Funny thing about this ridiculous pandemic. It did not come with an instruction manual.
In a conversation about how to manage, one of my colleagues said, “Figuring out how to deal with this thing is like building a plane while it’s flying through the air. The pandemic caught us off guard and challenged everything we once knew to be normal and stable.”
And yet.. here’s my instruction manual for just about everything: Joy is a guiding principle. There is always room for delight. Always, no matter what. With our permission, delight finds it’s way into the darkest circumstances.
In the midst of ministering to those in need, shutting down all of our normal church practices, reinventing new ways to do everything, addressing staff and financial issues, and caring for my family’s needs — it seemed important to make a video about our Practitioners‘ Pets.
(BTW, Practitioners are the Prayer Ministers at our Spiritual Center. They play an important role by serving our congregation with great love and integrity in ways too numerous to name).
Here is the video: Pandemic Prayer Partners.
I hope it makes you smile.
And if you have a minute, tell us about how you invite delight.
Daily Beloved 
I invite delight by being with what is while looking for the gift in the situation.
I can ride my road bike because their is LESS traffic. I have time to go watch the sunset. I step into gratitude for all I have in my life. A lot I take for granted. I am not alone and n my home , I have Dave and Joe. I have wonderful neighbors and friends. We delight in making each other meals during this time.
To be honest Joey delights me continually by being my big brat❤️
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And there it is! Pure delight!
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Bravo, what a delightful video! Love and thanks to all who put so much work into it. I am so impressed!
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Thank you Gail. It was a labor of Love. Love, Bonnie
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Absolutely the most beautiful pet/spiritual video I have ever seen. Thank you so much!
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Aw, thank you so much Lynn. I know you love animals. Love to you – Bonnie
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LOVED THIS video! So uplifting!
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I invite delight by taking online dance classes & playing with my dogs while watching comedies on Netflix.
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Tears of joy flow down our cheeks watching these sweet companions who bring LOVE every day. Thank you for doing this Bonnie…made our day. Love…
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So sweet! I was especially pleased with the way the Seale/Luce dogs’ pictures turned out. Love, Bonnie
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. . . by listening to my husband’s wacky sense of humor; getting wet, slobbery dog kisses; tasting a bowl of popcorn; and binge-watching recordings of “This is Us.” Amazing – delight is right here in front of me.
xoxo
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🙂 xoxo
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Memories of my so loved Buddy, Misty, BJ, and Ginger came alive and I felt JOY. Thank you.
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Dear Barb,
So grateful that you had all those dear pets. They are beloved beyond imagination, right? Thank you for your kind words. Love, Bonnie
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Loved the video. So happy to have these new practitioners, and share their wisdom and love .Thank everyone for your loving energy for producing this video.
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Thanks Rheina – miss you and look forward to seeing you someday soon! Love, Bonnie
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I just played the video here with Wendy, my cat. She is a little miffed that she didn’t get to participate because Mom was looking for her stole.
The video was so wonderful and I got to cry!
Joy sources: Wendy the cat, ALWAYS doing something for the heart, the gorgeous birds and frogs singing their hearts out duripng the current breeding season, all the many ways VCSL brings us all hope, joy, laughter, and so much more, walking in my beautiful canyon daily, time to rest, heal and restore my body and soul, retirement, science fiction shows, a really good book, good healthy food, the care being demonstrated all over the world and our fabulous planet!
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Yay Linda – this is all so wonderful. Sorry about Wendy being miffed. 🙂 Love, Bonnie
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I’ve now watched the video several times, each time brings smiles, laughter & joy! How I invite delight is through my senses and curiosity: I look for colors, shadows, the angle of a branch, the movement of a leaf, the way light dances & the beauty of nature; I listen for the sounds of nature, the first bird song, the call of evening crickets, the rustle of trees, the sound of hello; I move with ease finding natural rhythm with breath & walking; I stop to smell flowers & breathe in the scents around my environment; I try to eat slowly to bring flavors to life. I wonder what will surprise & delight me next!
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