Puppy Love!

I didn't realize that my future would consist of massive sleep deprivation.  I had no clue that the sorrowful whines for freedom from jail cell  (doggie crate) could go on and on.  I forgot the unforgettable smell of puppy breath.  That a squeaky toy could make a whole lot of noise.  That whoever invented the doggie door is my hero. That my new wake-up time is now officially in the 4 o'clock range.  That is life with a new pup.  Zoe has arrived!

We didn't know we'd get a pup so fast.  It was just two weeks ago that we woke up to what would go down as a very bad, horrible, no good day.  Our precious thirteen year old English Springer, Gracie Lou, could not get up on her own.  As the hours passed by, my husband and I knew that today was the day we would say goodbye.

I had dreaded this day ever since we received the news 7 months earlier that she had liver cancer.  It was then I began to savor the days like never before.  Every moment with her mattered.  I told her over and over "I love you."  We made her scrambled eggs on Saturdays.  We gave extra Scooby Snacks, cause hey, whose watching weight?  But as the months went on, we saw her slowly decline.  Through it all, she held her head high, showered us with love and continued her daily chores.  Even the day before she died, she managed to half-way bring in the Sunday paper.  The day of her death, my husband decided to make her a big plate of scrambled eggs.  He brought it to her on a people plate as she lay on the deck, barely able to move.  We knew things were bad when she sniffed them and turned away.

The last two weeks have been a whirl wind.  We had been looking for pups never thinking we'd fine one so soon.  A relative of Gracie!  We were happy to meet Zoe, full of energy and new life.  In fact, in Greek, the word Zoe actually means "life."  This last year has been filled with lots of loss for the Abbotts.  But in the midst of death, God has brought us new life- Zoe!

Perhaps, we love dogs so much because they give us a huge dose of unconditional love.  They're loyal.  They take you just as you are.  They are happy to just be with you.  They never hold a grudge.  They forgive you.  They protect you.  They pick you up when you are down.  They know what's best for you.  When you're having a bad day, they are silent, sit close beside you and just nuzzle up against you.  Perhaps God gives us pets to remind us of His love.  He too is just delighted to be with you.  God adores you.  He longs to help you.  Encourage you.  Listen to you.  Hang with you.  Yes, that's God. Nothing will every change how much He loves you!  Nothing! And..... if you have a pet at home, make those moments count.  We won't have them forever.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.