Our dog Rhodie

When our family returned from Indian Wells late at night a week ago Monday, we couldn’t find our dog, Rhodie. We decided she was with our neighbor caretaker, and went to bed unworried.

The next morning, however, my wife found her in a remote part of our yard lying listlessly on the ground. She was breathing, but wouldn’t respond to any stimulation.

Rhodie is a golden lab, and has been with us around 15 years now. She is dearly loved and has added great joy to the family activity over the years. Suggestions that she may be nearing the end of her time on earth have surfaced in recent weeks as she has slowed down her momentum, so the first thought was, “This may be the time.”

I carried her up to the house and put her on her soft bed on the patio. She was limp, oblivious to my actions, and heavy to carry, but I succeeded in plunking her down in her favorite position. Motionless, she was not even slightly interested in eating or drinking.

Shortly, after walking away, I challenged the aggressive suggestion that she was dying. Yes, she had lived a long time, and yes, if she went, it would be okay. The family was prepared for that transition. I consented. But my Christian Science view of Life rebelled against accepting death under any circumstance.

Life is eternal! I protested. Rhodie is an eternal idea of God that was never born into matter, and will never leave matter, I affirmed.

I decided to improve my understanding of what Rhodie was as an idea of God, instead of buying into the picture of living and dying in matter.

And Christian Science teaches this truth. Christian Science, as Jesus taught also, explains that the physical body, as a shell of mortal mind, is never the sum and substance of anyone, including animals. We, in our true identity, are spiritual beings at-one with our Maker in Spirit.

God’s ideas lived before so-called material existence, and they live forever after it. Life is eternal in Spirit. It is never IN matter.

I caught a clearer glimpse of Rhodie as God’s idea in Mind, and not in matter, than ever before. It brought me great peace.

As a spiritual idea, she was not ill, she was not weak, she was not mortal, she was not dying, and never would die, I agreed. She was living her eternal spiritual life in Mind right now. And that truth would never change.

In a few hours, to the delight of all, Rhodie started to respond to taking in some water, and soon, food. She got up and moved a bit, very clumsily, then more, and soon started roaming the yard as was her customary practice in weeks past. It was a resurrection for the family to witness. Awesome!

Hmmm...I just realized that this all occurred at the beginning of Easter week. How cool...

Rhodie has been her usual self ever since. And everyone is happy about it.

“Never accept death as real and happening, even when it appears a natural thing to occur,” I gained from this experience.

Death is not natural, ever. Death doesn’t happen, ever. Life is the real, and it’s eternal.

When animals and people pass on, they do not die in the process. They continue living in Spirit, which is where they had always lived. This truth, understood, heals. It dispels, to increasing degree, the illusion of death and dying here on earth until we get to the full realization of Life in Spirit, where the suggestion of death doesn’t even occur in the first place. Oh what a glorious day that will be…

A big hug today

Have you received your lion hug for today?

My heart was warmed and delighted as I watched a video clip sent in by a reader today. You might enjoy it too.

A Colombian woman found a hurt and hungry baby lion in the wilderness. She took the desperate little one home and cared for him. Over time, he grew too big to stay with her any longer, so she turned him over to a local zoo. She has visited every day since.

Here's the video, "Lion hugs."

How unselflish are you willing to be?

The below picture came through my inbox today and I couldn't help but chuckle.

I don't know which creature asserted their position first. Whether the cat curled up in the dog basket and the dog decided to let the cat take her rest, or whether the dog decided first to take the smaller basket and let kitty see what a bigger bed would feel like?

I like the dog's attitude. Evidently, he has decided to make the best of the situation, let kitty rest peacefully, and be grateful for the perch still available to him.

I think of times in life when we may feel put upon, believing someone else has deprived us of something we figure is rightfully ours. But we learn through spiritual growth and increased humility that the most important position we ever occupy is not a place in the world, but a mental place at-one with divine Love, where we know we're loved and cared for by God through eternal spiritual ways and means no matter what comes and goes on the human scene.

Knowing our all-in-all resides in Spirit, we can live like Jesus Christ who gave everything he had humanly in order to help his neighbor. This is the ultimate unselfishness, but also the ultimate freedom, which leads away from sense to Soul.

Dog lessons

Thinking about the special dogs my family has cared for over the years, and all the joy, spirit and unqualified love they’ve expressed, I chuckled when reading the below sent in by a reader.

A family was discussing among themselves why dogs live shorter lives than humans.

The four year old son piped up, “I know why!” He said. “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life--like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right? Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.”

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

No lost little ones

Monica from Atlanta sent in the below experience her family had on the 4th of July. It reminds me to never give up when searching for solutions, because God always has an answer—even very unique ones at times!


We were preparing to go see fireworks.

My daughter had foolishly put her three guinea pigs out into the front yard to graze without the enclosure. We found her frantically searching for Peanut, the baby piggy. The entire family spent a good hour scouring the yard and listening to her squeak, but to no avail. I knew she needed to be found to survive, but it seemed impossible to find her!

We had looked everywhere.

I saw myself in Peanut's helpless situation and wondered how God could possibly bring about a solution, even as I clung to the thought of God's perfect creation, never out of his care. I knew my husband, son and daughters were all praying for a miracle.

Then an odd thought came to me to ask Strider, our German shepherd, for help. He had always been so tender with the piggies, guarding them and even barring his teeth at our other dogs when they got too near and rambunctious around them.

So I got out Peanut's hutch and called Strider. He took in the scent deeply, and I said "Find Peanut!"

Strider's nose went to the ground. In a few minutes I saw him pawing and sniffing in the low prickly brush where we had previously searched but found nothing. We all gathered to look, and hidden deep inside the prickles and dirt and dead leaves was Peanut! We never would have found her without Strider's help. How grateful we were, and amazed even more!

Strider acted like it was no big deal and looked puzzled at what all the fuss was about. It sure gave me hope, that there is a human solution in God's design, even when it seems impossible to mortal view.

Strider and Peanut

Pets and prayer

Who said pets don't pray???

Pets in the holiday spirit

One of my readers sent me an email filled with animals dressed in cute costumes. I enjoyed the pictures so much I wanted to sure a few with you.

I wasn’t sure about posting the below on this blog, but then again, I think God has a sense of humor. Don’t you? And a few chuckles now and then make for healthier happier days. And I know several of you readers are avid pet fans. So enjoy…

Speaking with authority

Yesterday, I was working in my home office while 5 children were playing in our yard on the back side of our house. I launched out of my chair to their play area when I heard a hostile dogfight erupt from their playground. Jetting through the patio door I came upon 2 dogs in a vicious brawl surrounded by little children trying to break it up. Teeth were flashing, blood dripping, and a renegade dog was going for the throat of our 16 year old Labrador retriever. The situation was urgent and needed to stop immediately.

Not wanting to lose a hand or finger I refrained from grabbing the animals, but loomed over them and commanded them verbally to halt. “Stop fighting now!” bellowed out of my mouth. The aggressor instantly halted his attack. Our golden Lab relaxed and the aggression ceased. Instantaneously! And that was the end of the fight.

The effect of those three short words was so powerful and so immediate I was caught by surprise, and so were the children. A holy moment of awe followed as we all stood in brief silence to comprehend how quickly the fight had dissolved.

I’ve witnessed many dog fights over the decades, but have never seen one end with a brief command.

“Peace, be still,” Jesus commanded to the storm, and the violent winds ceased.

I thought about passages in the New Testament where it was reported that Jesus spoke with authority.

After Jesus cast a devil out of a wild-minded man, the crowd was awed by the spiritual power Jesus was able to exercise over evil spirits.

When I came back into the house, I asked myself why the dogs had responded so quickly.

As I inventoried my thought I found a conviction within that it was right for the violence to stop. When I spoke, there was no fear in my voice. I was not unsure about my command. I knew God’s creatures were meant to dwell in harmony with each other.

It wasn’t the words that came out of my mouth that stopped the attack. It was the spiritual conviction and understanding behind the words that neutralized the aggression. The evil influence over the animals’ thought was instantly destroyed and they ceased fighting.

Jesus gave all his followers power to cast out evil spirits. I definitely had a taste of what it feels like to exercise that absolute sovereignty yesterday, and look forward to similar experiences in the future.

You too, can “speak with authority” today. Enjoy!

Our cat Heidi

We’re home from our brief trip to the mountains and back into the swing of tennis, swimming, and work for the kids and daily routine and fun adventure for the parents.

We took our cat Heidi to the cabin this weekend, and I couldn’t help but admire how healthy she looks and acts.

You have to realize that about 8 years ago she got crushed in our garage door. The adventurous type, one afternoon she was lounging on the top of the open door where no one could see her. Mom and Tyler took off to run errands, closing the electric door behind them. Two hours later they return and Tyler yells out to Mom, “What’s that sticking out of the top of our garage door?” It was Heidi’s two hind legs. She was half in and half out, her mid-section squashed to the depth of a pancake.

Alive, but unable to walk, Tyler put her in a box, carried her into the house and started to pray with Mom for her recovery. I was phoned to help out, and over the next few days we witnessed a remarkable restoration of her full capacities. It wasn’t long before she was running and jumping like nothing ever happened. And she’s been fully able ever since.

Prayer is a powerful tool to keep animals healthy and well. The carcass we call our pet is an outward symbol of a spiritual individuality created by God living safe and sound in Spirit. When Heidi was found in a squeeze, we focused on understanding her spiritual selfhood at-one with God that never got caught in the door, and I believe this higher view led to healing.

While watching Heidi bless our family with her love and contented purr this weekend, I was grateful to be reminded of this healing.

(That's Heidi in the picture.)