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Gastonia, NC 28053-2334 
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Entering Heaven

A man and his dog were walking along a road.

The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.

When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as
He got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"

"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.

"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.

"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."

The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

"Excuse me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any water?"

"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in."

"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.

"There should be a bowl by the pump."

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.

The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.

"This is Heaven," he answered.

"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."

"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell."

"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

"No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."

Grow Old With Dogs

When I am old
I will wear soft gray sweatshirts and a bandana over my silver hair and I will spend my social security checks on wine and my dogs.
I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair and listen to my dogs' breathing. I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night and take my dogs for an ice cream, if my old car will allow.
When people come to call, I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs and talk of them and about them the ones so beloved of the past and the ones so beloved of today.

I will still work hard cleaning after them, mopping and feeding them and whispering their names in a soft loving way.
I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat, like a jewel and I will be an embarrassment to all especially my family who have not yet found the peace in being free to have dogs as your best friends.

These friends who always wait, at any hour, for your footfall and eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep, to greet you as if you are a god.
With warm eyes full of adoring love and hope that you will always stay,
I'll hug their big strong necks.
I'll kiss their dear sweet heads and whisper in their very special company.

I look in the Mirror and see I am getting old this is the kind of person I am and have always been.
Loving dogs is easy, they are part of me.
Please accept me for who I am.
My dogs appreciate my presence in their lives they love my presence in their lives.
When I am old this will be important to me you will understand when you are old if you have dogs to love too.

~Author Unknown

Help me Help Me
By: Shellie Garay

Help me. Help me! I feel so alone.
This place is so dark, I want to go home.
We came in this world, 8 weeks ago today.
But with “free to good home”, my siblings went away

Since no “free to good home” for me could be found
In this cardboard box I was brought to the pound.
This cage confines me, and this place is so sad.
If I don’t get a home, the outcome is bad.

How much I would love, to run and to play.
But in this cage is where I must stay.
People pass by me. With so many to choose
I am not adopted, once again I lose.

This place is getting full, and my time is growing near.
Be glad “free to good home”
You don’t have to live here.
Today is my day. I have been here too long.
Why can’t I wait? What did I do wrong?

I know someone will want me,
It takes time you see
But I take up room,
And now I must leave.

HELP ME! HELP ME!
I died here alone.
What a shame, how sad,
I didn’t find a home.

I was ten weeks old and in the sun never played.
I came here in a box, because my mother was not spayed.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.

She dictated and I wrote:

Dear God,

Will you please take special care of our dog, Abbey? She died yesterday and is in heaven. We miss her very much. We are happy that you let us have her as our dog even though she got sick. I hope that you will play with her.

She liked to play with balls and swim before she got sick.

I am sending some pictures of her so that when you see her in heaven you will know she is our special dog. But I really do miss her.

Love,
Meredith Claire
P.S. Mommy wrote the words after I told them to her.

We put that in an envelope with two pictures of Abbey, and addressed it to God in Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith stuck some stamps on the front (because, as she said, it may take lots of stamps to get a letter all the way to heaven) and that afternoon I let her drop it into the letter box at the post office.

For a few days, she would ask if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch. Curious, I went to look at it. It had a gold star card on the front and said 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith took it in and opened it.

Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers, 'When a Pet Dies'. Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God, in its opened envelope (which was marked Return to Sender: Insufficient address). On the opposite
Page, one of the pictures of Abbey was taped under the words 'For Meredith' We turned to the back cover, and there was the other picture of Abbey, and this handwritten note on pink paper:

Dear Meredith,

I know that you will be happy to know that Abbey arrived safely and soundly in Heaven! Having the pictures you sent to me was such a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. You know, Meredith, she isn't sick anymore.
Her spirit is here with me--just like she stays in your heart--young and running and playing. Abbey loved being your dog, you know.

Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets!-- so I can't keep your beautiful letter. I am sending it to you with the pictures so that you will have this book to keep and remember Abbey.

One of my angels is taking care of this for me. I hope the little book helps. Thank you for the beautiful letter. Thank your mother for sending it. What a wonderful mother you have! I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I am in heaven but wherever there is love, I am there also.

Love,
God and the special angel who wrote this after God told her the words.

As a parent and a pet lover, this is one of the kindest things that I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is some very kind soul working in the dead letter office. Just wanted to share this act of compassion.

Blessings of love, peace, health & happiness!

I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayel.
And I was angry.
"God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"
God was silent for a moment and then He spoke softly.
"I have done something," He replied.
"I created You."

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