It’s pretty cool to see that my body can adjust to the thinner air and climb the trail before me. I wasn’t always so willing to take this walk:

(I wrote the following post two years ago. I loved rereading it and thought you might enjoy it as well.):

(All photos for this post were taken on my iPhone.)

Let’s admit it. When it comes to doing things that you know are good for you, you can act like a little child. There are those times when you just don’t want to. Inwardly you feel like a rebellious little brat who just refuses. “You can’t make me.” “You’re not the boss of me.”

Or you’re like a whiney, pouty little kid. “I don’t feel like it.” “I can’t.” “Just leave me alone.”

Or there are those times when you are too cool and too smart to do it. “That’s okay. You go ahead.” “I’m fine.” “I’ve already tried that.”

There’s a little kid inside of each of us. Keeping us from getting what we truly want.

I just got through reading Do The Work. In it Steven Pressfield gets us to acknowledge that in the pursuit of any personal goal or creative dream we WILL meet resistance. Resistance is what holds us back. It’s what firmly stands in our way to keep us from achieving what it is that we want. Pressfield lays out a great strategy for overcoming this “dragon” of resistance.

The force of resistance can apply to a lot more than just the pursuit of goals. In truth, it rears it’s ugly head whenever good is pursued. It often shows up in the form of that spoiled little child.

That child showed up big-time for me today. Even though I am in the beautiful Rocky Mountains enjoying my first ever sabbatical, I was in a funk. A grumpy mood. So when Mike said it was time to get out and go on our daily hike I procrastinated. I protested. I pleaded. I found myself face-to-face with that inner “dragon” of resistance.

Hiking sounded like too much worrrrrk. I’d rather sit on the couch and stay grumpy. That was much easier. I had lots of excuses why I could skip going outside today. Thankfully, with Mike’s gentle coaxing, I found that I could put on my boots, grab my poles, and get outside.

Within five minutes of walking the rewards started to come to me. By the time we got back home (an hour and ten minutes later), my mood had drastically changed and I felt more like my true self.

How did that happen? What are the rewards? Why is it crucial to get outside—in and among nature—and walk as often as possible?

I discovered three reasons:

1. You find yourself living in the present.

Because the terrain is unpredictable, you have to pay attention. Unlike walking on smooth concrete or asphalt, you have to watch your step. You have to be alert. There are dips and rises, rocks and branches, twists and turns. There’s not a lot of opportunity to get lost in your worries or your fears. You have to pay attention. You get to be fully present.

2. You find that all five of your senses are awakened.

Being fully present to what’s around you automatically awakens your senses. All of a sudden you are alert to new sights, new sounds, new smells, new touches, new tastes. You feel fully alive. (HT: Ken Davis for teaching me about living fully alive.)

To give you an example, this is what was I experienced today:

Touch: The first thing I felt was the wind.

Stepping outside, a strong gust of wind whipped across my face and through my hair. It even blew my hiking poles out of my hands before I could get a good grip on them. I had to pay attention.

Taste: In order to get to our path in the woods, we had to walk up a dusty dirt road.

(Here’s a view looking down that road.)

With such strong winds the grit on the road was lifted up and swirled about every which way. It stung my face as it flew in my direction ending up in my mouth and my nostrils. “Humm. Dirt has a distinct taste. I’m tasting earth, mud, a little rockiness…” Pewwy.

Sight: Soon we were on the trail. Now I really had to be alert.

There were rises and falls. Twists and turns. Rocks and branches.

And wonderful surprises.

There were signs of spring and new life everywhere. (Those are baby Aspen leaves popping out.)

Smell: It took me several minutes before I realized that the wind could not find its way into the woods. Instead of my nostrils being full of dust,

they were overcome by the sweet aroma of pine needles, cottonwood trees and freshly sawn logs.

Hearing: What I love the most about this little tucked-away, foot-path in the forest of the Rocky Mountains, is the companionship of the stream.

The trail snakes back and forth tracing the journey of the freshly melting snow from up above. The stream stayed close by my side, talking and keeping me company the whole while.

The gurgling, bubbling, splashing, swishing sounds, coming from this stream, are all at once invigorating, soothing, comforting, and renewing. I could sit and listen to it all day—every day. I just might.

3. You find that you have gained a new perspective on whatever is on your mind.

I can’t believe I almost stayed on the couch in a grumpy mood. I was in a funk. I couldn’t “do” anything. I couldn’t find one ounce of creativity or thankfulness in me.

Until

I overcame the “dragon.”

Until

I got up and got out.

By the time I got home I was full of optimism. I was full of thankfulness. It was as if God had set up a treasure hunt for me. All I had to do was get out and get walking. Get looking.

I was full of creative ideas, dreams and hopes. My perspective had changed.

I had been transported from the vantage point of a single, isolated couch to the vantage point of wide open spaces, snow capped mountains, forests, lakes and streams.

All because I didn’t listen to that spoiled child. I did the walk.

I challenge you to get out and Do The Walk.

Find yourself

—> engaged in the present,

—> alert to all five of your senses and

—> seeing your life from a new perspective.

Get out, and

Do. The. Walk.

Question: Where can you walk or hike close to where you live, or is this a metaphor for something else in your life? What treasures can you discover?

Michael proudly displaying his catch. Our daughter, Marissa,
took this unretouched photo on Michael’s iPhone 5 camera.

We went trout fishing last night in the little pond close to our cabin and Michael nabbed these three beauties for supper. It was a GORGEOUS evening.

There was a rain storm on the mountains off to the southwest, creating the most amazing, everchanging scenes—moving shafts of sunlight, highlighting various portions of mountain forests and flat, sagey valleys below. The sky above our pond was constantly changing as well. Every couple of minutes one of us would say, “Stop. Look at the sky now.”

So, we’d pause from our focused task, and look up, admiring the varieties of blue-grays overhead, the formations of the clouds, and the position of the sun with its resulting shadows. Glorious.

But once we had our catch for the night, posed Michael for the obligatory see-what-I-caught pic, and positioned the camera to get the final shot of the day, we saw something which nearly dropped us to the ground in awe.

The sky had turned a magnificent, swirling display of salmons, tangerines, melons, lemons, violets, lavenders and cotton candy. It had rallied in the few seconds it took to set the picturing-taking scene. The reflection in the glassy waters doubled the intensity.

It’s beauty lasted only as long as it took to snap five or six poses and then, as quickly as it had apperared, it was gone. The sun disappeared behind the ridge leaving only a few whispers behind to confirm its presence had been with us.

Hardly able to accept what we had experienced, we huddled over the camera to validate it’s reality. Yep, captured there, in the camera’s veiwfinder, proof postive, for all eternity, was dinner for three and a God-wink.

Glory to God.

This is the sunset on Shaddock Pond. It was also taken
by Marissa, but on her own iPhone 4 (unretouched)

QUESTION: Sometimes we have to go hunting for treasures. Other times they’re just dropped into our lap. Either way, I like to think of them as winks from God. What God-Winks have you experienced recently?

Marissa, our youngest daughter, was home for the weekend. She’d been at college for over a year and occasionally came home on weekends to see high school friends, do laundry, and sometimes even hang out with Mom and Dad.

On one of those weekends, we managed to coax her to stay for a leisurely Sunday dinner and catch us up on all the latest events in her life. While the food was being dished onto the plates, she blurted out, “Let’s do Best Things! I’ve been missing it like crazy! Dad, you go first. What was your best thing?”

One of our long-time family traditions is called “Best Things.” Over the years, we found that by engaging the family in this little five-step practice, we could do more to affect our kid’s—and our own— outlook on life than just about anything else.

We usually did it at the dinner table and often several times a week. It’s a simple practice and apparently one the kids loved—even if they seemed to resist it at the time.

By asking everybody at the table one simple question, the emotional climate of the day could be completely turned into one of optimism and gratitude. It’s the fastest way I know of to ensure that anybody can have a great day.

Here’s how it works:

• Step 1: Set the ground rules.
  
  • Everyone will have a turn being asked one question.
  • The respondent may only answer the specific question being asked.
  • The question my not be altered.
  • There will be one conversation happening at the table.
  • One person speaks, all the others listen.
• Step 2: Ask the question of the first person.
  
  Then move around the table asking each one the question:
  “What was the best thing about your day?”
  Or, “What was the best thing that happened to you today?”
• Step 3: Don’t accept “Nothing” as an answer.
  
  You’ll probably find that “Nothing” becomes the default answer. The response will invariably go like this, “Nothing good happened today. But, let me tell you about ‘X’. It was awful!”
  
  When this comes up say, “Oops. Remember, we’ve got to follow the rules. Of all the things that happened today, what was the BEST thing?”
• Step 4: Persist until you get an answer.
  
  Know this; we human beings like to wallow in our misery. We like to complain and we like to get sympathy. So, it can be really hard for us to admit that something good actually happened. And there will be days when it truly seems that nothing good happened.
  
  If you get to a dead end with someone at the table, pull out the secret weapon. Say, “I know, it sounds like you had a pretty lousy day. BUT, if you HAD to find one thing that was best, what would it be?”
  
  You’re likely to still get resistance. Just keep sounding like a broken record. “I know. I know. But if you HAD to pick out one thing, what would it be?” Or, you can ask, “If you DID have a Best Thing, what would it be?”
  
  Gently persist. Trust me. It works.
  
  If you ask this with a bit of humor, the person will usually give in and come up with something. Everyone usually has a good laugh when the person thinks and thinks and FINALLY comes up with the one thing.
• Step 5: Probe a little deeper.
  
  Once a “Best Thing” is identified, ask a follow-up question: “What was it about ‘X’ that was so good?” The idea here is to focus more tightly. It’s one of my beliefs that you usually get more of what you focus on. So, let’s be intentional about where we direct our focus.

As parents, we have a window of years when we can dramatically influence our children. Developing a family tradition, like playing “Best Things,” can be one of the most enduring and positive ways we can teach them to experience life.

Even though our children are grown and out of the house, we’ll notice that at birthday dinners, or other family get-togethers, someone will invariably start the table conversation with, “What was your Best Thing today?” It really gets fun when guests are at the table and they have to be asked, “I know, but if you DID have a Best Thing, what would it be?”

And, I have to smile when I catch Michael or myself asking the other this question with no one else around except us. It’s an amazingly powerful question.

As a side note, I’ve also been proudly told by my married daughters, that they are carrying on the tradition with their own kids. What more reward can a parent hope for?

So, give it a try at your house. Let me know how it works out.

Go make it a great day!

P.S. I want to add one more thing. Take a minute and scroll down through the comments until you get to the one left by Marc Ensign. Read what he says. He talks about a similar practice called “Highs and Lows.” I love it. In fact, I might like it better than Best Thing alone. It’s a great lead-up to it. What do you think?

Question: What was your best thing today?

Today I’m launching my new site, GailBHyatt.com “because life is a constant treasure hunt.” It’s still a work in progress. I’ll be doing a lot of tweaking in the months ahead,  but I’m excited be off and running. I hope you like it. Glad you’re here.

I’ve been trying my hand at blogging for several years now. I started on BlogSpot.com and then moved to WordPress.com. After five years, and deciding that I want to take blogging more seriously, I made the decision to move my blog to a self-hosted site. I wanted my own domain name, more control and flexibility over my design, and also more security.

Michael and I have been on vacation for the past two weeks, and while we were away, he helped me to get set up on a BlueHost.com, self-hosting server, install WordPress, and pick a new theme.

It was so easy.

I am very intimidated by computer technology, so it’s awesome to have a husband who can sit down with me, take something which seems so complicated, and make it simple for me to do.

I told him that there must be others who would like to set up a blog, too, but would feel intimidated by the process. Too bad they couldn’t have him sitting at their kitchen table teaching them. Or could they?

With that, he decided to record a screencast explaining how easy it is. So, if you’re one of those people, like me, you don’t have to be scared off at the thought of setting up your own, self-hosted blog.

Here’s the link to the video he put together: EZ WordPress Setup. I wish I had made this move years ago.

Now back to the work of writing and finding my voice. See you in the weeks to come.

Again, thanks for stopping by. “Ya’ll come back now, y’hear?”

What does flying in an airplane make possible? I’m about to land in Austin. The flight from Dallas to Austin is just under an hour. In the twenty minutes that we could have our computers out, I wrote this blogpost.

The flight from Nashville to Dallas was about two hours. Just enough time to get some significant work done. Now, granted, I don’t have a lot of real “work” to do. I don’t have an employer and I’m not in business for myself … yet. But, I do have lots of ideas and projects I’d like to complete. There are books I want to read, topics I’d like to study, and blog posts I need to write, just to name a few. The airplane is just the place to get them done.

I’ve known for years that Mike can be incredibly productive on an airplane. A while back, when he was feeling particularly distracted and overwhelmed, I remember him toying with the idea of booking himself a flight to LA and back just so he could get some work done. It’s fun to discover that I can experience that desire, too.

Today, during the first flight from Nashville to Dallas, I read and took notes on Chapter 2 of a book I’m reading. My mind was spinning with ideas stimulated from that chapter. I also jotted down the steps I needed to complete for project I’m undertaking. And I wrote the outline for this blogpost.

Before I landed I asked Mike, who was sitting beside me, and cranking out another one of his killer blog posts, “Why is riding on an airplane so sinkin’ productive?”

We came up with five conditions an airline flight provides which makes it possible to get the most work done in the shortest amount of time. Here’s what they are:

1. You can’t move. Once that seatbelt is fastened, and the flight attendant has the drink cart in the aisle, you are going nowhere.

2. You have very few distractions. After the attendant and the pilot give their little spiels, and unless the person sitting next to you hasn’t gotten the message that you have work to do, there’s nothing to distract you from your task at hand. (A good set of noise-canceling head phones are in my future, just in case.)

3. You can focus. Because your “desk” is teeny tiny, it’s easy to zero-in on one thing at a time.

4. You are enveloped in wonderful white noise. Let’s be honest, there’s no white noise like that of a jet airplane. If it doesn’t put you to sleep, it will most certainly put you into the creative zone.

5. You have a time limit. Once the plane is up in the air, out comes the computer, the book, or the pad of paper. The clock is ticking. I seem to read faster, type faster, and write like there’s no tomorrow when I know the speaker will soon tell me to “put away all electronic devices.”

I’ve got lots I want to learn and much I want to accomplish. Most will be done from my desk or my favorite chair at home. But I have to say, I’m especially excited that I have lots of trips planned for 2012. What will they make possible?

Question: What could your next flight make possible?

As the mother of five daughters, I have had no greater joy than watching my girls grow up into remarkable women. Sure I miss watching them take their first wobbly steps, struggling to master the pedals on a bicycle, and assembling shadow boxes for a 5th grade history project. But watching them grow up and leaving those childhoods behind has been my greatest joy.

Three weeks ago today, Madeline’s (23 year, old daughter #4) boyfriend Shawn was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. It was a hit-and-run accident and he has no memory of it until he woke up in the ambulance. His hip was badly fractured. He had minor spine fractures, numerous cuts and scrapes and a terrible road rash on his hip and leg that was about two feet long.  After being hospitalized following major surgery he came to our home to recover.

While Shawn was in the hospital, Madeline never left his side. She was able to be there non-stop. Her current state of unemployment turned out to be a huge blessing.

I have a friend who is a stage-four cancer survivor. She spent a lot of time in the hospital receiving treatments and even a got a stem-cell transplant. I remember her saying, “Never leave anyone in the hospital alone. Someone needs to stay with the patient, spending not just the days but especially the nights as an advocate for him or her.” I’ve never forgotten that and have made sure to follow that advice whenever anyone I love has had to stay in the hospital. Madeline learned to carry that torch.

Shawn’s time in the emergency room and as a hospital patient was really hard. Madeline, at his side, had to help him make sense out of the accident and all the tests being performed on him. Missing meals and precious sleep, she helped him deal with incredible pain and assisted him to perform the most menial, everyday tasks. She was as strong as steel during that time.

After he was moved to our house, her determined, unwavering care continued. I have watched her, with utter admiration, as she strategically helped him in and out of bed, adjusted pillows, steadied the walker, handed crutches, changed bandages, dispensed medications—you name it. She did it. Without complaining. It has been hard. Really hard.

What makes this even more admirable is the fact that she has her own health challenges. She was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when she was fourteen years old. Physical strength and stamina have always been a challenge for her. As her mom, I have tended to not push her beyond what I thought she could handle. I think I’ve short-changed her.

This situation has called out strength, wisdom and selflessness which I have never had the opportunity to see in her before.

She has truly grown up.

Being grown up is not about reaching a certain age and being able to call yourself an adult.

Being grown up is about doing the hard stuff. It’s about finding joy and gratitude in the midst of horrible circumstances. It’s about not feeling “entitled” to your way or your comfort. It’s also about taking initiative, not waiting to be asked. And, not resenting when you are asked to do something. Being grown up is about loving.

Being grown up is not about you.

Question: What else does being grown up look like? 

I love Sunday nights. It’s like a reboot. “Old things are passed away. Behold all things become new.” A brand new week awaits. A week to laugh, to cry, to grow and learn. A week to live.

The past week had been one full of challenges. For example, Jonah, my new grandson from Uganda, had a tuberculosis scare following a battery of medical tests he had after coming to the United States. All turned out well, but it was quite scary for a while. Especially considering the fact that his mom, my daughter Megan, is on medications which suppress her immune system.

The biggest challenge of all came when we got the devastating news that Madeline’s boyfriend was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. A hit and run, no less. (Don’t get me started.) He has no memory of anything. He just found himself waking up in an ambulance. He’s now recuperating at our home following major hip surgery and is still dealing with a lot of pain, but … he’s ALIVE. Thank you, Lord.

As Michael and I sat with our computers last night, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness. My heart was full. I found myself pausing every now and then, closing my eyes, breathing slowly and deeply. Basking in the nearness of God.

As you might suspect, there was music in the background.

Yesterday evening’s soundtrack was Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna (translated Eternal Light). Part of the reason I felt particularly thankful was due to this music. Each time I listen to it, it transports my mind and my heart to a place of light. A place of Supreme love. A place of gratitude. Often it brings me to tears.

Below is a sample from this album. You will want to hear the whole piece, but here are parts III and IV, O NATA LUX and VENI, SANCTE SPIRITUS. (Part IV begins at 4:48)

Close your eyes and listen. For the next seven minutes see if you have a similar reaction.

You can go to this site to read the lyrics with their translation from Latin. (You can follow parts III and IV.)

As you listen, may your heart soar to a higher, more grateful place.

(You can find the entire album HERE.)

Question: What music sends your heart to a place of gratitude?

Upbeat, dance music was played while we all entered the room. This got us excited about being there and put us in a real state of expectation about what we were going to learn.

Beautiful, epic, instrumental soundtracks were used as we reflected and wrote thoughts pertaining to our life and our future. Uplifting and positive songs put us in a state of gratitude and plenitude.

I’ve always known it and so have you. Music is power. It influences us all the time. Religious music lifts our hearts to worship. “Emo” music leaves us feeling melancholy and often depressed. Workout music makes us MOVE. Lullabies lull us to sleep.

Music is power.

So, what if we harnessed that power and intentionally used music to prepare us for the challenges and opportunities that we face every day?

You can do just that. You can use music to manage your emotional state just by following these five steps:

1. Determine the emotional state that you need. What are you going to do?

Do you want to go for a run? Study for an exam? Have a dinner party? Unwind from a long day? Hang out with friends? Spend some “special” time with your spouse?

After coming home from the seminar, I realized that I’d love to have a playlist that I could play while I was getting ready for my day. In the kitchen fixing breakfast. In the bathroom getting dressed. What would put me in a strong, positive, state of expectation? That’s what I wanted.

2. Determine where you where you want to “go.” How do you want to feel?

Do you want to feel worshipful? Full of energy? Reflective? Creative? Nostalgic? Romantic?

I have one playlist that I call “Porch Music.” It’s the music I want to play while sipping wine with my friends on the back porch on a warm summer’s evening. I want us to be relaxed and feel free to talk and laugh together.

As I considered songs for my It’s-Going-to-Be-an-Outstanding-Day playlist, I had a very specific goal in mind. I knew exactly where I wanted to “go.” I wanted to be energetic, positive and inspired.

3. Build a play list that can take you to the “place” you want to go. 

Start a collection of playlists for lots of different situations. Some may have lyrics, some may only have instrumental pieces.  Your personal music library and iTunes are all you need.

This is the funnest part for me. (Yes, the “funnest.”) If I’m not careful I can spend hours and hours looking for just the right songs for a particular playlist. I LOVE this!

For example, when I’m going to study or write I have a playlist that I call Gail’s-Background-Music. It consists of songs from my favorite soundtracks. Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius; The Horse Whisperer, Little Women, Searching for Bobby Fischer; Braveheart, and Seabiscuit, to name a few.

As I thought about my It’s-Going-to-Be-an-Outstanding-Day list, I knew that I’d be including some dance music, some rock, and for sure a little reggae. Some of my favorite rockin’ Christian songs would be on that list. And a few fun, upbeat country songs would find spots there as well. I wanted to recall times in the past where I felt particularly strong and hopeful about the future, so I’d have a few oldies sprinkled throughout.

Bottom line: I looked for songs that made me feel good about life, about living it to the fullest. Today. I wanted to feel strong and confident—my best self—where I could be in a state to grow and to give.

4. Tweak and edit as you need to. This will be an ongoing process.

When you play this list a few times you’ll realize some of the songs just don’t fit in. Delete them. You’ll think of ones you forgot. And you’ll hear ones you must add. Keep tweaking.

5. Start listening. Get into your zone.

Listen in your kitchen. Listen in your bathroom. Listen on your back porch. Listen at your desk. Listen in your car. Listen on your run or in the gym. Most of all, have fun.

You get the idea.

Imagine how powerful this can be! Listen and let the magic of music work for you. It’s a tool that you can keep right in your personal “tool box.” Harness it’s power to manage your emotional state. Get inspired and energized. What’s possible when your best self shows up?

Question: What are some playlists you’d like to create? Think of ones you don’t currently have.

Here’s a sampling of my It’s-Going-to-Be-an-Outstanding-Day playlist

Good Morning by Mandisa (feat. TobyMac)
This is Your Life by Switchfoot
Dare You to Move by Switchfoot
Great Adventure by Steven Curtis Chapman
Live Out Loud by Steven Curtis Chapman
Dive by Steven Curtis Chapman
Stomp by Kirk Franklin
Who Wouldn’t Want to Be Me by Keith Urban
Let’s Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez
Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins
Free Ride by Edger Winter
Good Life by One Republic
Beautiful Life by Ace of Base
It’s My Life by Bon Jovi 

I’m still in shock. My eyes well up with tears at the mention of his name.

Four days ago, he got into some trash and did what English Setters are notorious for doing—he ate it. Quite a bit apparently. It was the second time he’d gotten deathly ill from eating trash.

I took him to the vet’s on Tuesday evening—even missed our weekly campus gathering to do it—and the vet greeted us with, “Nelson, buddy. So you’re back again, are you?” They loved Nelson at the vets. They loved Nelson at Paw Pals, the doggie daycare. They loved Nelson at the bank and at the dry-cleaners. Everybody loved Nelson.

Tuesday evening, the doctor took x-rays, ran a few tests, gave me some meds and told me to go home and watch him through the night, and if he got worse to bring him back Wednesday morning. He did get worse. He was in pain and couldn’t get comfortable. He moaned and whined and sometimes cried out very loudly.

I stayed up with him all night, making up a bed for myself on the couch in the den. At one point during the night, when he was particularly whiney and pitiful, I laid down on the floor next to him, curled up around his back, stroked his head and told him everything was going to be ok. I lay there for at least an hour.

The next morning, Mike woke up bright and early. We had a flight to catch to San Antonio where he would be speaking on Thursday. He walked into the den and saw me dozing on the couch. Then his eyes caught a very uncomfortably positioned Nelson laying on the floor beside me. Mike crouched down on the hard wooden floor and began comforting Nelson—stroking his silky head, talking gently to him, praying for him and just quietly letting him know that his he wasn’t alone.

Once 7:00 a.m. hit, Nelson obediently got up at my command and slowly walked to the car with me. He LOVED to ride in the car. He didn’t have enough power to jump up into the seat, so I carefully picked him up, put him inside, shut the door and off we went.

When I took Nelson up to the desk at the vet’s office, I explained that he was not better at all. I’d like to leave him there and our daughter Marissa would pick him up after class that afternoon. Meanwhile they could do more examinations, more tests and try to figure out what was going on and what they could do for him. Mike and I left for Texas.

When Marissa called later that afternoon, they told her that they wanted to keep him overnight. He was still in a lot of pain and they wanted to observe him longer and perform a few more tests.

On Thursday, Mike and I drove to Oak Hills Church where Mike would be leading an all day seminar on Creating Your Personal Life Plan. The meeting began at 8:30. At 9:00 I got a text from Marissa telling me to call her right away. It was urgent. It was about Nelson.

I slipped out of the room and expected her to tell me that they had to do emergency surgery on him or something along that line. No. She told me that she had just gotten a call from the vet telling her that Nelson didn’t make it through the night.

I was in complete shock. I thought for sure that we had caught this incident in time and that he would be fine. He might have to have his stomach pumped or something, but he would be fine. But no. Now he was gone and I couldn’t even tell Mike, who was in the middle of speaking. I had to wait all day before I could tell him.

The veterinary staff were completely stunned. None of the tests and blood-work had shown anything so life-threatening. Everyone was baffled.

And shocked.

And sad.

The doctor asked if they could do some further tests to see if they could find out what really happened. I said yes. The two likely culprits seemed to be poison or an obstruction. After talking with the office today it seems as if Nelson had apparently eaten something sharp and it had perforated his intestines, causing a severe infection that overtook his already weakened body way too fast. Needless to say, we’re heartbroken.

In lieu of more words, I’ll let the pictures show what a special dog he was. We’ll miss you, Nelson.

A very handsome boy!

THE BEST KID’S DOG!!

Under the umbrella fort with Ellie.

Dress up time.

Every dog needs socks, right?

One must wear a bib when going to the doctor.

Budding buddies—Ben and Nelson.

Your buddy, Uncle Loren will surely miss you!

Silly sleeping poses.

Summertime relaxing on the back porch. It’s what you do in the South. Where’s my Sweet Tea?

Stalking a bird—once a bird dog, always a bird dog.

Frolicking in the snow!

We’ll always love you, Nelson!

And now this, from my friend David Teem’s book And Thereby Hangs A Tale:

… It has been said that dogs have no souls. Maybe it does or doesn’t matter. It’s not an argument I care to make. But my question would be how could any creature love so purely without one? It is difficult to imagine a heaven without their kind.

I have often thought what it might be like when my own time comes, when my footfalls are heard at the gates of heaven. What might my welcome be? Will I be greeted with a blast of trumpets? Or the song of angels? Either one would be nice.

But I had another thought.

No, give me bustle. Give me the comic riot. Greet me with pant and clamor. Greet me with the wild exultant joy of dog love: perfect, complete, and above all true, love that seems at home wherever it is, but especially here. Give me three wet black noses pressing eager and impatiently through the gates. Give me the old music, the whine and the howl, the high lonesome cry of jubilee. Sweetness and homecoming overflowing all our cups, as if I am given complete absolution for my crime against them, a full and undoubted pardon. Truth is, I don’t think they held anything against me at all. They never could. And thereby hangs a tale.

July 8, 1978. Thirty-three years ago today. 

That is Gary Smalley, performing the service.

The Bride, the former Barbara Gail Bruce

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hyatt