Happy Birthday Lil Ben!

Wow - Lil Ben - you are two years old today! My my - you have seen so much in your two years here... You found a best friend when you came to live with us - Arthur more or less tolerated you but you loved him! All too soon, he departed this life unexpectedly and you were lost for a while! I will never forget the look on your face as you went room to room looking for him....and oh how we still miss him.

Then, we brought Samson home to stay with us - a 6 year old beautiful rescue. I was so sure that you would become best friends...little did I realize at the time that you were miserable from day one. You withdrew from us and anger became part of your everyday life...a side of you that we had not ever seen before. After all, you had always been a very loving dog. Still we tried everything to make our house a home again but you and Samson could not get along. Despite behavior modification and medicines, neither you nor Samson were happy. Things escalated and soon you guys were fighting all the time...we had to keep you seperated and still you tried to fight through the gates....Oh what a sad time that was too! The decision had to be made and it broke my heart for I loved Samson so much - but he was returned to rescue after almost four months- the best thing for him and still we hurt.

Samson has been gone almost a week now and finally I am beginning to see signs of the old Lil Ben return. Last night you even got in the bed for the first time in months and laid your head on my legs - just like you use to do. You have even started getting up with me each morning again - you will be happy again!

Lil Ben - you are a precious precious member of our family! We love you! Happy Birthday!!!!

Seems like yesterday...

Seems like only yesterday they were chasing each other through the house...laughing and squealing while playing hide & seek. Nanny did her best to keep the house straight but when Ashley and Alex played - look out...there was always a mess and there was always noise...lots of noise... Oh how I long for those days again.

And now the house is quiet - erie quiet. Their rooms are empty - most all of their stuff is gone and never have I felt so out of place in my own home. Is this the way a mom is supposed to feel when her children leave home to start their own adult lives? When does the mom realize that this is the new norm?

When did they grow up? When did I get old? I don't feel old - certainly I am still in my 20s aren't I? How did time pass so quickly? Seems like I blinked and they were grown....

Lord I pray that I have prepared them for this world! Lord I pray that you will keep watch over them as they attempt to conquer life for themselves. Lord I pray that you will keep them focused on your tasks and the future life in heaven. Lord I pray that they will always know that their mother loves them to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond; yesterday, today and tomorrow! Just like your love for us -endless, selfless and eternal - may they remember that you will always be there for them.

And one more thing, Lord, thank you for giving me two awesome kids - You have blessed me so much more than I deserve and I will be eternally grateful!

Now...this old mother will have to find something new to do...until such time that she is needed again.

That special night....

As I sit here reflecting on the past few weeks, I am overcome with emotions! Most of you know that Night in Bethlehem 2010 is over now. After months and months of planning, weeks and weeks of preparing, countless nights spent at the church over the last month, we now can place this years production in the history books of Wilton Baptist Church.

This was our fourth year of telling the wonderful story of the birth of Jesus Christ and in my opinion -our best year yet! The weather was perfect - cold and clear! The cast consisted of God fearing Jesus loving Christians dedicated to following the commands of Go and Tell. The behind the scenes workers were so faithful to the project despite health issues and inconveniences. As the director, I could not ask for more....I love my WBC family!

Each year, I try to see something different in the production so that I walk away more in love with the story than every before. This year was no exception. As I walked through each night, I began to compare the Bethlehem villagers to our modern day folks.

Here are a few of my observations:

1. Bethlehem villagers were hard workers - our nation was built on hard work.

2. Bethlehem villagers worried about paying taxes - don't we do that too?

3. Bethlehem villagers had personal problems - I certainly have my share of those

4. Bethlehem villagers smile and laugh - we do that - thanks to joy in our hearts

5. Bethlehem villagers wanted a savior - so do we.

I guess what I am trying to say is that they were no different from us in ordinary life. Sure we have more conveniences that they did - but they got to live during the time that our precious Jesus was born. Given the choice - which would you choose? Today or then?

I know that I would choose to live then if given the choice. Just the mere re-enactment of that walk to the stable to find Baby Jesus this year brought tears to my eyes. I saw a mother so in love with her child that she glowed! I saw an earthly father protectively strong yet gentle! I saw an a beautiful baby loved by so many! Happy, healthy, loved, precious to all. At that very moment - I knew if I could feel this way about a re-enactment how much more would I feel if I was really there!

Night in Bethlehem 2010 is over but I am so in love with the story that I cant stop telling it! Jesus born in manager on that precious night in Bethlehem - the world would never be the same again! He is indeed the savior of this world. Praise the Lord that the word became flesh and walked among us! Thank you Lord for letting us tell the story again and again!

When the strong cant be strong anymore....

Guess you could say that I am having a day, a week, a month, a year....WOW - the problems of this world have really been coming at me in 2010.....makes we wonder when it will end/why me/how did all of this happen? Questions, Questions - so full of questions and so ready for some good days again.

Now don't get me wrong - I am blessed beyond measure so much more than I deserve. But I was not promised an easy time on this earth and lately I am experiencing quite a bit of it~However, let me thank you Lord for all the blessings you have sent my way and the trials too for they will make me stronger. I humbly approach your throne with thanksgiving!

It is well known that I am the strong/responsible one of my family - the one that must keep it all together....the one that makes sure the bills are paid, the bellies are full, the problem solver - you get the picture. But what happens when I cant be strong anymore? What happens when I hurt? What happens when I cant think clearly? Who or where do I turn for help? When I cant talk to those who are closest to me - where do I go?

The answer is simple - I go to the Lord.....Oh how I have poured my heart out to him in the past few hours, days, weeks, months! I wish that I could say that I have audibly heard his voice but I have not. I do know, though, that he hears my every word....my every fear....my cries and my pain! He NEVER tires of listening to me! He always has time for me! Nothing I tell him goes any further - He does not lie to me!

So on the days when I feel like I just cant do anymore, on the days when my world is crashing down - I spend a little more time praying for me than normal. What a privilege it is to be able to confide in, talk to, love someone who will not hurt me! I find myself digging desperately into his word and apologizing for letting my outside busyness keep me from it as diligently as I use to.

Precious Lord, hear my prayer today - help me to live with the confidence that you want! Help me to live your way - not mine! Heal my heart and hold my hand! Thank you for loving me and listening to me! Thank you for the promise that I will live with you in glory and all will be good!

Three....two....FOUR??

Samson
Levi

Well it has been a couple of months since I have put any of my thoughts in print....The renovations at our house are complete - this nightmare is finally coming to an end - Praise the Lord!!! We have grown stronger during this stressful time and we have been reminded daily not to take anything for granted. Life is short - love unconditionally - laugh daily - cry when necessary - know Jesus (if you don't - let me share him with you) - LIVE!

Have to share this story - it may bore you but it needs to be written so it can be remembered. In August 2010, we were a bulldog family consisting Arthur, Annabelle, and Lil Ben. A happy house full of unconditional love and slobbery kisses, belly rubs and zoomies! We were happy - no doubt about this!

Tragic circumstances took our precious Arthur from us on August 21 and we went from three to two bulldogs in a flash. With broken hearts and disbelief, we wandered around in a daze for a few weeks....always trusting in the Lord and knowing that He has a plan but very aware of the void in our day to day routine that hurt so bad. We still had Lil Ben and Annabelle, who were lost without Arthur, but the house was too silent and the spirit was not the same.

Darryl's birthday was coming up in September. I contacted the breeder that all of our bulldogs had come from just to see if she had anything that might help. It turned out that she had a puppy born June 28th that was the full brother to Lil Ben....this would be the last time that she would use the same male and female - In other words, we had the chance to get Lil Ben's full brother - she only had the one puppy left....This was the answer - Levi would come to live with us....then we would have three again....the plan was to wait until the repairs was finished at the house and to give him to Darryl for his birthday! It was to be a secret.... Excitement began to fill me and I began to smile again....This had to be what the Lord had planned for us...it was too perfect...God knew what we needed and I thanked Him for it...

Now here is where the story gets a little crazy and I become convinced that the Lord has a wonderful sense of humor. While waiting on the repair work to be done at the house and keeping the secret from Darryl about Levi, the Alabama English Bulldog Rescue needed volunteers for foster dogs - they were overrun with dogs needing a place to stay until there forever home could be found. We have been supporters of this organization as long as they have been in business but have not ever volunteered to foster a dog because we had three of our own. The picture was posted and my heart jumped....Samson - a six year old from Kentucky that had only had one owner his life was coming to rescue in Alabama. He was a beautiful dog - I don't know what drew me to him but I knew that I had to see him and love him - I could only imagine the pain of losing your home - the only home you had ever known - for circumstances that you had no control over.

So the dilemma - Levi the puppy was supposed to be coming to live with us and now Samson - the rescue - needed me as much as I needed him.....I can only imagine the Lord laughing at me as I pondered the situation over and over as to what to do....

Long story short - Samson came to live with us on Labor day 2010 - He is now a permanent member of our household - we love him and we are devoted to him!

Levi is coming this weekend to live with us also - we are excited and love him already too!

So the Burns household went from 3 to 2 to FOUR - and I believe that the Lord has shown us that we have enough love for them all and I believe that he got a really good laugh out of it too....Love cannot be contained to just one precious dog that taken too soon - Samson and all of his medical issues (story for another day) needed US and we needed him. Levi will make give Darryl countless hours of puppy love. We needed him too. Lil Ben, Annabelle, Samson and Levi Burns will know that they are loved - just like Arthur did.

So the Burns household is bullyfull again.....Praise the Lord!

A sign....

Several times this week I have asked the Lord for a sign. As I have cried and prayed and cried and prayed, I asked Him to show me a sign that Arthur was ok and that we would be ok too. On Friday August 27, the memorial company emailed me the picture of the urn. Needless to say, I was very emotional at the finality of this...my precious Arthur was gone and I was a mess.

On my knees again, I prayed that the Lord would send me a sign that Arthur was fine and that this hurt would heal.... I said Lord send me a rainbow! I explained in my prayer that a new found friend of mine, Suzette, who I met through mutual bulldog grief, had sent me a book called Bill at Rainbow Bridge and it had helped me imagine good things to come. It was a book about a bulldog named Bill who had passed away and his owner was searching for answers and trying to figure out how to get on with his life despite the overwhelming sense of despair and anguish. It is a really good read for anyone who has lost a pet.

Anyway back to my story... As I cried and prayed to the Lord - I repeatedly asked for a sign - a rainbow to let me know that all was well... to help me be able to say "It is well with my soul"

I finished up my prayers and went back to working....it was Friday and Friday night lights began today - Coach Darryl and the Dallas County Hornets would be playing their first game of the season in a few hours.....I was supposed to be traveling to the game with a van full of my close friends and I was in no mood to go. I would have made an excuse and stayed home except for the fact that it would not be the right thing to do.... SO I forced myself to pack a bag of goodies, put on the best face that I could right now and go. Let me stop for a moment and say that I have some wonderful friends - they love me despite the tears, the bad moods, the temper, through the good and the bad - they are friends for life - they are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you Lord for sending them to me!

With a broken heart and some chocolate bars - I climbed into the van and headed to watch the love of my life do what he loves - coach. The night started with a huge downpour of rain but we drove anyway. On the way, the van was full of multiple conversations, laughter, and giggles - I kept my sunglasses on to hide the tears - I did not want to be there....I wanted to be home crying for my Arthur.... All of a sudden, sweet Kelli said - Hey there is a rainbow....I looked out the window and there it was - the sign! The rainbow I had asked the Lord for.....Oh My!!! Praise the Lord!!!

Now you may think that this was just a coincidence or you may think that it was not sent by God.... BUT I believe that the Lord heard my prayer and felt my pain and answered my prayer! I believe that rainbow was sent just for me. I believe that the Lord hears me when I pray and I believe that He feels my pain. I believe that "all things work together for good for them that love the Lord..." I am so very thankful for the saving grace of Jesus Christ!

Coach Burns team won, the van ride home was blast, and I am so thankful for my friends and family!

The rainbow made me cry but My Arthur is OK and, in time, my family will be okay too. We miss you Arthur - you were a blessing to us! RIP sweet boy!

THANK YOU LORD! To God be the Glory - great things you have done!!

Arthur - the beginning

With heavy heart that he is gone and we are still here - I feel compelled to put all of this in print so that someday when I cant remember all the details personally - someone will be able to read it to me. So here goes -"Arthur The Beginning"

Dooley Arthur Burns was born September 19, 2004 - he was one of six English bulldog puppies that J&J Bulldogs had for sale. I began to correspond with Ms. Judy, who has become my friend over the years, about purchasing one - after multiple visits to her website - I had picked out the one that I wanted - His name was Chubby. He was cute, fat, and lovable - everything that I wanted in a bulldog and more.

Darryl and I took a Saturday in early November to visit J&J and play with the puppies. All of them were so excited to see us - we meet all their dogs - including the parents of this litter JJ and Patti Labelle - we fell in love right there with the breed - even more so than we thought that we could. Judy let the puppies out of the pin into the viewing area and they all came running toward us except one - he decided to find something to get into - a rug to chew on - he had attitude. As I sat there holding and loving on Chubby - Darryl was fascinated with this little terror that was attacking a rug that was much larger than him....

From that very moment, Dooley (as Judy had named him) became a part of our family. No second glances - no changing his mind - no looking back - Darryl had found his boy. Darryl had found the DOG who would never know that he was a dog.

With eager anticipation, Arthur came to live with us right before Christmas in 2004. Now Ashley had already graduated from high school and was in her freshman year in college. Lex was in his freshman year at MHS. Neither one of them had much time for talking with mom anymore - they were busy. Darryl and I had only been married a couple of years and they did not spend much time with him either. Arthur arrived and everything changed. Suddenly all four of us were together quite often playing, hugging, loving this new four legged creature that would call our house - HOME.

Little did we know at the time what an impact this bulldog would have on our lives. We did not know that he would be the vessel that the Lord would use to mold us into a family. That he would be the tool that would make our house a home.

Thank you Lord for letting us love on him for the few years that he was on this earth. We will be eternally grateful for our time with him. How fitting an end to his life that on the day he died, we all needed to be together again in the same room as a family - Arthur would have loved it!