A Tale of Two Dogs

I promised to write more blogs and I haven't done so. This is my attempt to catch up.

Some time ago we had a Shih Tsu male dog named Barney, and we loved him extravagantly because we had got him as a puppy and he was adorable. We hoped to raise him and keep him forever. But, Alas, Barney fell in love with me, but only tolerated Bill. That was okay up to a point. The time came when Barney did not even like Bill and in fact would attack him without provocation. And the day came when I had to tell my son to find someone to whom we could give Barney; he was too vicious to keep. And again, alas, my son who is very competent and acts decisively, found a place for Barney the next day. I sent Barney to a very lovely young lady who fell in love with him just as I had.

I was heartbroken. It is silly and foolish, I know, to fall in love with an animal but I had loved Barney and I missed him. I wrote a brog about that loss which helped me verbalize how I felt. I said something like, "Is it too much to ask for a dog you can love?" indicating I felt cheated and disappointed at the turn of events.

Then one day, several months later, out of the blue, my daughter said she had found another dog for me. Mary has been "finding" dogs for me since she was ten years old and has never given up the habit. Somewhat reluctantly and anxiously, I agreed to go and see the dog.

It was another Shih Tsu, an adorable blond girl dog with floppy ears and big eyes. I was completely smitten with her and we brought her home that day. We named her Maggie, and she has been the delight of both me and my husband. She chooses to sit in my lap most of the time, but will be equally happy with him while I am gone.

I have never known a more loving, cuddly, obedient, dog than Maggie. And we love her.

And by the way, how and why do you suppose this all happened? Is it sacriligious to suggest that I think God saw my disappointment, my heavy heart, and said to one of his angels, "Let's help out here; get Marie another dog, and be sure it loves both men and women."

I think that the God who knows the number of the hairs on my head, who knows the length of my days on this earth, who knows that I believe and trust in Him, cares for me so much that He chuckled when he gave the order for Maggie.