Our sweet dog, Bo

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Steve Sawyer in God

I was the editor of a weekly newspaper in Alabama in 1995. One very nice Spring Sunday afternoon Marie and I drove to the animal shelter in Wetumpka. I was writing a story on overcrowding at the shelter.

While we were there a man drove up in a pickup with five six-week old German Shepherd-Beagle mix puppies, four girls and a boy. I picked up the male (just to look at him for a few minutes). I could hold all of him in the palm of one hand.

I just happened to have a cardboard box and some newspapers in the back seat of the car. The littie puppy we named Bo went home with us that afternoon and for the next 14 years he was our most loved member of the family.

Everyone liked Bo and Bo liked everyone who came to the house. He always thought our guests came to the house to see him and he greeted them with licks and wags that made them all feel loved and welcome.

In July, 2009 we had to make the gut-wrenching decision to put Bo to sleep. His kidneys were failing, he stopped eating and he was sick a lot. All Bo did all day was lay under the bed and sleep or gaze at nothing. We could tell by looking at him that he was tired. He had no quality of life any more.

The vet told us she could not fix him.

When we took Bo to the vet for the last time, Marie and Lois and I all lay down beside him on the blanket and spent our last moments with him, petting him, cuddling him and telling him what a good dog he had been and how much we loved him.

Those were his last memories of us, and our last memories of him. He died peacefully and quietly and very quickly with us next to him.

Then we cried and sobbed and wept.

We will never forget Bo. We don’t want to. All our memories and stories of him are good ones. And though we no longer have his love and loyalty and his funny ways, we have all those memories.

And we will treasure them always.

God answered critical Tucson prayer.

Laughter is good medicine

Go thee into thy closet

Dear Mom, I missed you yesterday

Mom,

Yesterday in church Pastor Gearl recognized all the moms in the audience. His message was about how important a good mom is to her family and to others. I wish you could have been there with me.

I can’t believe it’s been 11 years since Jesus called you home.  I sure do miss you. I can’t count the times I’ve wanted to pick up the phone and call you. I loved to call you and share some way God blessed me, or tell you about something exciting or fun I did that day. 

My conversations over the years with you and Dad created some of my most precious memories. Though we spent most of our lives living a thousand miles apart, I loved being able to pick up the phone and connect with you just to chat.

You gave me something few of my friends here share. For almost 60 years you gave me consistency. You stayed married to each other, despite some extremely difficult times. No matter where I was, or what I was doing, or not doing, I could always pick up the phone and dial 712-246-2655. You were always there. I often brag about my hometown and my wonderful growing up years in my loving family to my friends. Most of them marvel at the wonderful childhood I enjoyed in our small Iowa hometown. Many of my friends have never known the consistence and security you and Dad gave me.

I know we didn’t have a perfect life, either. I know I gave you more than my share of grief and heartaches. For all those, I am genuinely sorry.

I have to confess, Mom: the day you died, I was absolutely jubilant. Not because you died, but because I knew where you were. Your suffering from the cancer that took you from us was over. Not only was I jubilant because I knew where you were. I was jubilant because I knew that someday we would be reunited and basking in the love of Jesus in God’s Kingdom forever. We’ll never be apart again. We’ll never know pain or suffering or sorrow or dismay or any other health problems. And you’d never have to fuss at me again to pick up my clothes.

What a glorious day that will be!

Until then, Mom, please know that I love you and miss you still. I am grateful for everything you were to me, everything you gave me, everything you taught me, and everything you did for me.

I will always love you,

Your loving son, Steve

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Preparing For Your Calling

Second In A Series
Love God More Than The World
By Amanda Beth

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series by my good blogging friend, Amanda Beth. 

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. —2 Timothy 2:20

This is the second message in my series on preparing for your calling. This week we will focus on the first step in discipleship, learning to love God more than the world.

The First Thanksgiving

Originally posted on November 24, 2011

They didn’t pile into the SUV, or the sled, and go to Grandma’s house.

They didn’t stuff themselves, then nap on the couch or prepare too shop on Black Friday.  They didn’t park in front of the TV to watch football.

Jesus’ Immigration Policy

I volunteer once a week at an elementary school our church adopted as a local mission project. Staff and teachers are wonderful. The kids are wonderful, pleasant and generally well-behaved.

Our Culture Redefined Tolerance

My blogging friend, Lyn posted this on her website. I thought it was appropriate for our culture and the “church” today, so I decided to re-post it here on For His Glory.

Enjoy

It is a wonderful thing to have a good ending. Sometimes we may not have a great beginning.

The Church: Harlot Or Bride? Megachurches Marketing To Consumers

A Colorado Springs megachurch pastor became disillusioned when he began to follow on Twitter around a dozen high-profile pastors whose ministries he respected.

Check Your Oven

By Dr. John Ed Mathison
Director, John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries

Where are valuable things secure?

An Australian man sold his beloved sports cars to make a mortgage payment. He wanted to be sure that the money was safe so he hid the $15,000. He concluded that the safest place to hide it was to put the cash in the oven at home.

The Change That Changes

By Dr. John Ed Mathison
Director of John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries.

Each Thursday on “. . .all for God’s Glory” we will feature a post written by Dr. John Ed Mathison

Posted September 5th, 2012 by John Ed Mathison

Several years ago Keith Miller wrote a book, A Second Touch, in which he tells about a twelve year old boy who had a conversation with his dad.