Feast of Saint Francis
Posted by: Angel Animals on: October 4, 2009
Sunday, October 4th, is the celebration of the Feast of Saint Francis, patron saint of animals and ecology. Around the world churches hold a special ceremony called The Blessing of the Animals on or near this day as a way of remembering Saint Francis’s love for all creatures.
To find out where this blessing is being held in your state, if you are in the US, go to www.americancatholic.org/Features/francis/us.asp
The actual blessing below is a lovely celebration of the sacredness in life.
“Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”
About ten years ago we went to a local cathedral for the Blessing of the Animals. We wanted to experience it for ourselves. We’ve reprinted an excerpt of how we described the event in our book, ANGEL ANIMALS: Divine Messengers of Miracles.
“Hundreds of dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, iguanas, and ferrets waited inside boxes, sat next to their cherished people, or were draped over human shoulders as the sermons, songs, and barking resonated throughout the massive cathedral.
“To close the church service, a zebra, a falcon, and a camel led the procession down the middle aisle to the front where a minister intoned the liturgy for the Blessing of the Animals.
“After singing hymns and reading the liturgy in the cathedral, all the people and animals walked across the street to Loring Park, where we followed white-robed priests and joined two other churches that had had similar services.
“We walked with our yellow Lab Taylor close behind the priests with hundreds of animals and humans behind us. Smiles on the priests’ faces conveyed their obvious joy and the love they felt at giving a service to the animals in this way. When we arrived in the park, a musical group from Ecuador played wind instruments accompanied by an occasional howling dog.
“The ministers and priests each dispersed to tents with people and animals lining up to receive their blessings. As the priest blessed the dog in front, Taylor scooted out of her collar and ran to where Allen stood, preparing to take her picture.
“He explained to her that the blessing is a special event to honor her and that she might enjoy it. She settled down and returned to where Linda stood in line.
“When it was her turn, Taylor stepped up to the priest, who looked amused. He leaned over and gently touched Taylor’s forehead while offering a blessing that brought tears to Linda’s eyes.
“He said, ‘May the God who made you bless and keep you.’ Taylor solemnly accepted the gift with her eyes wide open and her tongue hanging out.
“As Linda and Taylor left the line, a woman with a thick European accent said, ‘She will always be with you now.’ And so she will. Our love for each other is the forever kind.”
Have you participated in the Blessing of the Animals? What was it like for you and your animal companion?
We welcome you to answer this question and the “Something to Think About” question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.
***
HORSES WITH A MISSION was a top 100 bestseller horse book on Amazon.com this week!
LAST DAYS FOR SALE AT ONLINE BOOKSTORE Go to shop.angelanimals.net for a great sale. Both HORSES WITH A MISSION and ANGEL DOGS WITH A MISSION are being offered for 40 percent off this week. The sale ends at midnight Central Time zone, Monday, October 5th. The books will be autographed for you. It’s a great chance to buy gifts for you and your animal loving friends.
DON’T MISS!!!
The launches for our new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION are on Tuesday, October 6th, 7:30 pm, CDT, at Garrison Keillor’s Common Good Books in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Saturday, October 10th, 2:00 p.m. at Borders Books & Music in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hope to see you there!
Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.
***
Watch and listen to Linda and Allen this week as they talk about HORSES WITH A MISSION and the book launches.
***Animal Wise Radio, Sunday, October 4, 1:20 p.m. Central Time. To listen live in Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, tune to KYCR (AM 1570) or KDWA (AM 1460. Listen streaming or later at www.KDWA.com. Podcast available at www.allpetsradio.com and www.animalwiseradio.com
***KARE 11 (NBC), Showcase Minnesota, Monday, October 5, 10:20 a.m. Central Time. If you miss the show live, you can see it online at www.showcaseminnesota.com/
Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net
www.horseswithamission.com
Having Things Your Way
Posted by: Angel Animals on: September 28, 2009
Speedy
One day, our cat, Speedy, took a liking to a large brown paper bag from Menards, a hardware store that sells home repair and remodeling items. After we took items out of the bag and it fell onto the floor, Speedy rushed from downstairs where he’d been sleeping. He ran into the dining room and curled inside the bag.
Thus began a ritual.
We’re not sure why. We thought we knew our unflappable, immutable, household Lion King from all the years we have shared our home with him. He has the couch, soft chairs, and the bed to rest and sleep on. But from the moment when he first discovered the bag on the floor, Speedy slept either inside or on top of it.
He even tried to carry the bag with him to pull up onto his favorite chair. When that didn’t work, he gave up the chair and returned to sleeping on top of the bag every chance he had. He made it clear that this bag belongs to him. Everyone, including our other pets, and the human family members, had to learn to live with Speedy’s new best friend.
For about three weeks, Speedy continued his love affair with the hardware bag. Then one day, we found him sleeping again in his previous favorite spots. The hardware bag lay crumpled and abandoned on the floor. Finally he had given his imperial permission for us to discard this unsightly treasure. Go figure!
We believe that everything is connected and animals are often spiritual messengers, so we decided to see if we could find a bigger picture to Speedy’s love for a Menard’s bag. Was Spirit showing us something about ourselves? Animals have a way of letting people know things they would not normally figure out on our own.
Since Speedy seems to have turned into a case study in attachment, we asked ourselves what we might be excessively attached to. Where were we rigid in our thoughts, opinions, and comfort zones?
Contemplating on the subject revealed aspects in our lives where we were acting as attached as Speedy to the paper bag. In other words, we had fixed ideas about the way certain projects should turn out. Speedy became a great reminder to stop and whisper to Spirit: “Thy will be done.”
What might the animals in your home or in nature be reminding you about yourself or about life?
We welcome you to answer this question and the “Something to Think About” question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.
***
NEW, ONE-WEEK SALE AT ONLINE BOOKSTORE Go to shop.angelanimals.net for a great sale. Both HORSES WITH A MISSION and ANGEL DOGS WITH A MISSION are being offered for 40 percent off this week. The sale ends on Monday, October 5th. The books will be autographed for you. It’s a great chance to buy gifts for you and your animal loving friends.
DON’T MISS!!!
The launches for our new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION are on Tuesday, October 6th, 7:30 p.m, CDT, at Garrison Keillor’s Common Good Books in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Saturday, October 10th, 2:00 p.m. at Borders Books & Music in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hope to see you there!
Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.
***
Consider HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It’s available, autographed, at Angel Animals Online Bookstore, www.shop.angelanimals.net, Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.
“Many pets are here on this earth to help humans in the journey of life. Horses, with their primal nature as prey animals, daily make choices to override their fears, get past traumas, and put themselves in danger to be one with the humans who love them. The stories in this book are great examples of the power of unconditional love, which I am reminded of every day in my work helping clients.”
–Lydia Hiby, animal communicator
* * *
LAST CHANCE!!!
Don’t forget to enter the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest described in the announcement below. We’re looking forward to reading your stories. CONTEST DEADLINE — SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 — IS FAST APPROACHING.
Meet the judges for this contest by going to www.angelanimals.net/contestdatwwltjudges.html
Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net
Division of Labor – The Way of the Pet
Posted by: Angel Animals on: August 29, 2009
One of the issues that often irk today’s ultra-busy woman is the need for an equitable division of labor. She longs for her husband and children to do their fair share in keeping the household operating efficiently. She wants coworkers to pitch in at the workplace. Complaints abound when the major part of the responsibility falls on female shoulders.
Our animal family members have wrapped their paws around this prickly issue and come up with their own creative solutions.
We have no idea how the animals, who share our home, have decided what chores they should do or how they’ve figured out which of them should have certain responsibilities. We just know that they do.
The division of labor goes something like this.
Leaf sleeps near the bedroom hallway door if Linda or Allen are out of town, as if he is waiting for them to return. This isn’t where he sleeps at night when his two humans are both home. He is normally on his doggy bed. He also has ultimate responsibility of keeping watch if Allen is out of town because he becomes the man of the house.
Cuddles, our black kitten with white-mitten paws, is Linda’s guardian angel. Cuddles follows her charge everywhere and won’t even take a nap until she knows exactly where her female human is. Whenever Cuddles sleeps on the bed with Linda she takes on the task of waking her a minute before the alarm rings. She licks her human’s fingers or bites them, if Linda won’t get up right away.
Food preparation comes under the watchful eye of our pudgy, food-loving cat, Speedy and our eager dog, Leaf. What meal would be complete without Speedy rubbing against the chef’s legs and purring his satisfaction and Leaf alert for any escaping pieces of food that might hit the floor?
Sunshine is the household’s watch-bird. If anyone approaches our home, he screeches at the top of his lungs. No one could ever sneak past his watchful vigilance.
There is some silent communication about who is supposed to handle each task, although no visible signs of a household manager. Just a smooth animal operation at the Andersons’ home.
Are pets demonstrating in your home divisions of labor for vital chores, jobs, and power positions?
We welcome you to answer this question and the “Something to Think About” question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.
* * *
Join Allen & Linda at the Minnesota State Fair
Interview with Sage Lewis, The Creature Teacher! on her radio show The Pet Playground on Sunday, August 30, 2009, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time at the AM950 KTNF Booth, Minnesota State Fair. Allen and Linda will discuss their new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service. Stop by the booth. Sage will give away a free book. Call in the listener line at 952-946-6205.
* * *
We hope you’ll consider pre-ordering HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It’s available, autographed, at Angel Animals Online Bookstore, www.shop.angelanimals.net, Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.
“Through their courage, sensitivity, and kindness, the horses in this book become our inspiration and guides.”
–Michael Mountain, former president of Best Friends Animal Society
Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.
* * *
Don’t forget to enter the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest described in the announcement below. We’re looking forward to reading your stories. CONTEST DEADLINE — SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 — IS FAST-APPROACHING.
Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net
Bird and Horse Talk
Posted by: Angel Animals on: August 16, 2009
Sparkle and Sunshine
One of our most beloved pet family members is our bright yellow cockatiel Sunshine. He’s an old-timer who has far outlived the expectancy for this breed of bird. But life has been good, and Sunshine has enjoyed it to the fullest.
Each morning, when we take the cover off his cage, Sunshine shows us his wings. We admire them, and he flaps them like a body-builder showing off his muscles.
We take him out of his cage, and he uses our fingers as a launching pad for a flight to the mantle. There he takes his morning stroll and looks out the adjacent window. He asks, “Are you my sweet baby?” Of course, we respond, “Yes.” Then he says, “I love you, sweet baby.” And we say, “We love you, too.”
He takes a morning bath in a shallow dish with warm water. He has a chat with the outside birds, retuning their whistles and song. Linda often creates a melody for him. He listens carefully and later in the day, will often repeat it with variations he has composed. Or he initiates the songwriting session by whistling a tune that Linda imitates.
We adopted Sunshine with a gray cockatiel Sparkle. Sunshine adored Sparkle. She groomed his feathers and took good care of him for many years. Sweet Sparkle wasn’t as hardy as her more cantankerous mate. One night, after a prolonged illness, Sparkle passed away. Sunshine stood vigil over her, walking round and round her body, wailing (crying) over his loss.
After Sparkle left this physical world, Sunshine would stand on the mantel alone and follow a movement in the air. It was similar to the trajectory Sparkle used to have when she flew around the living room. We suspect that spiritually the part of Sparkle that did not die, the soul, came to visit and comfort Sunshine. After a couple of years he stopped seeing what only he could see.
Recently we read a book about a special bird. We enjoyed tremendously WESLEY THE OWL: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O’Brien (Free Press, 2008). It tells about the journey of a rescued barn owl as he and biologist Stacey O’Brien forged a most unusual and satisfying relationship.
Stacey writes, “One evening I was lying down and rubbing him [Wesley] under his wings. Wesley pushed with his feet so that he was lying on my chest with his head up under my chin, his beak sleepily nibbling my throat. Then he rustled a bit and slowly began to open both delicate golden wings, stretching them as far as they would go and laying them across my shoulders. He slept that way for a long time and I stayed awake in awe.
“It was an owl hug. I hoped he would do it again. He did, and this vulnerable position became his new way of cuddling. I never got over the wonder of it and I often felt tears stinging my eyes. This complicated wild soul had stretched his golden wings over me in complete trust. I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything in the world. Not for anything in the world.”
Don’t you just love books that make reinforce what you already know — animals are the most gracious of friends?
We’d like to share with you a touching moment we just had this week. In our mailbox we found the first author copies from the publication of our new horse book. The stories in this new book take our breath away with their sincerity and strange beauty.
We hope you’ll consider pre-ordering HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It’s available at Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.
“With hearts and minds open, we can learn from the wild and domesticated horses in this wonderful book.”
–Joe Camp, author of THE SOUL OF A HORSE and creator of the films starring the canine superstar Benji
“This collection of stories will remind anyone who has ever had a horse as a best friend, confidante, and soul mate of what a special gift that can be.”
–Carson Kressley, Emmy Award-winning TV host, designer, and author of OFF THE CUFF
“You don’t need to be an avid equestrian like me to truly enjoy this book, as the stories resonate with a spirit of hope and harmony that is shared by all creatures great and small.”
–Alison Eastwood, actress, director, and producer
“The spiritual and physical bond between horses and the humans who love them often reaches mystical proportions. Nothing celebrates that very special relationship more movingly or with greater clarity than HORSES WITH A MISSION.”
–Steven D. Price, editor of THE WHOLE HORSE CATALOG
“Through their courage, sensitivity, and kindness, the horses in this book become our inspiration and guides.”
–Michael Mountain, former president of Best Friends Animal Society
“This important book will spark your imagination and inspire you to embrace the magical moments in life that happen every single day. This book is a joy to read.”
–Melanie Sue Bowles, author of HOOF PRINTS and founder of Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary
Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net
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