Herman

My wonderful little friend was taken suddenly by a stroke this weekend. We had been out of town for Thanksgiving and had left him at the animal hospital until we returned. We received the news Sunday morning that Herman had suffered a stroke and died. We were stunned, never dreaming that he would be gone so soon. Yes, Herman was a dog, but not just a dog. He was much more to us, especially to me. Through my illness and slow recovery, Herman sat day after day at my feet often looking at me as if somehow he knew what I was going through. The mentally fuzzy days after chemo therapy were made more tolerable by his visits to my chair where he rested is chin on the seat next to my leg and stared at me for several long minutes with his big compassionate brown eyes. He could always make me smile. Though we didn’t really choose to have Herman or any inside dog for that matter, we adopted him when his previous owner, our daughter, moved away and couldn’t have a dog in her new location. What a joy he turned out to be. Just a dog, I’m really scared of a person who speaks like that…..get a heart friend! Yes Herman was a lot of trouble and added expense but his benefits far exceeded his liabilities. He had become blind because of diabetes and required two insulin injections daily. Maybe he couldn’t see in his last days but he could sure sense pain and suffering and he knew better than most what to do to help and he did it well until the end. Good job Herman, you served your God given purpose and we were blessed. Thank you kind Father for giving good things to your children to enjoy.

Attracted To Prayer

It seems to me that Jesus didn’t constantly emphasize to His followers the importance of prayer in their daily lives, but He prayed constantly Himself.  Those that were close to Him knew well that before morning dawned He would seek out a place to be alone with His Father.  They were often sent to their homes, while He climbed up into the mountains to spend the night alone in prayer.  Seeing the results of such a life, the glory of God on His face and the peaceful composure with which He passed through trying circumstances, they too sought to know the secret of prayer.  May the value of a life that is truly devoted to Christ be made known once again through a people who are at rest and at peace come what may, because they have been with Him whom they have learned to be completely trustworthy.  Then people will be attracted to prayer, by its fruit in our lives.  Then they will say again, ‘teach us to pray.’