ATB: Treasure / Reflections

Happy 6th birthday to our beautiful Treasure!

J&A's Dreams Come True of Acton

Sire: Pride & Joy's White Smoke

Dam: Birch Springs Wish Upon A Star

6.16.06

She was the first pup born, presented in the breech position and the teeny tiny toenails on her teeny tiny paws had reached straight through the sac which had protected her for the previous 9 weeks safe within her mother's womb. Her arrival into this world was also the arrival into my heart.  I knew I would be keeping a new liver and white Brittany girl puppy from Wish's second litter.  And the decision that pup would be Treasure was one made purely from the heart. 

What to call her was the question which I pondered. John and I have unique methods for selecting names and there are times when we yield right of way to each other in these regards. Such was the case with Treasure because after all, he had named Jack without any help from me!  I listen to music almost 24 hours a day and most of the time it is either contemporary Christian music from Maine's WMSJ 89.3 or I enjoy piano and classical instrumentals.  I lived through the hard rock, heavy metal, flower power, rock n roll and I like it era.  My teen years and early adulthood was full of Beatles, Stones, Iron Butterfly, etc.  I also loved the music of Carole King, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and others.  So now you see I just don't care for all the noise that's on most radio stations.  I prefer instead to fill my head with either inspiration or music which has passed the test of time. 

Deciding that TREASURE should be the call name of my new puppy was due in parts to words in a song I had listened to on WMSJ as well as gleanings from perusing the thesaurus seeking synonyms for pride and for joy.  As much or as little thought as one desires can go into selecting a dog's name.  I find as time goes on I take more time than ever before deliberating. John and I so appreciate the great Brittanys behind Treasure on both sides and the dedication of the breeders who have gone before us. Consequently I discovered that a synonym for pride and joy was indeed the word 'treasure.' 

Now to consider an AKC registered name was twofold in concept.  Her mother's name is Wish Upon a Star, which is a phrase used in several musical pieces most notably Somewhere Over the Rainbow from Wizard of Oz, and Disney's theme song itself of when you wish upon a star etc. which is often followed by lyrics that include "dreams come true: in some version or other. I also do have a few dreams of my own and I wanted to be reminded that dreams do come true which in itself is to me, an affirmation of faith.  Most important to me, I wanted Treasure's name to somehow reflect what I believe about dreams, desires, hopes, goals, etc.  Not just regarding dogs of course but in all of our live.

How would I do that?  But hauling out my huge Strong's Concordance and looking up "Treasure".  Sure enough I was soon led to what has become the foundation Scripture for all of J&A's Brittanys which is taken from Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So, for where my TREASURE is, my heart is also found.  Indeed! And in more ways than one.  Primarily Treasure is just that, a jewel and a gem, a beautiful liver and white Brittany that is loved so very much and enjoyed by everyone. Especially by me.  So as I think of all these reasons and descriptions as the most humble reminder is always right there in front of me.  And that is to keep my priorities in life straight, to consider what really matters the most in the long run. In the way we live our lives there are things that endure forever, which are eternal.  And there are things that are temporal.  For me, every time I speak or write her name, I am reminded that this is true.  (Speaking of 'true' there is even a word study somewhere in these ATB archives about how his name came to be!)

I'm a bit reflective this evening because "now there are two" puppies here waiting for the first day of the rest of their lives. (Trivia: the quote "first day for the rest of their lives" appeared on a poster which hung on the wall back in the 70's and attributed to Charles Dederich.  I began to use it several years ago in describing our Brittany pups as the exodus to their new homes started.)  9 puppies from Bullet and Treasure's outstanding litter of 11 pups born April 11, 2012 are already living the reality of the rest of their lives. It's really rewarding to know goals have been and are being met for this litter. This includes but certainly is not limited to the reality of the life ahead of them.  10 of 11 pups will be trained as close working gun dogs.  Out of those 10 pups, a majority will actually be hunting grouse and woodcock in - where else? - Maine!  (To those who inquired beyond the North East region I apologize but in most circumstances our Brittany pups remain within the general region, within driving distance.) 

Retelling the story of how Treasure's name came about seemed to flow with the way God has been working in our lives lately. He seems to be continually expanding our world, or put another way, requiring us to enlarge our tents to allow for Him to have His perfect way in our lives.  I think He wants to do this for every person with a particular desire in their heart. Don't you?

Take care and God bless you as always, John, Ann, and our wonderful canine crew of Brittanys at ATB.