Thank You God by Sue Fentress

Thank You God

by Sue Fentress

Lord, I come to you tonight with a heavy heart. I bring before you my beloved dog, Whitley. I praise you and thank you for the companionship she has brought to me and we have shared. What amazing love she has given to me, unconditionally. How I enjoy reaching down beside my bed each night and feeling her soft warm body. I awaken each morning and am relieved to feel her still breathing that you have chosen once more to give us just one more day. Drs. Bernard and Dennis assure me that she is not in any pain, but that she is losing the use of her muscles in her hind legs. Lord, please assure me that this is true, for I would never have her suffer one moment just to live for me. How many times have I asked you to let her go peacefully in her sleep; and then the next day I am so glad you have not answered that prayer! I want her to make a world record of the longest life a dog has ever spent upon the earth, and be free of any pain, discomfort, or even depression. I am reminded when my Father lay in bed and we were never able to detect any pain that he might be in; but as I think about Daddy I always wonder if he was aware of h is life situation and if so, did it make him unhappy. Whitley has always been the perfect pet. Her big brown eyes always got to me I never could resist very well anything she may have wanted when she looked at me like that. She went with me almost everywhere. I remember how quickly she was ready to go hop in the car to take a ride with me always happy to be by my side. Thank you, God, that she was never hurt by riding up front with me. Until the past few years it never occurred to me that it was unsafe for her to be in the passenger seat, especially after I got a car with air bags. Thank you for keeping her safe. Thank you for every time I was able to reach across the seat, pat her and tell her I loved her. In the summer, I kept an extra set of keys just so that when it was hot I could leave the air conditioning on for her and would lock the doors and tell her Id be right back and I loved her. There was one time when the car shut off, and I was terrified that the heat may have taken her away from me and I had caused her to suffer. She doesnt remember that, Lord, and really wasnt hot enough to make her sick; but I remember telling her over and over again I was sorry and that I loved her and I bowed my head in prayer to you, thankful that she was okay. I could not have lived with myself had I lost her by my own hands. Tonight when Don was taking Muffin out and I was trying to get her to go out too, she could barely get up. She finally did, but she was walking almost side-ways and I could not help it, but I cried just like I do every time she falls and its so hard for her to get up again, especially on these hardwood floors. Much too frequently lately, I have had to help her get up by literally picking her hind quarters up for her and holding her legs upright until she could get her footing. Lord, you have to let me know what is best for her, because she has never given me anything but the best. I have to make right choices for her, not for me. Even with all this, Lord, she seems to enjoy life. She sometimes runs down the hall with Muffin, back and forth from our bedroom barking and seemingly enjoying the companionship with Muffin. And if she has the least indication that I will take her for a ride with me, she goes to the door wagging that tail of hers and her ears perk up and I see some of the old spirit of Whitley. Those are the times I feel blessed and they bring a warm smile to my face. Those times are such wonderful moments in my days. Thank you, God, for little Muffin too! He loves Whitley so much. Drs. Bernard and Dennis both say we have bought her more time by getting him. That is why I chose to get another dog before something happened to her. And he has given her more quality of life in being with her. When she is at the vet he goes around looking for her, and throughout the day when she is home, he cuddles up right next to her. I know for a fact that when Whitley isnt around anymore, he too will suffer her loss. Thank you, God, that we have had the money to care for her and see that she has had the best of doctors to care for her doctors and their staff. They not only take care of her when needed, but they care for her. Thank you that we have been able to afford the all white, skinless, boneless chicken that I cook for her two and three times a week. So many things upset her stomach, and I thank you for the wisdom you gave the doctors to plan out this special diet of rice and chicken for her. I will lovingly prepare it for the rest of her life, but thank you for not making the expense of this be a deciding factor. Thank you, God, for helping Kelly to choose her as a pet so many years ago. How blessed we have been by that one decision to choose her above all the rest at the shelter. She deserved a home of love and companionship, and I know I have always given that to her. Thank you for the personality you created in her her willingness to always greet people affectionately and love it when they returned that affection. Thank you for allowing Maddie to be around her and Whitley showing her the gentleness of never hurting her even when she would sometimes run over her with a walker or hugged her too tightly or any of the other things children do when they love an animal. Only once in her lifetime can I ever remember her almost biting someone. That was many years ago when she thought someone was going to hurt Kelly, and she was defending her mistress. She didnt bite that little boy, but she let him know she meant business and would bite him if he persisted in harming one of her loved ones. Forgive me for leaving her longer than I should have at times. Bless her heart, she simply would hold out forever before she would go to the bathroom in the house. Muffin could take great lessons from Whitley on some of her actions. Thank you for giving me the knowledge in knowing when she needed to go to the vet for an ear infection or skin infection or for any other illness. I would never want her to suffer or be uncomfortable in any way. Is she uncomfortable now, Lord? Please make me aware of this if she isnt. Thank you, God, for people like Max and Dianne who love their pets with great intensity. They have a beautiful dog, Bear, and Max has built her a ramp so she can get up and down to the yard without so much difficulty. They are much like me, in that they love Bear as I love Whitley. And Bear is suffering from the same difficulty in losing the muscles in her hind quarters. I pray that you may guide them in decisions they make or may have to make to do what is best for Bear. In that way, I guess both of them and me are selfish in a way. We want to hang on to them forever and keep them free of any discomforts, be it physically or emotionally. She doesnt see or hear well now, and sometimes really looks confused if she goes out on the deck or in the back yard. Its as though she is not quite sure how to get back. Lord, if this does upset her, please guide her gently back to the house and where she needs to go. Let her know that a loving heart and hands await her when she returns. I ask you, Lord, to take care of the decisions for me. I place her in your capable hands, that you will take care of her because you love her too. I cannot think otherwise, Lord, for as you made us, you created them too and I know you love all animals. Many people would say it was sacrilegious to put the love of an animal in your hands. I know she could not be in a better place than in your hands and that you love her and want what is best for her too. Grant me mercy, Lord, when I need it. Help me to not be selfish in letting her go when I must. Ease my painful heart of all the feelings I have for this beloved dog. And Lord, once again I do thank you for her life and how she has enriched mine. May I be with her in her last moments upon this earth and ease any pain she might have or anxiety she may suffer. I ask this all in your precious name, and commit her to you. Amen

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