Everybody needs a friend

Let me start by saying, I am not a "dog" person. I do not dislike them, but I would never go out of my way to own one. That all changed in April of 2006. After being badgered by our daughters, and our family became the proud owner of not just an adopted cat named "Baby Cow," but we adopted from a shelter a mixed breed black lab we affectionately named "Sophi Christy." She was a gentle soul, who wasn't much for playing or chasing balls in the yard, and other than getting out once and eating a neighbors chicken, she was a wonderful pet. What would later happen to our dear "Sophster" as my husband affectionately called her, would forever change my view of animals. They somehow come into our lives and make us better persons, if we let them. Sophi was loyal, gentle, and never a serious bother. She wanted little more than to lay on our couch, greet us when we returned home, and have a tasty treat now and then.

Just a few days before Christmas, in the middle of the night, Sophi came up to our room to arouse me. Not one to like being woken up, I chose to pet her head, and invited her to lay on the floor at the foot of our bed. A treat normally reserved for when either my husband or I were away overnight. Somehow between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., she managed to arouse our daughter, her primary caregiver, and would eventually get me up again. Sophi was leaving little "pools" of phlegm all over the floor, and coughing. So I, and my trusty internet search engine, looked up coughing and phlegm. After a little searching, I thought I had the answer, possibly Kennel cough, and went off to take my shower and get ready for the day. What would happen in the next few hours is just a little glimpse of the how quickly life can change. By 7:30 a.m., it was painfully clear that Sophi was much sicker than a simple cold. She had made it to her bed in the living room, and was very still, barely breathing. A call to our wonderful veterinarian would confirm that we needed to get her to him as soon as possible, but that even if we did, it may already be too late. So we packed her in my son's drum box, blanket and all, and drove the 25 minute ride to the vets office. Somewhere between our home, and the office, we lost her.

I never would have thought I would cry over a dog, and those of you that are dog lovers, I certainly don't mean to offend. I simply grew up on a farm, with dozens of various animals, and was never terribly attached to any of them. But now, this was different. This was our Sophi, and she hadn't done anything to deserve this, and she was just gone. Even now as I write this over a month later, I still can not believe she is gone. She was such a sweet gentle kind soul.... and she taught me patience, and that I could love an animal. Maybe not with the same intensity of loving my children, but in a different way. Sophi never expected too much from me, a little food, a pat on the head, and to be let out on occasion to do her business. She was faithful, though. Sophi made me a better person, and taught me that we don't always get what we deserve.

What a lesson that is for us as believers in Jesus, who know in a very real way we do not get what we deserve. No, we get just the opposite, which is grace, and forgiveness. Most animals I know don't understand the concept of holding a grudge and don't have a clue about being manipulative or in hurting others, either accidentally or on purpose. No, Sophi was the picture of forgiveness and grace. I might forget to take her outside to "do her business," but would she make a mess all over the carpet to get me back? Never. She was so sensitive, that she chose to find the one place in the house where there was concrete, to relieve herself. Did she whine or beg? Never. She would just wait. She trusted us to take care of her needs. And we certainly tried to do so. I only regret that in the end, we had to say good bye too soon.

Indeed, Sophi has taught me a lot, and my life is richer for having had her in it. The obvious question from my daughters was, "can we get another dog?" To which I replied, "Not yet....I'm not sure I can let myself love another dog yet." Though chances are, some spring or summer day, we will likely be visiting a shelter to find a dog that needs a home, or rather, we will be trying to find a dog that can continue to teach us the same lessons that Sophi was able to do in her short life. I'll never be a believer that animals are more important than humans in the grand scheme of things, but I finally realize they certainly do play an important role in the lives of humans. We should take care to try and learn to trust in the Lord, in the same way that Sophi was able to trust us.