Contemporary Psalms

8-3-13

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.

Psalm 90:17

Oh that we may receive Your gift of justification to cleanse us from the wages of sin we inherited as children of men. Oh that we who have received Your free gift would open it and gladly share with others who seek and yearn for You, O Most High God. Not meanly, but kindly; not in programs or "services" led by men, but through relationships established by You and nourished by You and pruned by You to bear fruit.

O God Most High, the dream I had last night was ridden the "time pressure." The message was clear: Time is running out. Now we are waiting for word from the veterinarian about our beloved DOG, our devoted companion and friend, who came to be with us after we lost Scutty. Roobie recently turned twelve, since which time she seems to have turned to skin and bones over the past 24 hours. She has been unable to keep anything down -- even liquids -- and she has lost ten pounds since the last time she went to the vet. Now she is refusing all food and drink, and won't even get on our bed (which is her favorite place to be). We took her to the vet, where she is being tested, and x-rayed, and observed. We feel this may be the dreaded day, the day we must say goodbye to her. But we don't know yet. All I know is I had a dream -- vivid and very pressured about time, quickly receding time, the time was running out.

It may be running out for us here on earth as well, but this I know: I cherish the time, and I rejoice to know that all creatures, great and small, the LORD GOD loves them all.

Since the death of Scutty, I have been granted a peace that seems to pass my human understanding: I know we will be reunited. We, the "smart ones," the human beings, are the only creatures on all the earth who need salvation. The rest simply return to God, in Spirit, as will all of us who are Heaven-bound.

Still, it's a hard thing to say good-bye. Roobie has been utterly devoted and steadfast to us. My brother said this about DOGs: they don't just wag their tail; they wag your heart. Please God, hear my prayer of gratitude for the glorious friendship You granted us when You gave us Roobie. May our thanksgiving and praise be fragrant to You this day, even if is the day our time on earth with her runs out.

This is a photograph I took of Roobie when she came to us eleven years ago. We are so grateful for the lessons she has taught us -- namely that DOG is GOD spelled backwards.

P.S. This is NOT the day her time runs out! We have brought her home, pending more blood results. Now she is rehydrated and not nearly so listless! We cherish her and the time we DO have... one step at a time...