Planning Ahead

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Margaret

Our dog Jack is a faithful pal and tag-along buddy. After choosing him out of a group of shelter dogs, we’ve enjoyed his placid personality and gentle ways for nearly 12 years. When Nate died, Jack seemed to understand our grief, especially mine, and stayed close throughout each day.

I know dogs don’t live long, especially 80-pounders, but I’ve had a serious chat with Jack, letting him know he’s got to be above average on this. That means no running off, no risky behavior, no unhealthy eating.

And he promised.

But a while ago Jack took a chance. While my nephew-in-law did some carpentry at the house, I set off on five errands, leaving Jack to take a nap. On errand #3, Drew called. “Jack ran off, and I don’t know where. I was using the nail gun, and he didn’t like it.”

Jack has never been spooked by loud noises like thunder, fireworks, or the vacuum. I wondered about the nail gun. But since he and I usually run errands together, I thought maybe he’d gone to find me. This was worrisome, since we’re not far from a four-lane, 65 mph road.

Drew said he’d go looking for him, and I called off my errands to drive the 25 minutes home. Fifteen minutes later my phone rang again. “I found him. He was sitting at the gate [to the neighborhood], waiting for you,” Drew said.

Never had Jack done this. How did he know where the invisible line was between our subdivision and the rest of the world? Could he have watched as we’d driven out the gate before and thought about it being my only way back in?

I know Jack is “just a dog” and won’t always be with me. But God has used him as my companion of blessing during these days of missing Nate. Twelve years ago, the Lord saw me as the future widow I would become and led us to that last cage at the shelter. It was God who caused Jack to sit quietly while the other dogs jumped and barked, which was what won us over. Part of God’s long-range preparational plan was to put this furry friend into my life back then, to help me adjust to widowhood 8 years later.

When we trust God, no life situation comes without him having first prepared us. This goes for even the traumatic stuff: divorce, accidents, disease, abandonment, death. When we feel we’re falling, we should never panic, because God has readied our soft place to land.

It was probably divine direction that caused Jack to run toward the highway today yet plant himself at the gate. It was the Lord who preserved my buddy, at least for now. And when Jack’s last day does arrive, I’m confident God will have prepared me for that, too.

“You need not be afraid of sudden disaster… for the Lord is your security.” (Proverbs 3:25-26)

Deer me.

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Margaret

When our family was young, we visited a small amusement park and petting zoo near our summer cottage, called Deer Forest. We could ride a Ferris wheel, a pint-sized train, and a miniature roller coaster, but our favorite was mingling with the animals.

It was at Deer Forest I saw my first peacock. There were also foxes, goats, rams, wild turkeys, massive rabbits and plenty of deer. One quarter bought a Dixie cup of pellets, and I’ll never forget the soft noses that snoofed into my palm to get their treats.

Back then, it was difficult to see these animals in the wild, but today the tables have turned. Instead of paying an entrance fee to get close to a deer, most of us are trying to figure out how to co-exist with them as they boldly search for food in our yards.

One morning Jack and I came across six deer drinking at our beach creek, and I couldn’t hold him against his desire to give chase. Of course he couldn’t catch them. Each deer-leap equates to 20 Jack-steps, and his thick body was no match. He even ran into a tree once, in his effort to zigzag behind a nimble deer.

The abundance of deer has become a cause for people-frustration. These animals boldly square off with cars on country roads and cause accidents, some with serious consequences. Homeowners have put up electric fences, hung nuggets of soap or garlic, or put up chicken-wire barriers to protect their gardens. They’ve researched and planted flowers that have a bitter taste, in their efforts to keep landscaping intact. Although the deer used to eat only the blossoms, now they consume the stems and leaves, too. Even hosta plants, never of interest before this year, are being chewed into sticks.

Yesterday while driving on an expressway, I spotted a beautiful buck (similar to the picture below) walking slowly across a railroad bridge over the highway. Every driver looked up as he flew under the concrete at 70 mph, and I nearly rear-ended a truck while staring at the deer in my rear-view mirror. He was sporting a giant set of antlers and though he was in danger, didn’t seem to have a care in the world.

I talked to God about this today, not asking how to help the deer as much as what he wanted me to learn from the situation. And tonight I think I’ve heard from him. Though there is a limit to the resources of the earth, there’s no “bottom” to who God is, how he works, or what he can do. His wherewithal is unbounded, and his power is inexhaustible.

Although watching hungry deer is disturbing, they, too, are within the scope of God’s control. If he wants me to do something for them, he’ll let me know. Until then, my clear instructions are to meditate on his limitlessness and to thank him for it.

”Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:5)

A Sad Weekend

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Margaret

Tonight’s post is written in real-time and is not a re-post.

As if Mary and her family didn’t have enough on their minds these days, last week they were given more. Their Australian Shepherd Sydney, a model pet for 13 years, had begun having some serious health issues: everyday nervousness, a kidney infection, extremely deep sleeps, chronic ear infections, and eventually a refusal to eat.

When Marta took her to the vet where she works, the prognosis wasn’t good: renal failure.

Eventually Sydney stopped drinking, so Marta took her in for IV fluids to make her feel better. But time in the vet’s office was so strenuous for Syd, the decision was made to let her stay at home without further treatment.

On Friday Mary and Stina drove the 11 hours from Michigan to Arkansas to spend time with Sydney, Marta, and Julia’s family [the Levers] in an effort to make decisions together.

Mary tells the Saturday story:

“Poor Syd just wasn’t herself, not interested in anybody or anything. She wagged her tail and looked up but would quickly put her head down and close her eyes. She was declining in a hurry, not eating but just lying under the deck or a bush, away from everyone.

“I’d hoped to have a few days with her, but there was nothing to gain by that, especially for Syd. The vet on duty lives in the neighborhood, and we asked if he could bring home what he needed and do it here, so Syd wouldn’t have to endure another traumatic visit to the clinic. As a favor to Marta, he agreed.

“When Dr. Wolf arrived, Syd came trustingly out from under the deck to lay in the grass. He assured us she wasn’t going to get better with kidney failure.

“Julia’s family had delayed their vacation to be with us. We all gathered around Syd in the grass, and [Julia’s husband] Drew prayed and thanked God for Syd and for all the years we had with her. Everyone said their own goodbyes, and then the vet gave her a sedative.

“It was very easy, since Syd had an IV in her leg already. She relaxed, and I felt her go limp as her eyes closed and her sweet face settled into my hands. Then the vet, a sympathetic Christian man, administered the heart-stopping drug. And she was gone in a few minutes, very gentle and peaceful.

“Lots of tears were falling as we just sat stroking her and talking about her. Buddy [the year-old Springer belonging to Mary and Bervin’s grandson Andrew] lay down and put his head on Syd. Little [2 year old] Abigail put a black garbage bag over her like a blanket.

“I’m so glad the Levers stayed late, because the girls and I would never have been able to dig a grave in this stony Arkansas ground. We buried Syd near Rusty, their dog that died a few years ago, in a quiet woodsy area of their property.

“After it was all over, we all felt we’d done the right thing for Syd. It was quiet and peaceful sitting on their front porch afterwards, but I miss Syd and tear up just thinking about her. She was a good and perfect dog, and we loved her very much. It was a hard day here, but it’s almost over.”