Our Poor Old Dog - God's Blessings

Well, it seems that we have to face reality.

Our dog, Fatty, is old.

This shouldn't be a sudden realization, because we've had him since he was born. We've watched him grow up, even as most of us grew up too. We watched as his face turned gray.

But none of this really mattered, because he was the same old dog - a puppy when playing outside, no matter what age. He would run about and leap and mock fight with anyone who was willing to stop and growl back.

What brought the sudden realization came a few days ago. Fatty fell from the couch in a seizure. It was the most surprising thing, because his face bore such an expression of fear and rage. His face was curled in a snarl which he never showed while people were around. He shook and ran on his side while we held him down and soothed him with calm words. Finally the shaking stopped, and he seemed to recover enough to sit up. He was dizzy, and his eyes had a cloudy look. He was nervous, and he hung around us, where normally he was fairly independent. He didn't always have to be with his people.

He had another seizure not too long afterward, and the dreaded thought began to creep into our heads: what if it is finally his time? What if we have to say goodbye?

It seemed that that would be the case. Mom phoned the vet, and scheduled an appointment to have him put down. As much as we loved him and wanted him with us, Fatty would be better off if he no longer endured these seizures that seemed to be coming more frequently as the minutes ticked by.

We woke up that morning with heavy hearts. We would have to say goodbye to our good old dog, who had always been there, a quiet fellow, but more than willing to show his love. There was not a mean, defiant bone in his body. He lived to serve and love us. Every one of us was heartsick.

And then came lunchtime. Fatty slept most of the afternoon, and at about 3:00 in the afternoon - his meeting with death was less than an hour away - he went outside. And he played, like he had never played before. His tail was wagging, his usual smile was back, he was hopping and racing around like a puppy, like he used to do. Mom and I watched him from inside, wondering if it was just some fluke. Could he really be feeling better? He hadn't had a seizure since before lunch - was he really going to be alright?

Well, now it's been a day and a half. Mom decided to cancel the appointment, and Fatty is still here with us. He hasn't had a seizure since Thursday before lunch. He seems a little bit dizzy still, almost as if he is losing his sight. But a blind dog is easy to handle. A seizing dog is not.

So, what can we get from this?

First of all, God is Good. He blesses us so much - with a dog that, for over nine years, has been a constant and loving companion to the entire family. Such memories we have, and not one of them bitter. Fatty has been an excellent dog.

Second, God answers prayer. Tiana prayed for Fatty as she lay in bed Wednesday night. She truly believes that this is why Fatty recovered. We all do - God has promised us that He will answer our prayers.

Third, God sends us trials to refine us - to test us. Will we trust Him in the tough times as well as the good times? All we can say is "the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; BLESSED be the name of the Lord!" What more do we have the right to say? Can we argue with God? No! We can only praise him continually!

I am so very thankful that Fatty is doing better. Hopefully he will stick around a few more years, so we can continue to enjoy him as the blessing he is.