Reason #973
Sometimes I think I should have never gotten a dog. The problem is not that I don't love Scout, it's that I might love her a little too much. Before I got Scout, I never knew you could have such strong feelings about an animal. I didn't know you could love a pet so much, but she has worked her way so deep into my heart that I can't imagine not having her. I would like to think she's extra special, but I know most pet owners think that about their pet. Sometimes I wonder if I'd feel so strongly about her had she not accompanied me through the most difficult time in my life. I wonder if I'd feel the same about her if she hadn't been my constant companion so that I never had to feel alone. I don't know that I could ever love another pet the same way I love Scout, and I'm not sure that I'll ever test that out.
The truth is, I worry about Scout. When she has been home by herself for a long time, I wonder if she's okay. When I'm out of town for days in a row, I wonder if she's missing me. When she doesn't feel good, I'm afraid something might be terribly wrong with her. Every time I leave her at the groomer's I check my phone for the "pick-up" call because I don't like having her out of my possession. I check my flat iron at least 5 times before I leave in the morning to make sure it's turned off because I am afraid that if I left it on, it could catch fire while I'm gone. It's not that I am concerned about the house, it can be replaced, but Scout can't. And so I get these little thoughts in my head every now and then about something happening to her, and I worry that it would happen when I can't be there to protect her. I don't know what goes through a dog's head, but the last thing I would ever want Scout to think is that I left her in harm's way.
I've had this particular fear rise to the surface of my mind that I had never considered until recently. I'd share it with you, but you'd think I am even crazier than you probably do right now, so we'll just leave it at a fear. And sometimes I wonder how the Lord feels about our pets. Supposedly they don't have souls, but you know, all dogs go to Heaven, right? I mean they did make a movie about it, so it must be true. Plus, Scout has been known to read the bible, and I have the pictures to prove it. And so I feel like if there is any animal in the world that God would be partial to, it would be dogs, right?This is no where in scripture, by the way, so I'm just guessing here. But I've been worried that something might happen in the future and Scout would be left on her own. She is so helpless and dependent that the thought of her waiting on me to never come home and take care of her is gut wrenching. And so I figured that, like everything else, I should just pray about it. After all, doesn't the bible tell us not to worry about anything but to pray about everything? Everything includes dogs.
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26) God cares about all creation. If He didn't care about it, I would figure He wouldn't have created it. And so I would venture to say that God cares about each specific thing He creates. If He gives it life, it matters to Him. He has a purpose for all of it, and because He has a purpose then He has a way to take care of it. If the birds aren't worried about it, then I suppose we shouldn't be either. God provides for all things as they need it, and I am grateful to be reminded again of how kind, caring, and compassionate He is.
#973 - Because He cares about everything He creates.
"God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good." - Genesis 1:25
The truth is, I worry about Scout. When she has been home by herself for a long time, I wonder if she's okay. When I'm out of town for days in a row, I wonder if she's missing me. When she doesn't feel good, I'm afraid something might be terribly wrong with her. Every time I leave her at the groomer's I check my phone for the "pick-up" call because I don't like having her out of my possession. I check my flat iron at least 5 times before I leave in the morning to make sure it's turned off because I am afraid that if I left it on, it could catch fire while I'm gone. It's not that I am concerned about the house, it can be replaced, but Scout can't. And so I get these little thoughts in my head every now and then about something happening to her, and I worry that it would happen when I can't be there to protect her. I don't know what goes through a dog's head, but the last thing I would ever want Scout to think is that I left her in harm's way.
I've had this particular fear rise to the surface of my mind that I had never considered until recently. I'd share it with you, but you'd think I am even crazier than you probably do right now, so we'll just leave it at a fear. And sometimes I wonder how the Lord feels about our pets. Supposedly they don't have souls, but you know, all dogs go to Heaven, right? I mean they did make a movie about it, so it must be true. Plus, Scout has been known to read the bible, and I have the pictures to prove it. And so I feel like if there is any animal in the world that God would be partial to, it would be dogs, right?This is no where in scripture, by the way, so I'm just guessing here. But I've been worried that something might happen in the future and Scout would be left on her own. She is so helpless and dependent that the thought of her waiting on me to never come home and take care of her is gut wrenching. And so I figured that, like everything else, I should just pray about it. After all, doesn't the bible tell us not to worry about anything but to pray about everything? Everything includes dogs.
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26) God cares about all creation. If He didn't care about it, I would figure He wouldn't have created it. And so I would venture to say that God cares about each specific thing He creates. If He gives it life, it matters to Him. He has a purpose for all of it, and because He has a purpose then He has a way to take care of it. If the birds aren't worried about it, then I suppose we shouldn't be either. God provides for all things as they need it, and I am grateful to be reminded again of how kind, caring, and compassionate He is.
#973 - Because He cares about everything He creates.
"God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good." - Genesis 1:25