She's a sweetie, rescued from a shelter about nine months ago.
My dog, Josie, died in June of last year. Some anniversaries aren't meant to celebrate, but they roll around anyway.
Josie was a grand lady and I loved her very much. There is a window above my washer and dryer that looks into the backyard. It was Josie's yard - she just shared it with us.
For weeks after she died I couldn't do laundry without crying, my eyes always drawn to the cool spot under the trampoline where she died or the wooden cross in the corner of the yard that marks her grave. I dug out a book I read several years ago, Heaven, by Randy Alcorn, because I remembered he wrote about pets being in heaven. Tears would feel my eyes night after night as I tried to sleep because I could feel the lonliness she left and I missed the secure presence that was her in the dark.
So, I replaced her as soon as I could muster the strength.
Or so I tried.
Josie was a beautiful black bordie collie-something, and when I saw this
beauty she tugged at me in a strange way, so we brought her home. She looked like my Josie-girl.
I love her. I try to embrace the differences between her and the greatest dog that ever lived.
But . . .
there's this one difference . . .
that is a little hard to get used to.
She went from the above picture . . .
to the ugliest dog in the universe.
She's also camera shy. And she needs a bath. And she needs a trim - at least half of her does.
Isn't it weird how she looks like two dogs cut in half and pasted together?
When I do laundry and watch her out the window I can't help but think about the part that looks like it doesn't belong.
Reminds me of the part of me that doesn't belong. The sinful dirty rebellious not-created-in-His-image part I've embraced.
I look forward to heaven. To that day when I become brand new. Where I will not sin - because there will be no sin.
Until then, I'll just have to settle for being ugly.
Do pets go to heaven? Randy Alcorn writes,
"It would be simple for God to re-create a pet in Heaven. He’s the giver of all good gifts, not the taker of them. If it would please us to have a pet restored to the New Earth, that may be sufficient reason. Consider parents who’ve acquired a pet because of their child’s request."
He also says, "If we believe God is their Creator, that He loves us and them, that He intends to restore His creatures from the bondage they experienced because of our sin, then we have biblical grounds for not only wanting but expecting that we may be with them again on the New Earth."
So, maybe I'll see Josie again. Maybe my Father will recreate her for me.
She'd like this dog I named Jessie. This dog that can't replace her but needed a home and love just the same. This dog that is a constant reminder to me how ugly I am. A daily reminder to work on change.
I prayed for God to give me another Josie - guess He thought I needed this more.
Miss you, girl.
