I joke that my dog, Roo, is my spirit animal. Maybe I’m not really joking, that I feel a connection deep enough I’m convinced that he “gets” me better than most. He and his 12 year old standard poodle brother, Kai, get gifts at Christmas (a squeaky stuffed toy in the shape of an arm for Roo- because he prefers to hang onto your elbow if given the chance- and special treats for Kai because he could care less about toys). My husband logs all the steps every year because of his dedication to these furballs, walking them at least three miles every day. Last year we bought our first king-sized bed rather than train Roo to sleep elsewhere; his regular roost in the middle of the bed (on his back, paws up, lips slack, ears flopped) and his penchant to turn into a sack of potatoes when he’s sleepy was enough for us to splurge on a bed big enough for the three of us.
The things we do for our pets.
I know we aren’t alone in our indulgence of these creatures who bring us so much joy. I regularly see social media posts of people lamenting the loss of a beloved pet, how the hole created by their death will be felt forever and difficult to fill. Pets give much and require little.
They aren’t perfect, though. Mutilated furniture, torn up toys (especially our younger daughter’s favorites), barf on a rug, muddy paws in all the places, exorbitant vet bills when they eat non-food things, stealthy (and foolish) attacks on neighbor dogs who were just minding their own business (she isn’t named Moxy by mistake- Kai had the puncture wound coming to him). They cough all night and Kujo-bark at deliveries.
We tolerate the shenanigans because we love them so.
And I realize the great love we have, the joy we get, the warmth we feel when we snuggle, pet, and coo at them- it all pales compared to how much God loves us. Despite our shenanigans, the choices we make that cause Him to shake His head in disappointment- all the crazy we put ourselves through will NEVER diminish the love in His heart for us. We serve a good God who loves us- all of us, all the time, no matter what- more than we can imagine, even more than I love my fluffy, arm-chewing, bed-hogging spirit animal.
