Kylie: The Helper Dog

Posted by Barbara Techel

IMG_2228 eIn case you are new to following my online journal, in fun, I sometimes refer to my husband, John, as the Gingerbread man when he is all bundled up in his winter bib overalls and coat which is a ginger color. And Kylie, normally a strawberry colored Lab in the summer, her coat turns almost the same ginger color as John’s bibs and coat during the winter months. Hence, the reference below as Gingerbread man and Gingerbread dog.

The Gingerbread dog has very important tasks at the end of each day. Rain, snow, or sleet, she is needed.

Her job—assist the Gingerbread man.

Being a Gingerbread man running his own construction business of remodeling Gingerbread houses, this calls for an attentive assistant.

One that can be at his side to help haul materials from the Gingerbread work shed to the Gingerbread van.

Kylie, the Gingerbread dog must be on her toes, ready to assist and give a lending paw.

So you see, this is the idea of the Gingerbread man.

But the Gingerbread dog has other plans.

This should come as no surprise when you are a Labrador.

There is no time to assist the Gingerbread man who is struggling through the snow to carry work horses.

Oh no! Gingerbread dog must sniff the ground, burying her snout deep, to sniff out intruders that come upon our land.

Then she must fall to the ground, rub her head in some disgusting dropping left from the intruder as the Gingerbread man tries to stop her. The operative word here being tries.

But Gingerbread man loses…. every. single. time.

Gingerbread dog, happy with leaving her scent behind to stop the intruders and let them know this is her territory, trots off down the path, full of happiness that only a Lab can know.

Gingerbread man shakes his head in disgust, but also smiles, for the love of a dog who is his best friend.

30-Day Soul Work: Intriguing, Challenging and Rewarding.

Posted by Barbara Techel

220002In reality, I’ve been consciously listening to my soul since I was 38-years old. After having been let go from a job (which I now see as a huge blessing!), I was lost for a time being.

And the reality of being lost is I’ve experienced that feeling on and off over the years. The lesson in it? This is part of life. This is when growth happens. This is the evolving of my soul.

Yup, it’s a fact. I get into this deep stuff. So it’s not surprising that the book, the lotus and the lily, A 30-Day Soul Program, by Janet Conner, caught my eye. But I ignored it for a few months.

Guess who wouldn’t let me ignore it? You got it! My soul. The book cover, Janet’s name, or the title kept showing up in some fashion or form. I understand more and more now that when something has crossed my path at least three times, I know my soul is screaming, “Pay attention!”

January 5th I took the leap and dived into the book.  I’m relieved to be on Day 10 today. The past few days were to review the last year, write about it on the page, and get down to the nitty-gritty of the lessons I needed to learn.

Ugh. I balked at this! I didn’t want to do it – 2014 challenged me in so many ways. I madly wrote on the page, “I don’t want to talk about painful things! I want to be happy! I want my life back as I knew it!”

But then I took a sneak peek ahead into the upcoming chapters. I know – I shouldn’t have. But I needed something to motivate me through the tough stuff. It worked.

And guess what happened? I felt another uplifting shift in my healing. From writing about all the painful stuff, digging out the blessings, I began to feel a new sense of purpose.

I then sat down yesterday afternoon and made a SoulCollage card. I wasn’t sure I was going to share it. But I decided to because it really was so healing—in many unexpected ways.

It’s the first, of what I call, a painful SoulCollage card I’ve made. At first I didn’t like it. I didn’t want it in my deck. But as I put the images onto the card, I felt myself trying to hold the tears back. But then I let them come and it was a release. Another letting go. Another healing step in my journey. Another piece of my soul’s work done.

That morning, after doing my writing on the page which wasn’t easy, having then begun my day, I also had a wonderful “Spirit Wink” as Janet calls them in her book, which happened to me a few hours later. But that I’m saving and will share in my newsletter tomorrow (if you don’t get my newsletter, you can subscribe on the right hand side of the page).

At the end of the 30-Day Soul program we then get to make a mandala, which along with the last 30 days of soul writing, is to “help your connection with the vibrant presence of the divine within.” Looking forward to the continuing journey.

What Every Woman Needs: A Gingerbread Man.

Posted by Barbara Techel

gingerbread manI’m really grateful that John takes care of hauling the wood inside from the garage to keep our woodstove stoked. When he is dressed in his ginger colored bib overalls and coat I always call him my Gingerbread Man. Every woman needs one. I especially love that my Gingerbread Man is man enough to use my lovely wicker basket to carry in the logs. Gotta love a Gingerbread Man like that. Like I said in my post yesterday, “He’s a keeper.” Absolutely a keeper. And the Gingerbread Dog (a.k.a. Kylie) sure looks adorable beside him when they are outside. Ah yes, this is what makes my life meaningful.