Sadie Cinammon Price (official AKC name) was a beautiful copper-colored Golden Retriever. Notice the "was." Her life stopped today.
Let me tell you about Sadie. She was very selfish. For some strange reason, she had the notion that all humans were created to pet her constantly. She HAD to be touched. Everyone was expected to pat, rub, scratch or whatever the need of the moment was. And once one started to pet her, stopping was a non-option. If you stopped, she would put her paw up on your arm as if to say, "Get your hand back down here and TOUCH ME!!
She was also selfish about walks. Anytime we appeared to be dressing for what might turn out to be a walk she was under foot, in the way, with this look of excited expectancy that communicated, "Would you hurry up! There are places to go and people to see and dogs to greet and grass to be marked!"
She was selfish about our being gone. When all or some of the family would leave the house she would lie for hours by the front door just to let us know that we had deserted her, the queen of the castle. Yet even in her displeasure of desertion she would greet us warmly with breathless wimpers of "pet me, pet me, pet me" when we returned.
She was selfish about treats. Every single time she was given an extra treat other than her regular dog food, no matter how large or small, she would take it outside, out of sight, to luxuriate in it all alone apart from the bother of lesser beings known as humans.
She was selfish about the bedroom floor at night. There are some things that we humans have to attend to in the middle of the night. I'm just sayin'........... Well, her position was in the middle of the path to the target area. I knew that, should she last long enough, the time would come when I would die from tripping over her in the nighttime trek.
Please don't misunderstand. I'm not suggesting the order of creation was reversed. Most certainly did I exercise dominion over Sadie. I'm just not sure anyone ever told her. Reality is probably that she knew she had us wrapped around her little paw and could get just about whatever she desired.
With such a selfish dog, one wonders why I have such a pain in my chest and tears that keep coming. As I held her in her last moments, involuntarily, images of her as an 8-week-old puppy came to mind as we picked her name. We had narrowed it down to two choices and the vote kept coming up tied. Don't ask how that's possible in a family of seven. It just is. So we wrote each name on a piece of paper and put them on the floor about six feet apart. We set her down in the middle and waited to see which one she would go to first. She picked Sadie.
Now, twelve and a half years and 87 pounds later she was old and fat and largely deaf and tired and had developed a fast growing tumor on her breast. Good stewardship and compassion said stop now before it got much worse.
DO NOT EVER invite me to see "Marley and Me!" And NO, I won't see Sadie in heaven. Though she is a part of that creation that was corrupted by sin, she won't experience the resurrection from the dead. That's really a good thing. I'd rather not spend eternity scratching Sadie.
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7 comments:
Thanks for writing that Dad, I have been crying occasionally too in the midst of this crazy week. Thanks for making a hard decision and thanks for letting us have a dog. She was special and I miss her.
Last week was not a good week for dogs. Last week on Tuesday I lost my beloved friend and loyal companion for the last 13 years. Her name was Oreo, and she was a throw away dog that we rescued as a puppy. She was so attached to me and I to her. I've know all along that she was entrusted to me for just a short time but her departure came so suddenly. Last week on Sunday, we came home from Church and dinner and she wasn't at the door to greet us. Highly unusual! I found her in the living room wagging her tail and excited to see me but I knew there was something wrong because she was not getting up. For some reason, we don't know why, she lost the use of her left rear leg. The vet tried everything to get that leg working for her again but nothing worked. Because of her age, her inability to hobble around on 3 legs for more than a short distance, the problems that created for her and us, we decided that it was time to let her go. Boo! I'm tearing up even as I write this. I miss her sooo much. Although she has been gone over a week now, the house still seems empty without her. I still expect to see her running up to me when I come in the house, following me from room to room, bring up the rear when I take Kelsie (our other dog) for a walk, pawing me to remind me that it is time to feed her or to just get a "good girl, Oreo" from me. Like Sadie, Oreo had her selfish side but, for me, she gave as much as she took. I'd like to hope that someday I will experience an eternity with Oreo. That there will not be a selfish bone in her body then because her corrupt nature, that was a result of the fall, will be gone. (Romans 8:19-22). But, I don't hold out much hope for this reunion. But, I do know that when I get to Heaven, my desire to see my dearly loved dog will fade into complete insignificance in light of the joy of seeing Jesus face to face. But, I can still hope. After all, John Wesley expected to see his beloved horse in Heaven.
We, too, will miss Sadie. Just knowing Rusty makes us feel like we knew Sadie well, too. Your description of Sadie reminds me so much of her son.
Alas, this has not been a good month for animals. The Farson's lost Cody, and we have lost our precious fuzz-ball of a cat, Kit Kat.
Dottie Henderson
We, too, will miss Sadie. Just knowing Rusty makes us feel like we knew Sadie well, too. Your description of Sadie reminds me so much of her son.
Alas, this has not been a good month for animals. The Farson's lost Cody, and we have lost our precious fuzz-ball of a cat, Kit Kat.
Dottie Henderson
We, too, will miss Sadie. Just knowing Rusty makes us feel like we knew Sadie well, too. Your description of Sadie reminds me so much of her son.
Alas, this has not been a good month for animals. The Farson's lost Cody, and we have lost our precious fuzz-ball of a cat, Kit Kat.
Dottie Henderson
My friend. Thank you for your posting. We will continue to pray for you; your family and your wonderful church.
About not seeing your dog in heaven, do you have any Scripture which tells us that? Knowing you, it's an opinion you based on Scripture and I'd love to hear more. Also, perhaps you should clarify when you are giving your opinion and when you are speaking as a pastor for our precious Lord. Thanks for listening.
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