I am sure most of you remember the story I wrote about a long time ago
concerning a dog we had named Zippy. He was part dachshund. In his later
years, he was nearly blind and completely deaf. You could clap your hands
directly over his head and he wouldn't even look up. Well, Sandy let the
dogs out late one night just before we went to bed. Zippy did not hear to
come in, of course, when Sandy called them and after several minutes of
calling, she came and told me that Zippy wasn't coming. I was walking
through the house to get to the door that leads out on to our deck when
Barney, one of our basset hounds, squeezed passed Sandy and went running
across the deck. Sandy kept calling Barney to come back but he ran down the
steps to the ground. He went and found Zippy, whose nose was still working
fine, and when Zippy got the scent of Barney, he knew where to go. Barney
walked Zippy up the stairs and across the deck to the back door and Sandy
let them in. I often think of this when it comes to the Lord leading us and
coming after us when we get lost in our relationship with Him. I guess
you'd have to be a dog lover to appreciate what I just said. Well, a couple
of three weeks ago, old Barney, about 11 years old, couldn't get up from his
bed and spent the day unable to walk. Our grandchildren, for the most part,
grew up with Barney in the house when they weren't in school. When they
heard he wasn't well, they all came over and sat in the living room by
Barney and talked to him and pet him. His big thick tail kept hitting the
wall, even though he couldn't get up, so he was happy to see the boys again.
Barney couldn't lift his head so the boys put their hands down in front of
his nose so he could lick their hands. They all cried, too. So did Sandy
and I. Barney had to be put down that afternoon but we had him for 11 years
and we have nothing but great memories of Barney living with us. Thank you
Jesus for letting us take care of one of your creations for so long. We
plan on seeing him again.
Phil.
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