My Dog Says I'm All Right!

Yesterday morning seemed a little strange. The day did not begin with the usual sounds and routine. I did not hear my wife coaxing our dog, Princess, to get out of her bed to go outside. I did not hear the thump of her tail on the floor as I walked into the living room. I didn’t have to step over her to go into the kitchen. This past Thursday afternoon we made the difficult decision of having her put to sleep because she was having so much difficulty getting around and would often have spells of shaking. Up until about a year and a half ago she would still bring us her leash, letting us know she wanted to go for a walk. However, as inflammation began settling into her hind quarters she needed help getting up or would drag herself pitifully along. She had been a member of our family for a good number of years and never lost her sweetness. Other than her joy of eating (though she most recently had done that lying down by her bowl) her most energized movement remaining was in her tail. As soon as we would come through the front door or enter the room where she was, we would hear the thumping of her tail on the floor. We were accepted by her with an unconditional love.

I have become a bit painfully aware of how often my eyes would turn to the corner of the room where she often laid. I can picture her ears that would perk up at the sound of the lid coming off the peanut butter. I can see her head pop up at the sound of my spoon hitting the bottom of an almost empty cereal bowl, and though she would be in the living room, her eyes would remain focused toward me, knowing she would most likely get to finish the little bit that was left. We will also miss hearing the “hound” in her (she was a beagle and terrier mix) when the raccoons would come onto our deck to eat cat food.

Thinking about the loss of this good friend made me think of a “teEn-MAIL” focus I had sent out in May of 1998. I share it again to encourage us to consider the way we should be in the eyes of God.

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[This focus was originally sent 05/30/1998, (Edited some and passage has been changed to ESV)]

MY DOG SAYS I’M ALL RIGHT!

Warren J Keating (minister of a church in Arizona) has stated that the best prayer he ever heard was: “Lord, please make me the kind of person my dog thinks I am.”

Our dog, Princess loves me. As I sit here typing, her wet nose often pushes my arm up so I will pet her. Even if she is not being given direct attention, she likes to at least sit at my feet or in the room near me. Often times as I am sending out the e-mail she is lying on her blanket behind me. She thinks I'm okay. I'm the person she wants to stay around.

Most importantly I need to be that way in the eyes of God for the sake of being the RIGHT KIND OF EXAMPLE for others.

We sing the song:

“Make me a servant, Lord make me like You
For You are a servant, make we one too.
Make me a servant, do what You must do
To make me a servant, make me like You.

To Love my brother, to serve like You do
I humble my spirit, I bow before You.
And through my service, I'll be just like You
So make me a servant, make me like You.

Open my hands, Lord, teach me to share
And open my heart, Lord, teach me to care.
Service to others is service to You
So make me a servant, make me like You.”
(author unknown)

Phillips, Craig & Dean (a contemporary Christian group) have recorded a song “I Want To Be Just Like You” (written by Joy Becker & Dan Dean). It is a song about a father recognizing his son’s desire to be just like him and thus the seriousness of living a life that presents the RIGHT EXAMPLE. The chorus of the song goes like this:

“Lord, I want to be just like You 'Cause he wants to be just like me
I want to be a holy example For his innocent eyes to see
Help me be a living Bible, Lord, That my little boy can read
I want to be just like You 'Cause he wants to be like me.”

This world is so much in need of some GOOD EXAMPLES. May we all follow in the steps of Jesus so the world will have an opportunity to see an EXAMPLE that will hopefully lead them to God.

Paul wrote:
“BE IMITATORS OF ME, AS I AM OF CHRIST.” ( I Corinthians 11:1 ESV)

Have a great day LIVING LIKE JESUS!
Carl

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