Ode
to Odie
By Gary Kurz
May 2, 2008
Today
I had to let our little Odie go home. For ten weeks
she suffered through the ravages of progressive renal
failure despite all medical attempts to help her. She
struggled to stay with us with strength greater than I
thought her small, failing body could muster, but in
the end, her tiny legs would no longer hold her and
the seizures grew more frequent and intense, robbing
her of all her motor skills.
She
had been a trooper through it all and I will miss that
little smile she made by curling her lip when I came
home. Like all of our pets, she was rescued from a
breeder who no longer had use for her and given a
love-filled life, which she enjoyed for nearly 12
years. She gave back more than she ever got and she
will be sorely missed. I don't think our pets know how
much joy and balance they bring to our lives. I
suppose we don't realize it either, until they are
gone.
I
ordinarily do not like to share my own personal sorrow
with those who are seeking help for their own pain,
but I wanted the passing of my little girl to mean
something special. It occurred to me that there was no
better way to accomplish that than to help others see
that even when I am experiencing great sorrow myself,
I truly believe all that the Bible teaches on the
topic of animal souls.
There
is strength in faith. There is hope in faith. Faith in
God makes all the difference. The tears that stream
down my face as I pen these words are not tears of
despair or uncertainty, but merely tears of
separation. His word is true and the promises he gives
concerning these wonderful personalities we call
"pets" can be depended upon. The day is
nearing when we shall be reunited and behold together
the majesty of our creator.
In
this world there are few people who truly love and
care about me. In fact, my wife and my mother are the
only ones who I could place in that category. With the
passing of my mother in February of this year, that
leaves only my wife. I am sure that many of you find
yourselves in similar circumstances.
It
will comfort those of you who do not already know that
there is one, not of this world, who cares for us and
for all his creatures…one upon whom all the promises
rest. And it is important to know that He is able to
keep those promises. While I could do nothing to prolong
my Odie's earthly life, He has done everything to
ensure her life is secure and sure.
I hope
the passing of my Odie will serve to impress many with
the realness of God's love and provision for all he
has created and that this will affect a closer
relationship with him for you.
To my
Odie I bid a sailor's farewell of fair winds and
following seas. My heart is broken, but the pieces are
in the hands of one who is able, and who will heal it
one day.
|
