Psalm 36:5-7
" Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. "
I lost my very special “Champ” last August. He was my best buddy and my faithful friend, a beautiful dog inside and out. Champ lived a long, healthy, and happy life until that one day, a week shy of his 15th birthday, when he had that first stroke. My vet and I did all we could for Champ. I wanted so badly for him to rebound and recover. Three days later, Champ had another stroke. I had always hoped, when the time came, that Champ would just “go peacefully in his sleep”…but it didn’t end that way. As Champ’s master, I alone held that final decision to relieve his suffering. I alone had to be strong enough to help him now, and I was, and I did. It was the right thing to do, the loving thing to do, the merciful and compassionate thing to do.
I lost my Father to lung cancer several years back. I had hoped to have my Father to share life with for many more years. We all prayed for his rebound after chemo and radiation, and he did well…for a while. I don’t think anyone can claim to have all the answers in life, and I’m sure we all have a thousand questions to ask God when we see Him. Nevertheless, one thing I know is this: just as I loved Champ, I loved my Dad, and my Dad was loved by his Dad, his heavenly Father. As Dad started to fail, we watched his suffering…and prayed. God is no stranger to the sufferings of His children. As Dad’s Good Master, God alone held that final decision to relieve Dad’s suffering. God alone had to be strong enough to help him now, and He was, and He did. It was the right thing to do, the loving thing to do, the merciful and compassionate thing to do.
With God, the end as we see it is never really the end as He sees it. Our hope does not end here. Our journey does not end with this temporal life. No, God has a better place for us, a place we can call our eternal home…and perhaps Champ is there right now, begging my Dad to take him with for a car ride....to Dad's favorite coffee shop I am sure.
In Christ and covered in dog hair,
Debbie Owczarzak
" Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. "
I lost my very special “Champ” last August. He was my best buddy and my faithful friend, a beautiful dog inside and out. Champ lived a long, healthy, and happy life until that one day, a week shy of his 15th birthday, when he had that first stroke. My vet and I did all we could for Champ. I wanted so badly for him to rebound and recover. Three days later, Champ had another stroke. I had always hoped, when the time came, that Champ would just “go peacefully in his sleep”…but it didn’t end that way. As Champ’s master, I alone held that final decision to relieve his suffering. I alone had to be strong enough to help him now, and I was, and I did. It was the right thing to do, the loving thing to do, the merciful and compassionate thing to do.
I lost my Father to lung cancer several years back. I had hoped to have my Father to share life with for many more years. We all prayed for his rebound after chemo and radiation, and he did well…for a while. I don’t think anyone can claim to have all the answers in life, and I’m sure we all have a thousand questions to ask God when we see Him. Nevertheless, one thing I know is this: just as I loved Champ, I loved my Dad, and my Dad was loved by his Dad, his heavenly Father. As Dad started to fail, we watched his suffering…and prayed. God is no stranger to the sufferings of His children. As Dad’s Good Master, God alone held that final decision to relieve Dad’s suffering. God alone had to be strong enough to help him now, and He was, and He did. It was the right thing to do, the loving thing to do, the merciful and compassionate thing to do.
With God, the end as we see it is never really the end as He sees it. Our hope does not end here. Our journey does not end with this temporal life. No, God has a better place for us, a place we can call our eternal home…and perhaps Champ is there right now, begging my Dad to take him with for a car ride....to Dad's favorite coffee shop I am sure.
In Christ and covered in dog hair,
Debbie Owczarzak
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