The Stray that Came to Stay

The Stray That Came to Stay

Matthew 13:11 (KJV)

He answered and said unto them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given.

Life is a mystery.  Death is a mystery.  When we get up in the morning we start each day wondering what God has in store for us. That’s where we gather information and start our day as a detective.  God gives us the tools we need to get through each and every day.

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We all have a path we travel.  One we pray is aligned with Gods will.  More often than not we are amazed at the way our day unfolds. We ask for things in prayer and then when we receive, we are amazed.  Even shocked! But God takes care of us.  He supplies all our needs and then does something even greater in our lives.  He works in ways we can’t understand and always doing more than what we ask for.

Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

Sunday as I sat and listened to the sermon our pastor had prepared I applied it to my own life, as I am sure most of you do.  And that is how I think of life, a mystery unfolding. We don’t know what lies ahead of us. Everyday when I go to work I wonder who I am going to meet.  Who is God going to place in my life?  Is there someone going through the same thing as me?  Our lives are intricately weaved with each others in such a way that sometimes we only pass through for a word, a smile, a gesture; but it is orchestrated for a reason, that’s what I believe.

We like to hold on to the things in life that are familiar to us.  They are comfortable.  They know us, we know them.  Makes going through life easier.  The road is less bumpy! When Gracie my bloodhound went missing she took a little piece of my heart just like the animals before her, most buried now under the tree beside the pond.  There was Prissy, my very first dog as a married couple.  Felix my cat who ended up with only 3 legs. Baby, my big white cat.  Blueberry my Siamese cat who died of leukemia.  Court, Racer, Lucy, Sassy….I am sure you all can list your pets as well and how they each came at a time you needed them.  Well of course there is Bear.  Danny, Tanner and I went to a little Amish house in Ohio to get him.  He was such a little baby with a big bark.  And he was MY dog.  No one else’s.  He loved me. Protected me.  So when he died a big part of my heart went with him.  I said NO MORE! My heart can take no more.  I told God I will not go out and get another dog.  If you have one for me, you have to bring him to me!

As I walked my 2 miles every day I went by Danny’s aunt Ruthie’s house.  I noticed the cutest little beagle and I of course tried to make contact, but he was having none of that.  I whistled, clapped my hands, pretty much made a complete idiot of myself along side of the road.  So he stayed in the yard.  I walked.  After several days of this I passed by on Friday.  I was eating an apple and thought, well, I will offer him a bite.  Then I noticed how his ribs stuck out.  I noticed his ears were scarred.  His legs were scraped and bleeding.  When I tried to get close he huddled close to the ground.  He took the apple and I resumed my walk.  He ventured out and walked a little ways, but not far.  He stayed far enough behind me that he didn’t have to be friendly.  That evening I asked Ruthie if she had taken in this little pup.  NO! She felt sorry for him and fed him so of course he stayed, but she didn’t want to keep him.   So I told the boys that if they could entice him to our house we would call him ours.  Well Saturday I was gone all day with the church group in Charleston.  About an hour before I got home Tanner sent me a picture of the pup from our porch.  Said they lured him with potato wedges.  They opened the car door and he hopped right in.  So by the time I got home Jacob had him in the bath tub scrubbing his ears.  I thought for sure I had found another bed buddy so night came and I went to bed and I tried to get him to come with me!  As long as the boys were in the room he was fine.  The minute they were out of site he became antsy and started whining and pacing so off he went with Jacob, slept with him on the couch.  I have learned over the last couple of years to not replace something just because it leaves a hole.  That’s why I didn’t want to replace Bear.  I knew I would try and find another just like him.  Well “Hank” as we have settled on his name is no where like Bear.  And that’s OK.   Hank is well…He is Hank.  For starters he doesn’t know where to pee!  So I tried to give him the benefit of a doubt being new to the family and all!  So after the 4^th night of waking up to the puddle in the floor, I made Jacob drag out the crate.  I can safely and happily say we all survived the first night.  No one was injured.  We all slept and best of all there were no puddles to be cleaned up by me…or Jacob.  Since Hank has latched onto Jacob I have let him assume responsibility for him-all of him.  He cleans up his mess and feeds him.  Sleeps with him and takes him out.  See, I was expecting for God to send me a 4 legged critter to love, after all Bear WAS my dog.  But no he sends Jacob one! But hey, He is God, He knows best.  And I hope Hank remains with us long enough for him to learn all of Jacobs’s secrets.  Things he would’ve shared with Danny but not me; Disappointments, dreams, regrets, hopes, all that stuff you would tell your dad.  I hope Jacob tells that to Hank!  From what I can tell so far Hank is a good listener.  He has big ears and as long as you scratch his back he lays really still.

I know God has sent people in my life since Danny died, that for what ever reason, I feel like I can tell them anything.  And I thank God for that.  Because that’s what life is all about. Sharing.  We start as toddlers learning to share our toys, our cookies, then when we go to school we share pencils, paper and as we get older we begin to share secrets, dreams, hopes, ambitions and then when we mature we hope to find someone to share our love, faith, our life, our children; that’s what this big merry go round of life is all about.  When this little stray showed up on our doorstop little did he know what a big job he would have. But I am so thankful for this little stray named Hank that came to stay!

In life and death I have learned many things about love.  Mostly what love is…this poem by CS Lewis really makes you think and ponder what love really is.  Love is Hank!

Love's as Warm as Tears

by C. S. Lewis

Love's as warm as tears,
Love is tears:
Pressure within the brain,
Tension at the throat,
Deluge, weeks of rain,
Haystacks afloat,
Featureless seas between
Hedges, where once was green.

Love's as fierce as fire,
Love is fire:
All sorts - infernal heat
Clinkered with greed and pride,
Lyric desire, sharp-sweet,
Laughing, even when denied,
And that empyreal flame
Whence all loves came.

Love's as fresh as spring,
Love is spring:
Bird-song hung in the air,
Cool smells in a wood,
Whispering, "Dare! Dare!"
To sap, to blood,
Telling "Ease, safety, rest,
Are good; not best."

Love's as hard as nails,
Love is nails:
Blunt, thick, hammered through
The medial nerves of One
Who, having made us, knew
The thing He had done,
Seeing (with all that is)
Our cross, and His.

-- 
Trish