We walked and talked and shared our hearts. It was a really hard day. One of the toughest in a while.
When that bite of loss swoops in like a thief it's easy to waffle, want everything to just go back to being normal again.
But there's a lesson in the loss. There always is. We searched for it determined yesterday.
When we lived in our old house, waiting for the new life we found here, we would dream of getting a dog for Brodie. It was something he waited and waited and longed and longed for. Happy was our gift to him, to them all, the day after we moved into our new home. She came with the changing chapter and her name has summarized our year and a half here perfectly.
Happy.
She was such a special dog and brought everyone in our family joy. She was gentle, obedient, sweet, and had a wonderful personality with the kindest look in her dark eyes. I trusted her with the little ones. She was the fastest runner with beauty in her long strides. Her long golden ears were floppy and humble. She was part of the family. She was a friend. She was Brodie's special dog.
To lose Happy so suddenly and without any real warning has been startling to say the least, and yet, we seek the opportunity to turn our sorrows Godward, to teach the brevity of life, to focus on eternal things, to cherish the days we have while they're ours, to discuss legacy and trusting God in all things. Yes, we decide to employ the loss of Happy as an opportunity to gain so much more.
We're thankful for the memories our Happy girl gave us and we're thankful for the pangs of loss that stir up love in new ways. Thank you, Lord, for growing us through pruning and for using our tears for your kind of good. It's never easy, but you use it all and we trust you. May we learn what you seek. May we all be malleable, vessels in the hands of the Potter. We've asked you to burn off the dross in our hearts and lives, to leave us more refined, more like you. May this experience equate to more of that.
"Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel."
Proverbs 25:4
"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use,
set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work."
2 Timothy 2:21
