In loving memory of Dozer
In Marquette there is a Christian bookstore. I love to go there if for nothing else but to look. My usual purchases are the business card size inspirational cards that I like to use as bookmarks. I saw one that said something like – Dear God; Help me be the person my dog thinks I am.
You maybe thinking what the hell does that mean (or you may substitute hell for heck, but you get the hint). Or maybe you know exactly what it means, my version maybe a little different than yours but here’s my slant on it, albeit the long way around.
Shortly after Joe and I got married we got a black lab puppy. He was adorable and Joe named him Opus after one of his favorite comics Bloom County. We were never blessed with children (except for the four legged kind) and Opus was like our child. I believe that many people in our situation feel the same way but there are also those with children that feel like that also.
We were devastated when we had to put him to sleep 13 years later even though it was best for him it was still a very difficult decision to make.
Joe and I had him cremated and paid the extra for him to have a separate cremation, as opposed to having a mass cremation. We still have his ashes some 8 years later in our computer room proudly displayed with his collar wrapped around the vase with our favorite picture of him with his Boda. Joe’s Aunt Jane also painted a beautiful painting of that picture and that is still proudly displayed as well. Don’t freak out, it took many years but we are as over his death, as well as we can be but, we still haven’t had the heart to put him anywhere else.
We now have another dog, Mavis, and she can’t wait until we move Opus’ ashes to a less prominent place. Mav is like our child but when we adopted her she was already about 2 years old. The bond is not as close as Opus’ but it is still a very strong one.
When watching tv or a movie I cry more if an animal dies as opposed to a person. Yep, I’m a real animal lover. The first time I noticed that was when I was watching a western (why I don’t know) with my Dad and they had to put a horse down because it was injured. I cried like a baby! Joe always reminds me that it is just a stunt animal and if we see something dead on the road he says that it’s just taking a nap on the blacktop because it’s warmer on the blacktop. Somehow I think that might not be the case but I’ll take his word for it.
Stay with me I’m getting there
Dogs are much different that cats, if you have a cat I don’t need to tell you that. Dogs are always happy to see you when you come home whether you are gone for 5 minutes or a week.
They may do something wrong and you scold them but it doesn’t take them long to forget it (by our experience anyway – although Opus and Mavis were not the brightest bulbs in the box).
God is like a dog (no disrespect intended). It doesn’t matter how long since you have talked to him He is always glad to hear from you!
I probably shouldn’t admit to this but I haven’t been to church, on a regular basis, since I got married – and don’t ask how long that’s been. Let’s just say it’s been awhile. Over the past few years I have become more ‘spiritual’ as I call it, ok I still haven’t been to church but I’m getting somewhat better (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).
God welcomed me back with open arms and all those years ignoring Him were, I believe, forgiven.
FINALLY ALREADY!
Short story long, if it’s been a while since you had a personal relationship with the good Lord, see for yourself – the whole dog thing – that He will be as happy to hear from you just as your dog is.
God I hope the analogy will not wind me up in hell!
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