“Do you want just a job…or do you want a calling”? This was a question thrown out for discussion at 100 bloggers,by Phil Gerbyshak

It is a question I have pondered lately. In fact a friend and I were talking several weeks ago. I bemoaned the fact that we never see each other. Never talk never get together for lunch or coffee. Had I done something to upset her was my question? Her response was terse and angry.”I don’t have the luxury of working from home like you do” she responded. Here’s a friendship in trouble I thought, I was right, she hasn’t called, emailed, returned my calls. It is Sad to end a friendship, this way. Why? Because she has a Job and I have a passionate calling.

When we were still on the ranch, periodically the concept of “Riding for the brand” would come up, usually from a young cowboy, with old west ideology.
We felt that it was impractical to ask young families to give us their lives, because we knew some day we would be leaving the ranch. However a particular cowboy, who had drifted to the ranch 12 years before, got married, bought cattle and made a life for his family there. He and his became part of the ranch family.
I heard a man talking the other day about finding ranch help, how it is nearly impossible to get and keep help. That is exactly the thing, until they become part of the ranch family; the “brand” has no meaning to them.

That is what I consider a calling, I have a number of siblings in the ministry, that is a calling, and my passion with my art is a calling. That is how I define what I do. A passion, a calling, it is as C.H. SPURGEON says a rightness in our souls,”Opportunities for God’s service should be sought in our common avocations; we may glorify God very much therein. ”

I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.~ Robert Heinlein

Robert Heinlein says:

Women and Cats do what they do; there is nothing a man can do about it.

How you behave towards cats here below determines you status in Heaven.

Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat.

I mentioned to John this morning at four am when the
critters from hell critters woke me up, Tigger The Bengal jumped up on my chest and BlackJack the BlackLab crawled as far up on the bed as he dared, to lick my face, their usual get up now routine , that I could use a hand with the Cats today.
He became suddenly agitated and asked if I was serious?

I am wondering now if this is what caused him to jump out of bed, and suddenly remember that he has a contractor coming early I heard him muttering, something about never again. He went to work very early.

Today is the heartgard heartworm,everybody line up day at our house.
Which means by the time I had wrestled the dogs, and got their heartworm medicine down
them, I was ready for a nice long rest. in a private padded room somewhere.
With no dogs or cats.

Black Jack TheBlackLab likes to be happy, happier, happiest. He will eat Cooked broccoli or green beans. If I offer it to him, he will eat it. He has never had heartgard before because, he didn’t know he needed it,and he just moved in. Our vet said, yep he needs it. BlackJack has a evil twin, who lives here also, I didn’t realize this until I asked him to eat the chewy heartgard. He does not think that chewy heartworm stuff is necessary. Not today, not ever. Ever.

I noticed an almost Murphy like law in effect at our house today,which I should have realized after reading Lyn on smart alecs, and the sarcastic but funny parody at Stray dog. The more I want our critters to behave nicely, the worse they act.I wonder if Ferdy acts like this?

I called Tigger and he sat and stared at me like I’d really like to help you out, but hey, I used up my supply of English yesterday. Tunafish treats is a great motivation for Tigger the Bengal.
If MissSnot on the otherhand, even remotely suspects that you want her for something,she has discovered a way to walk thru walls and disappear.

BuddyTheDog, says well heartworm stuff tastes like gopher crap, but I love you and I will eat it. And Dont forget my three doggy biscuits either. Isnt He wonderful.