Category Archives: Poems

Sunday Pause (Paws): The Message

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back, relax, and look for messages.

This Tuesday it will be three years since my sister, Lisa, passed away. I was looking at some pictures of her and reading some of the poems I wrote after she passed. I was reminded of the messages she sent me during my time of grieving her so I wrote another poem about that.

THE MESSAGE
A hot day and the wind very still
Hoping to cool off in the shade
Sitting on a bench under a tree
Heads bowed while the pastor prayed

A combination of sweat and tears
Rolling down the cheeks on my face
I look over and you’re sitting next to me
We’re preparing your resting place

I was dazed and full of grief
When it came out of nowhere
The strongest and longest breeze
Blowing right through my hair

I lifted up my chin and closed my eyes
I smiled because it was then I knew
I soaked it all in and just received
The message that was coming from you

©LeeAnn Johnston/Animals Are Feeling Beings

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Do Something

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back and relax. But not for too long because the world needs you, me, WE.

I heard a song recently called “DO SOMETHING” and thought it was perfect not only because that is what I am doing for animals and encouraging others to, but also it seems perfect for the times.

I wrote a poem a while back in this image below and it has the same message the song does. We wonder why God isn’t doing anything. His reply is that he is. He’s waiting for us.

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Sunday Pause (Paws): Dream Of A Kind World

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back and relax. That is definitely what we have planned for today! But first….

We wanted to peek in to say hi
A quicker post and here is why
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We spent the day painting this
And now we simply wish
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To take a nap, body all curled
And dream of a kinder world Continue reading →

Sunday Pause (Paws): Pets Are Great Examples

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back, relax, and put those five senses into gear.

There is a lot going on but we still need times to take a breath and ground ourselves again. Animals are such great examples for us in this and in so many ways, aren’t they?! Do you ever watch them play or when you’re walking them? So carefree.

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I wrote a little poem for today. I hope you enjoy it.

OUR FIVE SENSES

Surrounded by a bed of roses
Enjoyable fragrance filling our noses
Feeling the warmth of the sun in the sky
We see beauty all around we can’t deny
Everything in nature seems to glisten
Be still, close your eyes, and just listen
From the green grass to the blue sky above
Through it all we’re getting a sweet taste of love

©LeeAnn Johnston/Animals Are Feeling Beings Too

Happy Sunday!

Sunday Pause (Paws): Are You?

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back, relax, and that means…push the pause button.

My sister’s birthday was this past week which got me thinking about her. She passed away a few years ago at the young age of 53. It was quite unexpected. I wrote the following poem shortly after that. It seems kind of fitting for what we’re all going through right now since the main message is about stopping and slowing down. It really is hard though, isn’t it? But it’s in times like these that we can be forced to.

THE WORLD DOESN’T STOP

The world is so busy
The world is so fast
Treating life like a race
How quickly time is passed

Then one day comes
When you receive a call
Continue reading →

Sunday Pause (Paws): Just…Breathe…More

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back, relax, & breathe.

Cino was so enjoying the open window. She was just sniffing and breathing in the fresh air. Watching her really brought me joy. From that, the picture, and what is going on in our world currently, I wrote a poem.

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One day we woke up
The whole world had changed
Our normal daily life
Has been completely rearranged

Businesses closing down
Celebrations put to a halt
Looking for someone to blame
Some say God is the one at fault

Many have lost their job
For others a loved one was taken
Emotions running rampant
There are many hearts aching

We’re meant to be together
Now we’re kept at a distance
Things feeling so surreal
It’s a whole new existence

For company and comfort
Many are turning to their pet
With the chaos around us
They can help us forget

Hardly any places to go
Stuck inside looking out the door
With the rat race put on hold
We’re reminded to…just…breathe…more.

©LeeAnn Johnston/Animals Are Feeling Beings Too

So fortunate to share our days with these precious beings we call “pets.”

Happy Sunday!

Sunday Pause (Paws): Birds & Nature Pulling It All Together

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back and relax.

I‘m working on pulling together a few of the rooms in our new place. The pics in the collage are some of the main items and color scheme I am going with for a bedroom. It’s funny because I’m thinking when it’s all done it might be my favorite room and it started off my least favorite.

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I love the beauty of nature and the beautiful beings that live in it. I’m enjoying the bird decorative items and they inspired this poem. Continue reading →

Sunday Pause (Paws): Into The New Year

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back and relax!

Here we are into the New Year. We had a mellow New Year’s Eve and just snuggled on the couch. New Year’s Day we went to see the movie “A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood.” What a great example Mr. Rogers was for all of us. He really tuned in and listened to others, validated feelings, saw that everyone matters, and was very kind. His kindness extended to non-humans as well. He was a vegetarian who said he could never eat something that was walking around or that has a mother. This movie was an encouraging way to start off the New Year!

When Cino and I were talking resolutions this is the look I got.

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Sunday Pause (Paws): That Sweet Face

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It’s Sunday! Time to kick back and relax. I don’t know what the weather is like where you are but here it has been a weekend to stay in. We’re having rain/snow mix and it is making for some very icy road conditions. On weekends like this I truly can take some time to kick back and relax.

I hope all of you who celebrate enjoyed Christmas and the gatherings. At my family gathering I was asked how things were going with my blogging. My response was “good but I haven’t been writing very meaty posts lately.” I miss sitting down and pouring my heart into a post and I will get back to that. Sometimes life just takes you in other directions for a while.

My meaty posts usually come from an experience of some sort. Not too long ago when I was driving on a highway I passed a truck full of cows. My heart instantly became heavy and I had tears streaming down my face. I wondered if I was the only one on that highway who notices and feels sad for them. Or if everyone sees such a thing as “normal.” In this world it may be looked at as “normal” but the God I know didn’t have that planned for his creation. So in my awareness I have to ask myself do I sit back and just act “normal” and go along with the crowd or do I speak up and educate others? I choose the latter. So you see it is experiences that touch my heart & soul that bring about those meaty posts and I hope this last paragraph was somewhat that.

That experience of seeing the cows (and the adorable picture of Cino) made me think of a poem I wrote a while ago and thought it would fit very well in today’s post. I changed it a little bit and have recorded myself reading it. But boy did I have a lot of trouble making this video. I worked on it for a long, long time, late into the night. It seems to be a software problem. Hopefully I will figure it out eventually for future videos or just go with another route of recording. But for now this is the best I can do. It is a recording with my phone. The poem is also typed out on this post if you want to follow along or just read it.

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