Just over a week ago, we experienced one of the most significant losses in our married lives together. Our best friend, confidant, playmate, and furry comforter left this world suddenly. Tucker, our Golden Retriever was wagging his tail in the morning and gone by late afternoon. Colleen sensed it was coming but it didn’t make it any easier. Tears were flowing in our home for days. Our four-legged friend was family – the best of the best. Always up for ball tosses, kisses, and scratches. We miss him so much.
The grief is overwhelming when a loss of this nature invades our lives. God did not create us to experience loss of any kind. It just doesn’t seem fair sometimes. Our buddy was almost 10 years old – 70 in human years. Not one has survived the test of time. The story we continue to tell ourselves is that all dogs go to heaven. We’ll see. By that time there’ll be no sadness, tears or grieving. Just a celebration of life with Jesus. It’d be great fun to toss the ball and give some ear tickles to Tucker again, but by then our attention will be fixed on the host of brothers and sisters in the Lord that went before us.
Grieve your losses friends. It’s an important step toward healing in this broken world. Take the time to bring all that pain to God. He has the ultimate remedy for loneliness and loss. He loves you and He will comfort you in that loss.
With death comes new life. As we were driving that evening telling Tucker stories, we passed by a baby horse, wobbling on 4 legs. As if God sent a kiss our way and said, I’ve got this. I’m the source of all life. Trust me to heal your pain.
We do Lord, we do!
And that’s the memo.
Steve & Colleen
