a small church with a very small congregation of mostly older people.  The pastor was retired and decided he would help out a couple small churches who couldn't support a pastor so he came out of retirement and preaches at this church and another in Texarkana, Arkansas.  We have always been members of a church but haven't really participated much, maybe because we have moved around so much and have had a hard time getting connected.  Now don't get me wrong we love the Lord but not today's modern church so much.  I recently read a blog entitled "Meet those who Love Jesus but not the church" 

https://www.barna.com/research/meet-love-jesus-not-church/#.WOXUP4tY1sM. 

 The blog is in regard to a survey that was made questioning people about their spiritual life and if they go to church or not.  I was surprised to find that I am not the only one who feels like the church isn't relevant to them.  I was surprised to read that I am not the only one who loves God but have found that they have lost faith in the church.   
 Are today's modern churches failing because they put too much emphasis on the building and staff and not enough on the people?  Jon and I have always thought tithing was very important and we do give to the church we are attending. We also give to other Christian organizations that we know are making a difference but we are battling with ourselves over the idea that the tithe we give to our local church isn't making a difference, that it is being used to keep up a building, and pay for staff.  If you google this topic you will get as many post for supporting pastors and churches 

http://christianmediamagazine.com/5-things-bible-says-paying-pastors-church-leaders/

as you get against

http://www.truthguard.com/Articles/has-god-really-commanded-that-pastors-be-paid-a66.html. 

How do we know if it is biblical for a pastor and a building to be supported by a congregation when there are so many different opinions on the subject?  Are we wrong to feel the way we feel?  Are we wrong to want to know that the tithe we give is being used to help bring people to God and not to pay for building?  Now I don't expect to get the answers we need from writing this blog but I wanted to start a conversation on the subject.  I want to hear from others who feel the way I do and from others who think it is the responsibility of the congregation to support a pastor and church.  

Music has the power to transport you back in time

I love music.  I love classic rock music, old country music, old R&B music, contemporary Christian music and even a little bit of older rap music.  Its funny how I will hear a song on the radio and say "this is one of my top 10 favorite songs"  but I seem to say that a lot.  Some of my favorites are Sister Golden Hair by America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIycEe59Auc, Song Sung Blue by Neil Diamond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru6oaMLzXYA,  Ramblin Man by The Allman Brothers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4WiyxXpyZc, Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VxoXn-0Ezs, most Chicago songs before Peter Cetera took over the group after Terry Kath died and ruined it, lots of Waylon Jennings just because he and Neil Diamond were about the only 2 artists Mom would let me listen to in the car.   It is amazing how a song you haven't heard in a long time can take you back to a time when you were young or when you thought you were in love, to a memory from childhood.  A song that you sang with your mom or dad or partied to as a teenager.  A song you danced the night away to at the local club.  Music has the power to make you young again, to make you relive your glory days.   I hear certain songs that take me back to swimming with my dad at the base pool, songs that I skated to at the skating rink, songs I listened to when I partied at the parkway, songs I listened to when I played pool with Jan, songs I danced to at Cowboy's with my friend John or Memories with my friend Melody, songs that I sang in church as I worshiped God. Music has an amazing ability to transport you back to a time when life seemed simple, when you still had family and friends in your life, to a time when your kids were small or teenagers.  I love music.

Should Christians be held to a higher standard?

Lately my husband and I have been struggling with something.  A member of the church we attend recently got married which is wonderful.  They are expecting a baby which is also wonderful.  She conceived said baby before they were married which, in this day and age, isn't all that unusual.  Our concern is this individual leads worship, plays with the praise band and helps with the youth group.  This person has a very active Facebook page so I am sure everyone at church knows his situation. They know this couple were living together before they got married and they know how far along in her pregnancy she was when they married.  Our question and/or concern is....should this matter?  Shouldn't the church and the people who represent the church be held to a higher standard? Are we being to judgmental? Should we just ignore the fact that this couple was living in a way that isn't biblical or should we just accept it as the new normal?  This man interacts with the youth group.  Will the youth of the church look at his situation and think that behavior is okay?  Should we accept gossip, slandering, premarital sex, use of pornography, homosexual lifestyles...etc? Once again I have to say, that I am no saint, but I try, but I do not represent the church the way he does. This man helps lead worship.  I wonder if our pastor talked with him.  I wonder if any of the deacons talked with him.  I wonder if anyone cares.    Am I wrong to think the people at church, who profess to be Christians, should strive to live a life that is pleasing to God?  I know we are all broken and in need of grace and mercy but do we excuse the blatant disregard for what the bible teaches us about sex and marriage? Do we turn a blind eye when we see someone in the church openly committing a sin that could negatively impact the church?  Paul admonished the church in Corinth to judge those in the church committing sins, should we not do that in the modern church?  Are we intolerant or hateful if we do that today? 
 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you." 1Corinthians 5: 11-12

Not sure what we are to do with these feelings except pray for God to direct us in the path we should follow.  

Low Carb Mexican Lasagna

In an attempt to get healthy I am working hard to live a low carb lifestyle.  There are times when I seriously miss eating sweets and carbs and do cheat more then I should.  This is a recipe I concocted to use up some eggs and still be low carb that means no flour or corn tortillas.  Eggs are a great source of protein and since I have so many I really need to use them up.  

Low Carb Mexican Lasagna

1 dozen eggs scrambled
Cumin
1 large can enchilada sauce
1-2 cups mexican style grated cheese
taco meat of your choice
chopped jalapenos (if you like a little spice)

Sprinkle some cumin in a preheated, greased skillet and pour in eggs probably 1/2 cup per layer. Cook like an omelet in the shape of a flour tortilla. You will need 3 or 4 depending on the size of your baking dish. Pour a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of your baking dish and start layering.  Eggs, meat, cheese, peppers and sauce.  Sprinkle a generous layer of cheese on top and bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.  The great thing about this is everything is already cooked so you are just heating it up.  

the taco meat I bough on sale

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or guacamole and enjoy!!

An ode to my husband

With Valentine' Day fast approaching I thought I would take a few minutes to write about my amazing husband.  We have been married for almost 22 years which is a whole lot longer than a lot thought would happen.  We both came from broken relationships so we were not new to the whole marriage thing.  Our romance started on an odd note but that didn't stop us.  We were told by a minister at the church he was going to that we had a snowball's chance in hell of making it.....nice right ? 
But life with him just keeps getting better and better.  We have both had to deal with raising difficult teenagers and grandchildren, spending years apart because of the military, my mother living with us and now my nephew which he was completely on board with. He grieved with me when I lost my mom and dad and supported me at my lowest point. He has an amazing mind and a loving, generous heart and puts up with my craziness without blinking an eye. I often wonder what I did to deserve such an amazing husband. How I managed to catch the best guy in the world to be my man?  I often look in the mirror and see this old woman  looking back at me but when I say that to him he only says that I am beautiful.  I often tell him he sees me through rose colored glasses but he says he sees me through God's glasses.  That means he only sees the good in me and not the gray hair, wrinkles or sagging skin.  He sees a beautiful wife and I love him for it.  Most men compare their wives to other women, maybe wishing she were thinner, prettier or younger but not him.  He loves me for me! We don't normally celebrate Valentine's Day because, to us, we don't need one day of the year to tell each other how much we love one another, we tell each other that every day and I think that is one of the things that keep us going.  No matter what comes around the bend we stick together and if there is an issue we work it out without angry words or ugly remarks.  I have told people that we never fight and I get the "I don't believe you" look but it is true.  In all our years we have never had a fight.  If I get upset about something I just tell him and he is the same way although he say he never gets mad at me (which I find hard to believe).  I know we were truly meant to be together and he is my soulmate.  He is the man God chose for me and I am truly blessed to be his wife. 

The "F" Bomb

I will start this blog out stating that I am no saint. As a Christian I really do try to watch my language but sometimes a word slips out before I can stop myself. I say all that to say this; I rarely if ever curse on Facebook or in an email and I never use the F bomb in a post, tweet or email.  I gotta wonder....When did this become acceptable?  Why is it that you cannot have a conversation on ANY Facebook page without someone dropping the F bomb?  Have we become so uncivilized that we cannot respect that not everyone wants to hear or read that word?  Or is it that we just don't care. I have joined several pages on Facebook that have a lot of really good information but it never fails that someone has to drop the F bomb in the middle of a perfectly good conversation.  I just don't understand why we, as a society, cannot blog, post or tweet without someone using that word.  Is it a lack of vocabulary?  Is it a lack of respect for the feelings of others?  It is a lack of couth? (Look it up if you don't know what it means) I have to say it is very disappointing this lack of manners and respect that permeates our society today.  I wish I could say it is only men that seem to have this issue but just as many women use that word.  
So to wrap up this blog on manners lets review.  When you are asked a question you don't say "Yeah"  you say something couth like "Yes Ma'am" or "Yes Sir" "Please" and maybe even a "Thank You" would be nice. Think of who will be reading your posts and ask yourself if it will make you look uneducated.  Ask yourself before you speak.......would you kiss your mother with that mouth?  If the answer is no then maybe you shouldn't say it.   

I am not with the women marching in Washington!!

I saw the news report today about the women marching in Washington D.C. for women's rights and I am disgusted by the whole thing. Those people wearing those stupid pink hats and making their speeches, don't speak for me. First of all, what are your rights?  Is it your right to kill your baby?  Is it your right to have free birth control?  What are the "rights" you are marching for?  As far as I know killing your baby is still legal and women can get free birth control at most health units, so what is there to march for?  I find it so amazing that these women believe Donald Trump has the power to take these "rights" away.  He is just one man, not a king, not a dictator, just the president.  He DOES NOT have the power or authority to take rights away.  I also find it amazing that women don't want the government involved in their reproductive rights but they expect the American people to pay for their birth control and/or abortion.  When did it become my responsibility to pay for your sex life?  When did it become my responsibility to pay for your bad choices?  I find it totally insulting that, because I am a woman, I am incapable of taking care of myself and I need the government to pay for my choice to have sex. You can't have it both ways, either you want the government out of your sex life or you take responsibility and pay for your own birth control.  And another question....why do you even need to have an abortion? Did you not learn what causes pregnancy and how to prevent it?  When I hear of women having multiple abortions I think "WHAT THE HELL!!"  are you that stupid that you can't go to a clinic and get some pills?  They even make IUD's that last for up to 10 years!  As far as I am concerned any woman who gets pregnant on "accident" is full of it.  You know when you have unprotected sex there is a chance you can get pregnant so don't tell me you didn't know, sex education is taught in just about every public school in this country.  
Although I am pro-life I don't believe making abortion illegal is the answer.  We, as a country, have a heart problem.  Pro-choice people don't believe in the sanctity of life, they don't believe life starts at conception and they don't think the life they are killing is a baby or maybe they just don't care.  We need to change the narrative to "all lives matter!" Not black lives, white lives, old lives, young lives but ALL lives and that includes unborn lives.  When we stopped thinking of a fetus (Latin for "offspring") as an actual human life we became almost inhuman ourselves. 

Pugsly

I lost my Pugsly on Monday, January 9, 2017.  He was 14 years old.  I had his mom and dad, Rocky and Adrian.  They were cool little dogs that I had to give away when we got orders to Japan.  Pugsly originally belonged to my daughter and granddaughter.  Adrian had a litter and Jessica wanted one to grow up with Destiny.  He was a super cute puppy but all pugs puppies are cute.  When I came back from Japan he was living out with her dad so I decided he was coming home with me.  I remember he was really skinny and was positive for heart worms but that didn't matter he was my dog now.  I took him to the vet and had the heart worms cleared up and had him neutered and he quickly got to be a round dog.  What a funny boy he was, always happy to see me no matter how long I was away.  He didn't like to be held but loved to be loved on as long as you didn't mess with his tail or his wrinkles.  He would bark at nothing and dance around when it was dinner time.  He was a very happy dog.  He started having seizures several years ago but the vet said they were fairly normal so we didn't worry until the Friday before he died.  He started the day having a couple but by the evening he was having them back to back.  It wasn't looking good for him so Friday night I took him to the vet who ran tests and gave him some medication to stop the seizures but it didn't work.....nothing worked.  By Sunday he couldn't move at all.  I held him on my lap playing with his tail and cleaning his wrinkles.  I knew when he didn't respond to either he was gone.  I held him and told him what a great dog he had been and then found him a cool comfortable spot to rest.  I knew if he made it through the night on Sunday I would have to take him to the vet to be put to sleep but I prayed that I wouldn't have to do that.  I loved that little dog and did not want to have to make that decision so he made it for me.  He was gone by Monday morning when I got up. Jon came home early and we buried him in the little memorial garden I am building for Mom and Dad, under the bird feeders.  He loved to bark at the birds flying overhead so I thought it was a perfect resting place. 
Once again I am mourning.  Once again my heart is breaking and I am overwhelmed with sadness. I know I should be thankful for the years I had with him.  I know he lived a very long life and was well loved but that doesn't ease my broken heart.  Once again the phrase "this too shall pass" runs through my head and I know I will get past this sadness but WOW!!  I am thankful that my last 3 dogs are fairly young and in good health.  I am thankful for a husband who puts up with my dogs when he isn't even a dog person.  I know I will get another puppy but for now I will mourn my "Old Man" and remember what a great dog he was.  
  

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,

Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.

Where the friends of man and woman do run,

When their time on earth is over and done.

For here, between this world and the next,

Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.

On this golden land, they wait and they play,

Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,

For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.

Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,

Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They romp through the grass, without even a care,

Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.

All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,

Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.

For just at that instant, their eyes have met;

Together again, both person and pet.

So they run to each other, these friends from long past,

The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,

Has turned into joy once more in each heart.

They embrace with a love that will last forever,

And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.