joyful paws

A Winter’s Day Walk with God… and Kylie

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

It’s only in the teens today, but I was ready to get back out on my new daily walks with Kylie. The last few days have been frigid and awfully windy, so we didn’t get our walks in. It seemed to take me forever as I got my snow pants on, two shirts, one sweatshirt, jacket, headband, two sets of mittens, and finally my jacket. Kylie stood patiently by, her tail wagging, looking at me, then glancing out the door and back to me again. I said, “I’m putting my fur coat on Kylie- hang on- almost ready to go.”

Today the sun is bright in the sky making swirls of colors appear on the white crisp snow on our walk. I thought, wow, isn’t nature magnificient? How did God think all this up? I’m grateful He did. It is quiet when we walk on our path- well- at least it is for now. Our path leads around an athletic field, which is also wooded on the outskirts- but in spring, summer, and fall it is busy with baseball games and soccer.


As I took in the quiet and only the crunching of my boots in the snow and the occasional sniff of Kylie smelling deep into the snow, I took in the silence and the beauty around me. It made me think about choices I have made in my life. The choice I made years ago not to be in the corporate world any more- the choice to no longer work for my husband’s business where I worked in the office for many years- the choice I make to try and live simpler, so I can enjoy these daily walks with Kylie.

I remember working at Kohl’s Department Store many moons ago. A woman I worked with hated her job, but didn’t want to quit because she was coming up on four weeks vacation. It struck me odd, and more so now, that she would continue to be miserable everyday, just because she would lose out on four weeks of vacation if she quit. I realize we all have choices but it made me sad to think how unhappy she was 48 weeks out of every year to only be happy for four.

As I continued on my walk, I thanked God for my time with Kylie which I consider a little vacation each day. How often we store everything up inside us thinking we will relax and be happy when vacation comes, when we could have enjoyed a simple, small pleasure every day. And isn’t that what life is all about? And yes, vacations are good too. I do enjoy them- but I also like coming home again to my daily walks with God… and Kylie.

 

From my Yogi Tea bag:  “Nature is a giver, a true friend and a sustainer.”

The Secrets of Joy

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

Today I was having a difficult time in discovering something to share as part of my 31 days in January as part of my River of Stones and noticing the world around me. It is very cold here in Wisconsin with a few inches of snow blanketing the ground that we got over the weekend, and the winds still howling, making it quite frigid. All I want to do is stay snuggled in from the world.

So as I contemplated what my stone would be today I looked around my writing studio. On my window sill I have a darling little book called, “The Secrets of Joy” I received from a friend over 10-years ago. I hardly ever pick it up to look at it, but it called out to me as my stone for today.  It made me smile to see the sun on the cover as well as the word Joy. Joy is my favorite word.

So I opened the book at random to this saying:

“I’m fulfilled in what I do… I never thought that a lot of money or fine clothes– the finer things of life– would make you happy. My concept of happiness is to be fulfilled in a spiritual sense.”  ~Coretta Schott King (b. 1927)

How many of us can say we are fulfilled in what we do? I know I can say that and my journey the past seven years or so. It has not always been easy, but I am doing work that fulfills me and excited about my new area of Reiki study that I think will fulfill me in my continuing efforts to work with animals.  Animals bring me some of the most joy in my life and they fulfill me in so many ways.

The sun on the cover of the book slso reminded met that it is always there. Even though it is very cold outside, I am reminded that warmth and blooming flowers will once again be here before I know it. And I the fact the weather man has said it will be 44 degrees by Thursday makes today a bit easier to bear.  🙂 But I also know I always have a choice to choose Joy everyday of my life no matter what the weather or circumstances.

What In the World Could This Be?

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

??????????????  What in the world could this be ?????????????????

When I got up this morning I discovered this “thing” on the the side table in the living room. I realized right away what it was and said, “Oh no.”

John was in the kitchen and heard me and saw me holding this “thing” in my hands. He told me he was in the kitchen when he heard this tink, tink, tink noise. Kylie cocked her head in wonder too.

So off they went to investigate and found this “thing” lying on the living room floor. John said he looked at the Christmas tree thinking something fell off of it, then looked up and all around. He was stumped and had no clue where this “thing” could have come from.

Little did he know that there stood something that has been a treasure of mine for years…. and now this treasure was missing its part….

Scroll down for the answer to where this mysterious thing belongs….

 

My dear snow lady was now without her nose. Off it flew from her face, tink, tink, tink as it hit the ground and landed about a foot away from her. So a little New Years Eve surgery will be in order shortly so my most dignified and graceful snow lady will once again have her nose just in time to celebrate the New Year.