Pennie Hunt
  • Home
  • Blog~ Corner of Spirit & Brave
  • BOOKS
  • BIO
  • Presentations
  • Social media
  • Contact Pennie
  • Love-Life
  • Pennie's Ponderings ~ Quotes
  • Pennie's Life Lessons
  • Videos
  • Pennie in the News
  • Meditations
  • Testimonials
  • UPCOMING EVENTS

MY PATH TO GRACE...

1/25/2020

2 Comments

 
Picture
MY PATH TO GRACE
 
“Let’s name her SPIKE,”
J.T. said with a grin as he dangled a tiny black spiked collar in front of me.
     “We are not naming this cute little puppy        that will be all of 12 lbs full grown                    SPIKE!”
I snapped.
 
My son’s grin told me that was the point- the humor of a tiny fluffy Shih Tzu with a name that conjured visions of an attack dog.
 
She was named Yogee, and yet even after both my son and Yogee passed away, everyone remembers the joke that followed her through her 15 years.
 
The sadness of losing a pet after that long opens up a thought process of do we want another dog?  Can we handle the puppyhood?  Did we want the responsibility? When should we think about it- is it too soon? Can we handle saying goodbye in another 15 years?
 
Loss is hard, but with everything in life, as they say… the beat goes on.
The heartbeat of love and life goes on.
 
I researched Shih Tzu breeders and found three, in three different states.  All of them had a detailed process of applications and background checks before they considered the forever homes for their puppies.  The waiting lists were 9-12 months, so I filled out the applications and put it out of my mind.
 
The crazy chain of events that happened next was, I believe, Grace in action! 
​

Picture
It began with a simple text message from my daughter that read:

 Brady just said, “Yogee is in heaven and  Grandma is going to get a new Yogee  puppy –on TUESDAY!”  Is he correct?
 
This made me chuckle coming from my 4 year old grandson.  I responded with,
           
     “Well, everything except Tuesday…
       maybe late summer.”

 
A few nights later I had a dream that Yogee had puppies next to my bed. The dream was clear, in color and felt like it was REAL.  I reached down and picked up a white and copper brown one – the color I hoped for in my next Shih Tzu. I knew there were other puppies in the dream, but I could only see this one.  Yogee was walking away.
I called to her saying over and over again that she needed to come back and take care of the puppies.  She just shook her head and kept walking away as if she knew I would do it.
​
The extraordinary clarity of the dream spurred a long conversation with my husband the next morning about what it meant and why Yogee brought a puppy to me – the exact color that I wanted. 


A couple of days passed, but the comment from my grandson and the dream lodged in my mind.  Watching TV one evening, I received an email to my phone from one of the breeders saying she had a female puppy available and wanted to know if I was interested.  The picture attached was of a white and copper furball of cuteness.  It was her eyes that drew me in.

Picture
​​As I stretched the screen on my phone I saw familiar eyes… they were Yogee’s eyes looking deep into my heart.
 
Tears welled and I heard the word, --    
      “Grace.”
 
Not wanting my husband to see my tears, I forwarded the email to him. I waited for his reaction. I saw him enlarge his screen to see the very thing I saw.  The eyes.
He looked at me and said,
 
       “What are we going to do?”  
 
I didn’t know.  We had resigned ourselves to wait and allow the loss of Yogee to settle.  To enjoy a bit of freedom without the responsibility of a dog.  And yet, the messages were clearly being laid before me. My tears surged with every conversation about this puppy and with every photo the breeder sent.
 
The messages continued.
 
We were told this puppy was the runt of the litter. (Just like Yogee.)  After sleepless nights of caring for the tiny pup and worried about her ability to survive, the breeder wanted to keep her.  Deciding she shouldn’t, she scanned her waiting list reading the profiles of prospective families and kept coming back to us. 
 
When we found out that the puppy’s mother was named Beah, I knew.  I ran to the scrapbook I had created for Yogee and pointing to the registration papers I showed my husband… Yogee’s mother was named Bea! 
 
We made arrangements to visit the puppy.  A sweet woman invited us into her home. She picked up the smallest of four puppies and laid her in my lap. She called her, Emma – mysteriously close to the name of my granddaughter Emmie – the daughter of my passed son.  
She said,
 
       “There is something special about this  
          puppy.  
I tell everyone I believe she is
          an angel.”

 
The day we adopted her our home filled with joy.  We heard the patter of paws running on our floors.  We enjoyed snuggles and cuddles and puppy kisses.
I was convinced she was brought to us through the mystical process of grace orchestrated by J.T. and Yogee … a process others may not understand or comprehend, but to me it was clear.
 
We named her Gracie Beah.
 
The next morning I took her to my daughter’s home so Gracie could meet her family.  As I was leaving I told them all to say goodbye to Gracie.  Hugs and kisses irrupted and the last in line was Brady, the one who predicted the arrival of a puppy.
He kissed her, looked in her eyes and said,
 
      “Goodbye Spike, Spikie, Spike.”
 
Stunned, I asked him why he called her that. He had no way of knowing the Spike story.  He simply shrugged and said,
 
       “I just felt like it.”
 
My daughter and I smiled at each other.
The last message had been given, and yes, ​the beat goes on.
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Pay attention to the magical messages of Grace. Follow the path they lead you to.” 
             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gracie 2016 and Gracie now. 
Picture
Picture
Pennie Heart to Heart
MY PATH TO GRACE
​
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to watch for messages of Grace --and  follow the path they lead you to. 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                                Thank you!  ​              
​                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                               All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2020 Pennie Hunt
         This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
​

​​

2 Comments

BASKET of BURDENS

1/17/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
I remember it well, following the small, quiet woman down the hallway that led to the candlelit room.
She talked softly as she told me her name and explained how long she had been a massage therapist.
As we reached the doorway, she paused and said,
     “Before we go in you must leave your    
       burdens here.”

 
She reached for a basket that was hanging next to the door.
How did she know I was overflowing with worries? Burdens?
I was holding more than would fit in her small basket.
Was it that obvious?
Were they clinging to the white cotton robe I wore like lint balls that you want to pick off before someone notices?

Smiling at my puzzled, fearful expression she explained,
 
   “The Native American Culture believes in        leaving your worries at the door before  
     you enter a place of peace. You must put       your burdens in this basket, so our time  
    together is free of worry, concern or  
    despair. This will free your spirit and you
    will relax into clear serenity.”

 
I looked at her dark, sincere eyes and began mentally going through the list I carried:
My father’s illness;
work;
family;
appointments;
bills;
the list went on and on.

I cupped my hand as if I were pouring these worries, and so many more, into the basket and silently hearing them clunking as they piled in.
She smiled broadly as she saw the weight lift from me and become the duty of the basket.
 
For the next hour as I inhaled the smell of lavender and my muscles were relieved of their stress, I thought of the basket, the ritual, the splendor of it all.

My mind had also been relieved of tension in a very real way. I left feeling warmer, lighter, happier.

That evening I realized what I had forgotten. I had not stopped to gather my burdens from the basket as I left.
Was I supposed to?
Did I fail Burden Basket etiquette?
 
I couldn't forget the experience-
The reverence I felt as the basket was explained to me, the seriousness of the ritual and the calmness as a result of the process.
 
I needed one.
I needed a basket of my own.
So I began searching.
 
It wasn't until several years later in a small shop in New Mexico that I found one.
A Burden Basket!

With great excitement I purchased it.
Once I was home with my treasure, I hung it high at the entry of my meditation loft.
I took joy in the dumping of my burdens before I would enter my quiet space.

Now, it was more peaceful without the chatter -the irritating chatter of my worries.
 
And still, after years of this daily practice, I forget to gather my burdens as I leave the room.
       ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson:
"Do not allow burdens to hold your mind, your heart or your home as their resting place. Remove them from your space of serenity."

         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
BASKET OF BURDEN

​YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to give you a tool to use to lessen your burdens. 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com.
 
                                                Thank you!  ​              
​                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

                               All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2020 Pennie Hunt
         This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information. ​
0 Comments

I BELIEVE - by Pennie Hunt

1/12/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
​​We are experiencing a cold winter with wild winds and heavy amounts of snow. It has gone past the winter wonderland stage with me and slid right into feeling like frigid isolation. The combination of the letdown after the holidays and the cold winter weather typically opens to a kind of quiet, slow, sad time for me. January has never been my favorite month.
 
Except for January of 1985.
 
That is the year I was gifted with my son, Jameson Tanner, -- J.T. -- as he preferred. 
 
That January I relished the cold winter that kept me bound to my home and my baby. I remember the delicious days of holding him bundled in my arms, rocking for hours in the same chair I had rocked my other babies. I would sip hot tea and stare at his tiny face, in awe of the miracle I had been given, knowing it would be the last time I stepped into the arena of motherhood.

Picture
As the wind and snow whirled outside, I hoped the moments of grace and innocence would be frozen in that rocking chair. 
I hoped the winter of 1985 would last forever.
It didn’t.
 
The calendar pages turned, and Jan. 14, 2020 is J.T.’s 35 birthday - and it is the 13th January I have celebrated without him. Since his passing I have learned to count. In the beginning, it was the weeks since he left, then months, and years. I count holidays. I count how many of his friends have married. I count how many babies have been born and how many people have passed. I count events he has missed. The number is always followed with, “since JT passed.”
 
This week I was talking to him as I often do. I tell him about what he has missed, how I miss him, and how I need to feel his hugs and hear his voice.
Over the years, I believe, I have received messages from him in magical ways. These come in the form of smoke alarms and electronics going off, finding guitar picks in odd places, license plates, and music. He was a musician, so music was large in his life. He loved the Beatles, the Eagles, punk, and hard rock. If there were drums or a guitar in it, he loved it. During the time of his passing he was in a Bob Dylan phase, so of course we played a Bob Dylan song at his funeral.
 
I talked to him as I prepared the contribution to his daughter’s college fund that I make every year in honor of his birthday. As I wrote out the check, I was missing him terribly. I told him how beautiful his daughter is and thanked him for giving us this lovely soul to remember him by. After tucking the donation letter into an envelope, I grabbed a package I needed to mail and headed to the post office. The line was long. I waited with unusual patience. It gave me time to think about him.
 
When it was my turn I chatted with the clerk as she weighed the package. I put my credit card in the machine and saw the envelope in my purse. I said,
   “Oh, and this letter is all stamped and
     ready,”
 as I handed it to her.
 
Just then music began playing. The clerk said,    
   “Well, that is good timing, we are all done 
      and 
someone is trying to call you.”
 
I looked at her confused. That wasn’t my phone. It wasn’t the normal ring. I looked in the side pocket of my purse and my phone was not in its usual spot. Then I realized the music WAS coming from my purse. I dug deeper to the bottom where I found my phone playing a song from iTunes- Bob Dylan’s, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.”
 
I thanked the clerk, silenced my phone, and ran out into the winter cold to my car. I never listen to iTunes. The phone was at the bottom of my purse and spontaneously began playing just as I handed the clerk the donation letter for J.T.’s daughter. 
I guess the clerk was right. 
Someone was trying to call me. 
J.T. was sending his approval. 
It was one of his perfectly timed messages.
 
Suddenly, the winter didn’t seem so bad.
Suddenly, I felt warm and surrounded by one of his glorious hugs.
And once again, I believe.
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~                
Pennie's Life Lesson:     
        “If you watch and listen
            messages will come.
                         I believe.”

                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to believe what you see! 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com.
 
                                                Thank you!  ​              
​                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

                               All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2020 Pennie Hunt
         This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information. ​
0 Comments

LOVE IS THE WORD

1/5/2020

2 Comments

 
Picture
This is the ninth year I have chosen a word that will guide my year.
Not a resolution.
Not a goal.
A word.

In the past, I have chosen words like JOY and SINCERITY.   (Links for these writings are found below.) 
Last January, after 2018 was an especially tough year, I chose the word “Fun.” After the pain and trauma of my car accident, I just needed some fun in my life. Little did I know that 2019 would be another difficult year with my mom’s health issues and her passing. When someone you love passes, it isn’t a good year - or fun.

I have given a lot of thought about my word for 2020. I believe we are here for three reasons - to learn, to teach, and to love. With an emphasis on Love. To love and be loved.

Recently, I was having a very deep conversation with my grandsons. If you think a conversation can’t be “deep” with a 10-year-old and 2 7-year-olds you are wrong. Somehow the discussion turned to what a person needs to survive. They agreed that food, water, and shelter, would be what a person requires. And then I told them that I believed there was another thing that a human couldn’t live without - LOVE.

They promptly disagreed as I explained that one of our needs to survive is to love and be loved. One of them said, - “Google it!” 
They believe, that “Google” is like the all-knowing OZ behind the curtain and would solve our debate.

So, I typed,
 “Can a person live without love?” 
in the search bar. 

I found this quote by, David Samuel:

“To live without loving is merely existing, it is a robot's life. To be truly alive, to live, to feel, one must have someone to love. ... Without love, the riches of life are worthless.” (Link below.)
 
The boys immediately understood this. After all, they understood what a robot is and who wants to live a mechanical life like that. They conceded that Grandma, (or maybe Google), was correct. Humans cannot live without love! I even pushed it a bit further and told them I believed that love was the most important thing we needed to live - above food, water, and shelter.

As I began contemplating my word for 2020, this conversation came back to me. If I do believe that love is the most important requirement to live - and I do. I also believe LOVE is the most important word in any language. Soooo... Why wouldn’t I put effort into living by this word?

I realize that in 2018 the collision I was involved in could have easily taken my life in one swift second. I didn’t know that in the year 2019 I would say goodbye to my Mom.
Life is brief. 
Life is fragile.
Life is finite.

What if we lived every day as if it was our last chance to share the love?
What if every time we saw someone we cared about,  it was our last chance to say, “I love you.” 
What if this moment right now was the last chance we have to feel like we were loved?

In 2020 I want to love more in big ways and small. To show love to those I care about and strangers I don’t know. To breathe in and accept Love from others. To express Love in silent and anonymous ways. To think about how my words have power and put effort into speaking in loving ways.

Love. 
This simple little four-letter word is also the biggest word in my life.
Love is my word for 2020 - And beyond.
 
                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~                
Pennie's Life Lesson:     
      “To love and be loved is the most
​        important requirement of life.”

                          ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Writing links: 
I HELD JOY IN MY HAND
​
 THE PROMISE OF SINCERITY

David Samuel Quote

Picture
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about  what your word for 2020 is.  What will be your theme for the new year? 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com.
 
                                                Thank you!  ​              
​                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

                               All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2020 Pennie Hunt
         This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information. ​
2 Comments

    Author

    There is a certain magic about where I live both physically and spiritually – on the crossroads of Spirit and Brave. 

    It seems appropriate that my writings be found under the sign that locates my life.  I wish for all of you the ability to live in your Spirit to experience a life filled with love and gratitude and be Brave in the learning of your life lessons. 

    Enjoy!
            Pennie


     

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Addiction
    Beginnings Endings
    Beginnings & Endings
    Beginnings & Endings
    Change
    Failure
    Father
    Father's Day
    Fear
    Forgive
    Forgiveness
    Gratitude
    Grief
    Happiness
    Healing
    Hope And Cope
    Hope And Cope
    Judgment
    Kindness
    Life Lessons
    Life Lessons
    LOVE
    Meditation
    Mindfulness
    Opioid Epidemic
    Risk
    Success
    Trust

    RSS Feed

Picture
PLEASE NOTE: This page does not provide medical or legal advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site and links to other sites, Pennie Hunt provides general information for inspiration, encouragement and educational purposes only. The information provided in this site, or through links to other sites, is not a substitute for legal, medical, or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call or the advice of your lawyer, physician or other healthcare provider.   

​
 Copyright © 2012- 2023  Pennie Hunt -  All Rights Reserved
Photographs by Pennie Hunt and Materpiecebysarah.com                          


  • Home
  • Blog~ Corner of Spirit & Brave
  • BOOKS
  • BIO
  • Presentations
  • Social media
  • Contact Pennie
  • Love-Life
  • Pennie's Ponderings ~ Quotes
  • Pennie's Life Lessons
  • Videos
  • Pennie in the News
  • Meditations
  • Testimonials
  • UPCOMING EVENTS