Reason #989
Scout had a vet appointment this week. She was due for a check up, and she always has to get shots each time she goes. She's been acting a little strange lately, and I was worried that she might have something physically wrong with her. I figured the vet would have an answer, or at least I hoped so.
Scout and I waited in the little exam room. She sat on my lap as we waited for the vet to come see her. A couple of vet techs came in to draw blood for a routine test. As you know, I have the weakest stomach known to mankind, and I knew I couldn't watch them draw blood from Scout. Just the thought of it made my heart hurt. I asked if I could step out in the hall, and they told me they would take her to the back to draw her blood. I hesitantly handed her over, and I felt like the worst pet mom in the world for sending her back there by herself. I'm sure they weren't gone for long, but it seemed like it. I alternated between looking at my watch and looking out the window. They finally brought her back in, and she was more than eager to get to me. Her little pencil legs were wet from the rubbing alcohol. She quickly laid down in my lap and I began scratching her back in an attempt to make her feel better. The vet came in and we visited about Scout's behavior. She decided to do another blood test to make sure all of her insides were functioning well. I handed her back over to go have blood drawn again, feeling even worse this time. Once was bad enough! A few minutes they brought her back to me with a wet neck. She curled up once again in my lap and I dreaded the fact that shots were next on the agenda.
We waited and we waited, and the results were finally in. Thankfully, all things checked out well. And so it was time for her to get her shots. The vet walked back into the room, and Scout curled up as close as she could get to me. Her little ears were down and her tail was tucked, and I knew she was afraid. I knew she was thinking, "Don't let them do anything else to me, Mom!" But I handed her over for her shots, and she kept her eyes glued on me. As soon as her shots were over, she scrambled across the exam table to get to me. I scooped her up and praised her for being a brave girl. Two shots and blood work is more than I, myself, would want to handle in a day. She was a champ!
I drove back to work and I wondered what went through Scout's little head as she had to face her blood drawing episode all alone. Well, technically, she wasn't alone. Two other people were back there with her, but she didn't know them. Plus, they were the ones taking her blood. I hoped that they were being sweet to her and soothing her like I would have done while they were drawing blood. I hoped that they were trying to comfort her and ease her fears. Because the truth is, when we have someone we know, someone we trust and love, present with us during those difficult and scary moments, it helps. Maybe they can't necessarily do anything about it, but just having them close by makes a huge difference. Especially when they're the ones you look to for help and protection. Just having them near eases your fear as you know they are constantly keeping their eyes on you.
Thank goodness Jesus can handle going through the tough stuff with us. Thank goodness He doesn't have a weak stomach and isn't too faint at heart to be right by our side during our scariest moments. He doesn't send us off on our own to endure the pain alone. He doesn't abandon us in our trials and heartache. Rather, He goes with us. He stays right beside us. He never takes His eyes off of us or loses sight of where we are. He is there in the trenches with us, waiting in the hospital room with us, sitting next to us on the bench at the courthouse, and standing next to use at the funeral home. He walks with us to our car after a really difficult day at work, He escorts us into our empty house, He accompanies us to the doctor appointment, and He meets us in the valley of shadows. Our Good Shepherd never leaves us. You don't have to face it alone. He will go with you.
#989 - Because He will go with us wherever we go.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." - Psalm 23:4
Scout and I waited in the little exam room. She sat on my lap as we waited for the vet to come see her. A couple of vet techs came in to draw blood for a routine test. As you know, I have the weakest stomach known to mankind, and I knew I couldn't watch them draw blood from Scout. Just the thought of it made my heart hurt. I asked if I could step out in the hall, and they told me they would take her to the back to draw her blood. I hesitantly handed her over, and I felt like the worst pet mom in the world for sending her back there by herself. I'm sure they weren't gone for long, but it seemed like it. I alternated between looking at my watch and looking out the window. They finally brought her back in, and she was more than eager to get to me. Her little pencil legs were wet from the rubbing alcohol. She quickly laid down in my lap and I began scratching her back in an attempt to make her feel better. The vet came in and we visited about Scout's behavior. She decided to do another blood test to make sure all of her insides were functioning well. I handed her back over to go have blood drawn again, feeling even worse this time. Once was bad enough! A few minutes they brought her back to me with a wet neck. She curled up once again in my lap and I dreaded the fact that shots were next on the agenda.
We waited and we waited, and the results were finally in. Thankfully, all things checked out well. And so it was time for her to get her shots. The vet walked back into the room, and Scout curled up as close as she could get to me. Her little ears were down and her tail was tucked, and I knew she was afraid. I knew she was thinking, "Don't let them do anything else to me, Mom!" But I handed her over for her shots, and she kept her eyes glued on me. As soon as her shots were over, she scrambled across the exam table to get to me. I scooped her up and praised her for being a brave girl. Two shots and blood work is more than I, myself, would want to handle in a day. She was a champ!
I drove back to work and I wondered what went through Scout's little head as she had to face her blood drawing episode all alone. Well, technically, she wasn't alone. Two other people were back there with her, but she didn't know them. Plus, they were the ones taking her blood. I hoped that they were being sweet to her and soothing her like I would have done while they were drawing blood. I hoped that they were trying to comfort her and ease her fears. Because the truth is, when we have someone we know, someone we trust and love, present with us during those difficult and scary moments, it helps. Maybe they can't necessarily do anything about it, but just having them close by makes a huge difference. Especially when they're the ones you look to for help and protection. Just having them near eases your fear as you know they are constantly keeping their eyes on you.
Thank goodness Jesus can handle going through the tough stuff with us. Thank goodness He doesn't have a weak stomach and isn't too faint at heart to be right by our side during our scariest moments. He doesn't send us off on our own to endure the pain alone. He doesn't abandon us in our trials and heartache. Rather, He goes with us. He stays right beside us. He never takes His eyes off of us or loses sight of where we are. He is there in the trenches with us, waiting in the hospital room with us, sitting next to us on the bench at the courthouse, and standing next to use at the funeral home. He walks with us to our car after a really difficult day at work, He escorts us into our empty house, He accompanies us to the doctor appointment, and He meets us in the valley of shadows. Our Good Shepherd never leaves us. You don't have to face it alone. He will go with you.
#989 - Because He will go with us wherever we go.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." - Psalm 23:4