Ginger and a Puppy?

Ginger is our family dog.....I guess she was our family dog. A few weeks ago, on a Monday, she was her normal, happy, energetic dog. She was running around the yard and had what we fondly call the 'zoomies'. She would run so fast, her back legs somehow went up to her front legs. Her face looked like she was smiling; she made us laugh to see her so spunky and happy. She brought such joy to us, and she never met a person that she didn't think wanted to be her best friend. She barked too much, and stole food every chance she could (we didn't feed her table food but that doesn't mean she didn't sneak it if she could) and she always liked to be right under our feet in the kitchen. She was only about 18-19 pounds, but she was as heavy as a cinder block in the bed at night if you tried to move her. I could say so much more about her, but I think you get the idea of who Ginger was. We love that little stinker! Anyway, as I said, on Monday she was happy and frisky and normal; on Tuesday she woke up and was sick all day. A trip to the vet, some medicine, and rest, the vomiting stopped but her belly started swelling. She stopped eating and drinking. At 2am, she wanted to go outside and I went with her. She laid in the grass and was obviously uncomfortable. She would get up, take a few steps, and lay down again. This went on all night. I stayed with her. Wednesday morning, we woke up and her condition deteriorated. She was suffering. She couldn't walk, and just laid around letting us love on her. We knew she was not going to make it and our hearts hurt. Wednesday afternoon was one of the hardest days of life with Ginger, and the day that she left our family. I have no idea how you feel about it, but I like to think when we get to heaven, we will see our wonderful pets again. I know animals don't have a soul, nor do the ask forgiveness of their sins like people do in order to go to heaven, but I know that God has given us these wonderful pets in our lives, and He cares so much about us; I believe He 'could' let us have them in heaven too. That is not a theological discussion I want to have- it's how wonderful I see my Father God, and I hope my thoughts are correct. If this isn't the way it will be in heaven, that's ok, because it is a comfort here and now to think of it that way. Anyway- before she died, my grandson Trent and I were with her, and he said some very tender words to her about what she had meant to him in his lifetime. Ginger was born for one purpose in this life, and she was born to be Trent's dog. All of our family also reaped the benefit of that, but at the end of the day, that little dog was born for Trent, and she lived her purpose well. I told her to give Papa and Grammy love from us (my papa died in 2020, and my mom just passed away last June). We laughed as we told her Papa was probably going to welcome her and say the things he often said to her in life....well, well, well, there you are! Come over here and see me you little rascal! There were many tears that Wednesday afternoon, but God was with us and comforted us. We are thankful for our time with Ginger and what joy she brought to all of our family. My husband Dave said that we got the right dog, at the right time, and for the right reason. I said that was a statement that was 100% true, and will be true again.

So now it has been several weeks, and we are getting ready to consider opening

our hearts to another puppy. We have prayed for the right dog, at the right time, and for the right reasons once again. Stay tuned as we begin to think about this, and seek our next puppy. God has always been so gracious and kind and helped us find the puppy that will fit with our life. It will be fun to share her when we find her and bring her home.

Until next time.....

Judy