Dog spelled backward is God.

A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. (Proverbs 12:10)

How can I be more loving and loyal to those closest to me?
What life lessons can I learn from a dog?

Yesterday, Ginger died. She was our 13 year old golden retriever and an integral part of our family. While our hearts are heavy, we’ve found this is a time to celebrate Ginger’s life and the joy God brought to our family through her.

My first experience having a dog at home came when my parents got a black lab during my first year of college. While Barney left many happy memories, I decided when my kids were young not to have our own dog because I didn’t want the expense or hassle. But God knew how to get around my selfishness. One day my 9 year old daughter came home pleading for me to allow her to adopt a baby golden retriever, the most gentle of a nine puppy litter. I couldn’t say no to my “princess of light.”

About six years ago when my wife and I were going through a very difficult time in our marriage, God used Ginger to draw us back together. After Ginger got hit by a slow-moving car while walking slowly in the middle of our street, Julia and I realized that Ginger was very out-of-shape and needed to be walked regularly.

But when Julia and I were both home, Ginger wouldn’t walk unless both of us walked her together. If one of us tried to walk her by ourselves, Ginger would go outside and bark until the other person came. It turned out our walks were very beneficial because they forced us to spend quality time together communicating without all the distractions in a home.

A few months ago Ginger had a lymphoma (cancer) surgically removed from her back. Gradually her health began deteriorating. A few weeks ago her appetite dropped off and then 5 days ago she lost the ability to walk. Fortunately Ginger managed to hang in just long enough to allow my wife, children, and parents to spend time with her together for one last day. We are very grateful to our neighbors and friends who came over to comfort Ginger and us during this difficult time.

One thing that particularly stood out to me in the last few days of Ginger’s life was Julia’s compassion and patience. I saw a glimpse of how blessed people are when my wife befriends them. I thank God for such a caring and hard-working helpmate.

In the past few weeks, Julia has told me on several occasions, “Dog spelled backwards is God.” It’s often said that a dog is man’s best friend. For me, a dog’s loyalty is merely a reflection of God’s everlasting and unconditional love for His children.

Tomorrow, I will share a story about dogs and extraordinary loyalty. For now, enjoy photos of Ginger at today’s Link of the Day.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the many, many happy memories that Ginger brought to our family and all those who met her. Thank You for the precious gift of pets. Teach me how to be more loving and loyal to people close to me. Bless my readers likewise. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Photos of Ginger [http://www.yourdailyblessing.com/content.cfm?id=2446]

Blessings to manifest the love and loyalty of a dog to people close to you!