Annie Joe's Last Words for Me
It will be two years this coming October that Annie died, at the beautiful age of almost 17 years. She was such a sweet dog, at first for my daughter Monica, who raised and trained her. They were loyal and devoted home school companions. Monica cleverly taught her many tricks for our Dinner and Dog Tricks Shows that was a common event in those early years of homeschooling our four children. Some super fun tricks included doing the Teeter-Totter with our Chocolate lab Duke, the balance beam, jumping through a hula hoop and riding in a silly circus costume in a wagon with Monica pulling her. T.ogether they loved taking hikes at Ice Age Trail where they would explore deep gulges and walk fallen logs like balance beams. Winter, spring, fall, and summer their hikes were adventures that brought much delight
Annie would always come along to help Monica and I with planting our garden or doing other projects at our church St. Mary's Pine Bluff (F.r Rick Heilman's parish at the time). I worked endless hours in the Rosary Garden there, and Annie was very content perusing the nearby cemetery for scents while I worked, or just laying in the pleasant grass and watching me work.
When Monica left home for college in Nebraska, Annie and I became serious prayer partners and during that time I took the hint from Our Lady and created the handmade leather rosary leash, which then led to the birth of Holy Cats & Dogs. We became dutiful in our frequent visits to local cemeteries praying for the Poor Souls. The hours and hours of rosaries prayed on beautiful days, cloudy days, snowy days, windy days ... were all a blessing & Annie was always ready to go with her patient and sweet attitude.
When Annie's health began to fail, she still wanted to take our walks and with the miracles of St. Joseph, she overcame many episodes of dire health. It finally became too hard for her. Her passing left my heart shattered for a time. I didn't realize how deep the tie becomes to a faithful dog friend.
HER FAREWELL
The day of her passing I went to be with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. As I sat there weeping, I begged my Lord, for what to do, I was at wits end to navigate the sorrow. When I listened for His Word, He said, "You are blessed to feel this pain. Now you have some understanding of how My heart is broken with each baptized soul who walks away from me. They have died when they leave me out of their life. They become walking dead. Your pain is but a tiny speck of grief compared to what I feel. Now you are closer to my shattered heart." ....
This message was a tremendous gift, to me, that came indirectly from Annie because her dear friendship ending left my heart so in pain but brought me closer to my Lord and the mission H gave me and you to pray for those who suffer in abandoning their Catholic faith, and for the Poor Souls who are so dear to Our Lord.
Let's take the time to pray for the Poor Souls and for the lost sheep..... one day Our Lord will thank you for the gift you gave Him with your rosary walks with your dog and how it brought consolation to His aching heart.