Having never had a pet growing up, except rabbits for a
short time and two hamsters named Timothy I and Timothy II, I was never that
into the love of pets. I never thought
of them as parts of a family. Even when
I had a dog 20 years ago, she didn’t have that special place in my heart. But, this dog, my Sophie, is different. She is special not just because of her very
sweet personality but also because of what she has done for our family. She brought laughter, joy, and diversion at a
time when we really needed it.
Since Friday morning at 4am, she has been really sick with
vomiting and the runs. She is in a lot
of pain and refuses to be picked up. I
think the pressure on her stomach or chest is too much for her. She is so pitiful and she refuses to eat or
drink water. If only dogs could talk, it
would be so much easier. But, in lieu of
that, we have to glean from her behavior how she is feeling. We have found that when she is feeling bad,
she is cuddly which is not a usual characteristic for her. She also just stays very close to me or
Kelsey. When she is not feeling well,
she is very mopey or droopy and she will sit right next to you, even lean on
you. It’s like she is saying, “I’m so
sick and I need you to make me feel better” or “I’m so sick and being with you
and you petting me makes me feel better.”
It really is pitiful.
I know it is a bit of a cheesy metaphor, especially if you
are not a person who loves their dog. It
strikes me how she turns to her master for comfort. She seeks to be by my side, to touch me, to
feel my touch and love. The obvious
metaphor is seeking God in times of distress.
Do I look to Him when I am stressed or sick? Do I seek Him when I need strength or
comfort? Do I run to him when I need
shelter in the storm? Unfortunately, far
too often God is not my first “go-to.”
Shoot, too often He is the last one I seek. Of course, I can still rationalize this and
say that God still makes the list even if He is last but, really, that is
ridiculous. He is my “strong tower” and
I am among his righteous. If I am in the
middle of a storm, I need to get to the safest place possible. Don’t take cover in the backyard shed; run to
the storm shelter. In that shelter is
peace, love, strength, comfort, and support.
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and
is safe.”
~ ~ Prov. 18:10
~ ~ Prov. 18:10
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