Saints of the Church

Dear Everyone,

Today I went with my mama to work, because my elbow hurt too much for regular walks and my Papa Bear thought I would be bored at home. I got to go to two different churches!

First we went to our church, and we went to the office. It was very disappointing because my friend, Angela, took the day off today. We had visitors, but only Angela gives me lots and lots of cookies. Other people just give me one. I think Angela is one of the Saints of the Church, because she knows how to show love to one of God's creatures: me!

Mama says when Angela answers the phone and greets visitors, she is doing Ministry of Hospitality. I am good at that, too.

Later we went to a lunch meeting at another church, with a bunch of minister types. There was soup, but I only had a piece of cheese after the cheese had been sitting out and was getting a little hard around the edges. While they were all talk-talk-talking, I got sleepy. Sometimes ministers are boring.

However, there were several people who petted me and told me I was pretty, and my mama's friend Country Pastor sat on the floor to pet me. I slept with my paws under his chair. He is a Saint of the Church, too.

Do you have Saints in your church?

Tell me about them if you want to!

Love,
Your friend,
Molly

My Day

Here is my plan for today:

Go to church.

Last week I went to church with my mama on Wednesday. First we went to see the Women's Fellowship. How can women be fellows? My mama says maybe they should be the Women's Galship. One of them gave me carrot cake. She is nice.

Then we got back in the car and drove to a different church. All the people there were ministers. They told my mama some stories about their dogs, and then they sat around a table and my mama talked for a very long time. But it was okay because she was talking about ME!!!

Then I went back to the usual church. It was dull. We stayed in the office a crazy long time. It was okay while my friend, Angela, was there, but after she left, I was bored, because my mama was "working," or that's what she said.

Finally some ladies came, some of the same ladies from the morning. They went all over the church, and they took me with them! Then they packed boxes to send to service gals and guys far away in Iraq. I made sure they did a good job packing up facecloths and chapstick and microwave popcorn and other good stuff.

After that, I had a snooze in the hall while I waited for my mama's meeting with them to be over.

It was a long day at church. Today won't be. Mama promised. Today I hope to see my Wednesday Wizards, especially George. He used to breed poodles, and he groomed me once. He is my Best.Person.at.Church.

What are you doing today? If you're not too busy, I hope you'll remember to pray for sick animals and their mamas and papas who worry about them, especially Amie who is having tests and Cub and The Boy, who are hoping to stay calm today.

Love,
Your friend,
Molly

Five Questions!

Hi, friends! I'm back from my dog-blog-battical. My elbow has been bovvering me, and I didn't feel like typing, but now I have new medicine and feel much, much better.

These questions came from Cub, my friend in a Big Hot State. (By the way, Cub, that was Sam standing on the snow. I was down below in that picture, just the top of my head showed.)

1. You are a Ministry Dog. What is your favorite kind of ministry?

Thanks for asking this one! I enjoy Ministry of Visitation with older folks, and Ministry of Canine Education with the children, and I enjoy Ministry of Worship, especially when I get to be in a drama at church. But I think my favorite is Ministry of Coffee Hour. Sometimes they have sandwiches, and once I even got cake!

2. Like me, you have a dog brother. But you also have human boys and a human girl. What's that like?

My human boys and girl LOVE me!! My girl watches TV with me. My boys scoot over and let me get on their beds when I hear FUNder, which I call NO-Funder. Sometimes they walk me. I like it when the Oldest walks me, because he lets me do all my bad tricks and can't stop me. Heeheehee... I miss them, but my mom says they will be home for Thanksgiving, which is the most delicious holiday of all!!

3. Is the floor slippery at your church? Some places in my church it is, and I slide all over.

At our new church, a lot of the floors have carpets. I like them because they are flat and worn down and easy to walk on for me. Even the Molly-vator has a carpet! The Vestry floor is slippery, so I have to be more careful there.

4. Same question I asked the other dogs: What is one secret of a blissful life that you'd like to share with your thumb-havers?

Always look for the best in everyone, including yourself, and be sure to appreciate those good parts. If you love yourself and love other people, that's a good way to love God, too.

5. Frosty Paws: ever had them? If yes, share your opinion; if no, do you plan on trying them?

I've never had them, but once I had some vanilla soft serve ice cream with dog cookies, and it made me very sick. I lost a lot of weight. (I gained it back, sadly.) So I'm not allowed to have ice cream things anymore.

That's my five questions. If you want me to ask you some, leave a comment underneath here, okay?

Time to get my beauty sleep.

Love,
Your Friend,
Molly

What I Did on Friday

Hello, friends!
Yesterday I FINALLY got to go to church again. We took a long ride in the car, with a stop for donut holes, thank you very much. Then we pulled into a vaguely familiar parking lot, and when my Mom let me out, I sang, "Wroo wroo! I'm here!!!"
Mom told me I was not Ethel Merman, and this was not Broadway.
Then we went in the door and got in the elevator.
I probably mentioned to you before how much I love elevators.
My new friend Long Hair Lady was there in the office, and she heard me singing as soon as the elevator doors opened!
When I got thirsty after all the cookies they gave me, my Mom emptied the pretty bowl on her desk that has person treats, and took me over to the ladies room and filled it with water. I like to drink from a pretty bowl.
We had a visit from a nice man, and I very politely took a nap while he was talking to my Mom.
I get bored when my Mom is working on the computer, but I keep an ear out in case we have other visitors. Whenever anyone comes to the door, Mom gets up and I give a paw, and someone gives me a cookie. Yay!
After work, we went to the hospital, but I had to wait in the car. Then we drove back to our town. I could hear my mom talking to Whistle's mom on the phone; they were making each other laugh, but I didn't get the joke.
When we were almost home, Mom drove by the dog park, and she even turned in, but she told me there was a guy in the shelter there drinking from a bottle in a brown paper bag, so we had to go home instead of playing. Quelle disappointment!
I bet you didn't know I could speak French.
What are you up to today?
Love,
Molly

My Day

Dear friends,
Wroo wroo! I had an exciting day today!
This morning after breakfast, I was relaxing in the living room when I heard my mom say, "Molly, would you like to go to church?"
Would I? You bet! I jumped up!! She put my leash on, and we were off! We stopped at the coffee place and she got me a munchkin! I was really happy.
Then we started driving. It was a long, long drive, not like our old church.
When we got there, we went in a strange door, and then we got in the elevator. I love elevators! Every dog should have a room with automatic doors to carry her around the building!!
In the office I met a pretty young woman with long hair who helps my mom with her work. She gave me cookies and petted me. Then another lady came in to visit. When all the visits were over and my mom said, "No more cookies, Molly," I decided to lie down on the rug and wait patiently.
Next we took a ride to a lady's house where other ladies were making crafts and having lunch. I sat in the car for a while, but I also got to go in and say hello. They liked me! But they wouldn't let me eat the cat food.
After that was the best part of the day. I met a new friend, Sandy the Brittany Spaniel. She is 8 years old, but she is as much fun as a puppy!!! We played with her stuffed animals and ran around in the snow in her backyard.
Then we had another long ride. My mom got out of the car twice, once for coffee and another time for books or something.
Finally we got home and I was hungry!
Wroo Wroo!!! Where's my dinner?
I got dinner *and* seconds--delicious!
Now I must close, for it is time to rest on the couch.
Love to all,
Molly

A New Church

Dear World,
The other day I got in the car with my Papa Bear and the two big boys from our house. We left Sam at home. I was excited! A trip for me! Without Sam! That usually means church.
Sam, you see, doesn't like crowds. He likes woods and stuff. I am the dog who likes all the people.
So we got in the car, and it was very crowded. Usually I ride in the front seat with my Papa Bear, and I can lie down on the seat and ride like a Princess because he makes it flat. Then Sam sits up in the back. But on this ride I had to share the BACK SEAT with our oldest boy, the one who goes away for a long time, then comes back and drinks all the milk, my mom says.
We drove for a long time. Finally, we got somewhere!
I had never, ever been there before. There was a big white building, though, and I know what those are! Lots of them are churches!!
Church is the place where lots of people get together and pet me. Sure, they do other stuff, too. They stand up and sit down, they talk and sing. They drink coffee! But I find that petting me is one of people's favorite things to do. It makes them smile!
So, we got to the new church, and we went up some stairs and through two big doors, and then some more doors and I was so excited I sang, "Wroo wroo!"
And I looked up and saw my mom, and she was standing up high and smiling and she said, "My family is here!" And everyone smiled and laughed!!! And I said "Wroo wroo!!"
Later all the children petted me, and then I went to mom's car for a while, and then I got to go to the party after church. They had some really good-looking sandwiches, but I didn't get any. I stood up as tall as I know how, but that didn't help.
At our old church, some ladies used to bring dog cookies in their pocketbooks, just for me. I need to teach these new ladies to bring cookies, too.
How are things with you? Do you ever go to church?
Love,
Molly