As my devastating and heart-wrenching grief slowly, painfully gives way to reluctant and difficult acceptance, my Savior takes my heart back to a simpler time of innocence, when a generation of young protestors refused to accept the government's status quo, spoke their minds collectively, very clearly and eloquently, producing one of its most popular songs from God's Word, back when the Bible was a foundation of this nation, rather than a controversy; a song that so very many Americans of all generations are familiar with:

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stone, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time of love, and a time of hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

But if you continue reading Ecclesiastes 3, Verse 11 tells us that: "He hath made every thing beautiful in His time; also He has set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." He alone is the Alpha and the Omega; the Beginning and The End. We are His Children and the sheep of His pasture, for whom He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary; Divine, yet made human for the sake of our souls and our salvation, so that when our life's earthly journey ends, we may worship and rejoice with Him in His Kingdom when we travel from our earthly journey to our Heavenly Homecoming, to be reunited with our loved ones who await us there. Tears of sorrow will give way to shouts of joy as we at last are together again ... for eternity, never more to be apart; where we are restored and made whole: physically, spiritually, emotionally. Forever to rejoice, for in Heaven, there is no time; no end; only eternity to share our reunions with those we love who have gone before us.

"But Christ has truly been raised from the dead -- the first one, and proof that those who sleep in death will also be raised." (1 Corinthians 15:20)

He who gave us life also gave us animals; He saved them from The Flood for His reasons, so that they may continue to live to love and to be loved; for animals are without sin and they love us unconditionally, even when we do not love ourselves; for many who believe, it is hard to believe in a Comforter you cannot see; but through God's gentle creatures, His Love and Holy Spirit is manifested through these furry angels, so it is only appropriate that our beloved pets move on to their rewards, too, so old, injured or maimed bodies are made whole and their precious loving beings given the chance to live and love and play once again; until we celebrate our Heavenly Welcome, where, just perhaps, along with our dearly departed family and loved ones, reunion with our beloved departed pets will be part of our reward.

This is my hope. This is my prayer. Amen.