Like a thief in the night
His demise was so fast, so unforeseen, we did all we could, spared no expense, and did whatever was needed and yet he went to Heaven on August 15, 2023 – the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. To say this has reinvigorated our already deep faith is an understatement. To serve animal causes (in his beautiful name and those dear to our parents is everything that inspires us now – writing like my father and dating to St Vincent de Paul like my mother amongst many other things.
The Day of the Lord
(Zephaniah 1:7-18; 2 Peter 3:10-13)
How is the second coming going to be like a thief in the night? The key element of Jesus’ comparison is that no one will know when He will return. Just as a thief catches a household by surprise, Jesus will catch the unbelieving world by surprise when He returns in judgment. People will be “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (verse 38), just as if they have all the time in the world. But then, before they know it, Judgment Day will be upon them (verses 40–41). Paul puts it this way: “While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
Love one another as I have loved you!
Dogs offer us unconditional love, accepting us without judgment for our flaws or mistakes. With adoring eyes, they plop down contentedly at our side, caring not for our intelligence, clothes, or academic achievements. Their selfless devotion mirrors the boundless love God calls us to show one another. If we loved each other as dogs love us, always loyal and forgiving, we would be living out God’s command more fully. We loved him so much. The depth of his love we will likely never fully understand though in his final days, when they told me that he was too sedated to be conscious of any thing, remember brushing his ears at OVC in Guelph and when I stopped, he got up to make sure I was still there. God bless science. May God bless him even more.
I am never alone
I never had to worry about loneliness with him. My husband travels a lot for work, but the house never felt empty. He was always there to greet me when I walked in the door, with sad eyes when we left (he always had family puppy-sitting services with a bounty for a meal and much to play with). Dogs are loyal companions for the limited time they are here but Gabby showed me that God provides companionship forever and I know he is there watching me still and looking over all of us. I miss him so yet I feel him around still and weird to sometimes hear him breathing when I sleep – his breath in mine.
Simple things
Gabby lit up with pure joy whenever he saw us. He loved treats stuffed in a toy. Staying with me in my office, sitting on the deck when I did yard work. Family gatherings at any time. He sure loved family. He loved walks, trembling to get his leash on. He loved sniffing the grass and trees, chasing butterflies (wished I had recorded it), chasing loons from the pool, and exploring the sights and smells along the trail. Gabby embraced each experience with carefree delight, unburdened by the stresses of life. He reminds me of Jesus’s words: 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Tolerance, Forgiveness, and Forget about it
If only we could be as tolerant of each other as Gabby was. When we didn’t give him the attention he needed or forgot to take care of something he wanted, it never stopped him from loving and trusting me unconditionally. He didn’t judge me or hold anything against me. He did sniff my mouth to let me know he knew I ate out when we went for dinner as he was a food connoisseur and occasionally gave me a stink eye but that was quickly forgiven and forgotten.
Total Faith and Trust
Gabby didn’t worry about where he was going to eat next, or if I was going to be there to look after him. Of course, I could never live up to his faith in me, but I don’t think he knew that. I was the center of his love, his source of faith, his source of trust, and his source of complete trust in me and my husband. That’s the kind of faith we should have in a God who truly never fails.
These are just some of the things my beloved taught me.