Great Dog Stories (5 page)

No road is long with good company.

T
URKISH
P
ROVERB

O
ur daughter Karen works at Disneyland. Last time we were there, I watched a little girl dressed in a princess gown jumping up and down, waving her wand as if to create magic. Her excitement—and the happy giggles and dancing feet of other eager guests—reminded me of how excited our dog Squitchey gets when Karen comes home to see us.

Squitchey knows before any of us when Karen is arriving. She seems to recognize the particular sound of Karen’s car. When Karen drives up, Squitchey bounds in the doggie door and races through the house to our back entrance. She whines and jumps until Karen comes in. Karen has no choice but to greet her first. Then our other dog, Stuart, gets his hug. Afterwards they all go outside to play ball. Finally Squitchey settles down on Karen’s lap or by her side as we all listen to her adventures.

When Karen came home to Bakersfield for Christmas last year, she got a serious sinus infection. She felt miserable and had to stay with us an extra week. Squitchey rarely left her side. When Karen slept on the couch or sat in the easy chair, Squitchey perched on her lap or curled up next to her. When Karen went to the bathroom, Squitchey followed and waited impatiently by the door.

After Karen’s fever was gone and she was feeling better, she started to pack to return to Anaheim. Squitchey followed her around the house. When Karen stopped in one place, Squitchey would lie down flat with her ears drooping, realizing her dear human friend would be leaving soon. Finally it was time for Karen to go. She hugged Squitchey good-bye. Squitchey dragged herself slowly out to the backyard and slept most of the afternoon.

Watching Squitchey’s devotion and commitment to Karen reminds me of my husband’s love for me. Steve and I have been married over 38 years and I can’t imagine us not being by each other’s side. Last Sunday I got sick during church and Steve took me home and stayed with me rather than going to the second service to play his trombone in the praise band. He felt that his place was with me. I am sure that his loving care helped me to heal quickly. That’s the way we have been with each other since we were teenagers—except our commitment has grown deeper over the years.

Steve is a farmer. One day after a big rain, I wanted to go with him to some rain-soaked fields thick with mud. I was no help—I was just along for the ride and the company. It was good that he had four-wheel drive or we would still be out there! We went mud bogging, sliding all over the road. When we reached our destination, Steve’s pickup truck was covered in mud. It could have been tense, but we had a great time because we were together.

Squitchey is devoted to Karen. Steve is devoted to me. The Old Testament prophet Elisha was devoted to his mentor, Elijah. God had commanded Elijah to anoint Elisha as his successor. Elisha became Elijah’s attendant, and he stayed close to Elijah for years. Finally, the day came for God to take Elijah to be with Him. Three times as they were traveling, Elijah told Elisha to remain behind. Three times, Elisha refused. He stayed right beside his spiritual father until Elijah “went up to heaven in a whirlwind” (2 Kings 2:11). Like Squitchey, Elisha was grieved to see his master go—and tore his clothes as a sign of that grief. Then he picked up Elijah’s prophetic mantle and faithfully served God all the rest of his days.

Squitchey stayed with Karen. Steve and I stayed with each other. Elisha stayed with Elijah. For each of us, it was a commitment of love. It’s the same love God shows His children when He promises never to leave or forsake us. I am so grateful that I have a God and a husband and a dog that will be there and care—because they want to be!

Sometimes, when one person is missing,
the whole world seems depopulated.

A
LPHONSE DE
L
AMARTINE

M
y friend Val and her family absolutely adore Jazzmin, their 13-year-old Airedale terrier. She adores them too…especially Ian. Val’s middle son lived at home long after his brothers flew the coop. He became Jazzmin’s special person. Jazzmin waited eagerly for Ian to get home from work every day. She hung out with him all evening and sacked out in his room when he went to bed. True, she’d be curled up on the living room sofa by morning, but she always started out snoozing with her best buddy.

That was all before Ian’s life changed. He decided to move from Los Angeles to California’s central coast. He had a great job opportunity and had always thought about living in this area. He felt the change would be good and found a wonderful place to live. Though sad to see him go, his parents were excited about the new vistas opening in his life. They were glad for him.

Jazzmin was bummed!

Her doggie brain didn’t understand what was happening. She just knew her pal Ian was no longer there. She seemed depressed. She would hang out by the front door, then stretch out in Ian’s old room to sleep, just like she had before he left. Was she waiting, hoping he would someday come home to her?

Maybe so. And one day he did, if just for a little while. He had returned to get his bed and haul it to his new home.

When Ian walked through the front door, Jazzmin went berserk. She is a senior dog, but she kicked up her heels like a six-month-old puppy! She literally jumped for joy. She rose up on her hind legs, wrapped her paws around Ian’s thighs, and gave him a doggie hug. She was a living doggie portrait of pure delight. It blew Ian away. He hadn’t realized he was quite that important to Jazzmin, and his heart was warmed by the love of his canine friend.

Jazzmin’s sweet, innocent attachment to Ian reminds me of how small children often long for their parents when they are apart. When I was very young, I went through a period when I hated being left with babysitters. I think I was somehow afraid that my parents wouldn’t come back, or that something might happen to them. I remained wakeful, waiting to close my eyes until they were safely home.

I also recall one specific incident when Mom went to the grocery store. For some reason I was petrified she wouldn’t return. More than half a century later, I can’t recall if she’d gotten upset with me or if there was some other trigger. I do have a sense that I stood at the window, looking out at the street, hoping for a glimpse of her and bawling my eyes out.

Like most children, I outgrew such separation anxiety as I got older. After my dad died when I was 30, I’m ashamed to say I saw a lot less of my mom than she would have wanted. Fortunately, in the years right before her death some of that got fixed. But she let me know that my lack of longing to be in her presence hurt her, and I’d sent a message that I didn’t really love her.

God also wants us to long for Him. He wants us to delight in being with Him, just as Jazzmin rejoiced in being with Ian. Just as Jazzmin looked forward to her special together time with Ian each day, God wants us to treasure our daily special time with Him. But He also sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins, rise from the dead, and ascend into heaven to intercede for us. And one day Jesus will return—not to collect His things, like Ian did, but to remain and reign over us forever. God wants us to watch and wait eagerly for that day too. And unlike Jazzmin, we can be certain of our Master’s return. God promises us this in His Word. In Acts 1:10-11 we read that the disciples “were looking intently up into the sky as [Jesus] was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood before them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’”

Jesus doesn’t want us to be depressed, as Jazzmin was, because He has clearly told us He will return. He wants us to wait expectantly by being alert to the signs of the times and by going about His business. In Matthew 24:45-47, He said, “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”

Chances are Ian won’t ever live with Jazzmin again. But he’ll be back to visit, and she’ll rejoice whenever she sees him. Jesus is with us now through His Spirit, and one day He will return for good to reign and rule on this earth. If we rejoice in this promise and wait eagerly for Him, it will warm His heart, just as Jazzmin warmed Ian’s!

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your
dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be
yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.
You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.

A
NONYMOUS

E
rika was six when her family got Missy, a yellow Lab/golden retriever mix. The two girls bonded instantly—like best friends and sisters of a different species. Erika spent all her free time with Missy in those early childhood days that seemed to last forever. Her parents entrusted her with the responsibility of feeding Missy when she came home from school and taking Missy on her afternoon walks.

But as Erika grew older, she had more demands on her time. There was schoolwork, extracurricular activities, sports, hanging out with friends, church stuff—and it all added up to less time with Missy. Then, in high school, Erika had a shift in attitude. She started feeling like she was just too cool for her dog. It was like she was part of the in crowd and Missy was a four-legged nerd with a tail. Erika began to take Missy for granted.

Missy did not respond in kind. Her devotion to Erika never wavered. Through Erika’s transition from kid to teen, Missy was constantly loyal and loving no matter how little time Erika spent with her. Missy held no grudges. She didn’t complain. She was always there when Erika needed a friend. Sounds like Missy was exercising that 1 Corinthians 13 “love is patient, love is kind” brand of love.

Like many teens, Erika had some terrible angst-ridden days in high school when she didn’t feel like sharing her problems with any of her family or friends. They wouldn’t understand. They would half-listen in their busyness. They’d offer well-meaning but tired old clichés she didn’t need. It was times like this that Erika would go out to the backyard and visit with Missy.