“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3 KJV)

Famous has been creating a new nightly tradition. It does not happen every night, not yet. But after we have had our evening stroll and the house is secure for the evening, Famous comes and looks at me to remind me we still have one more thing to do before calling it a night. We still have to go outside and say good-bye to the day. At first it seemed he might have needed to visit the yard one last time. But he walks out on the porch, and stops, and just takes a look. He takes a long look across the yard.

Perhaps he remembers seeing the deer that sometimes walk our fence line, when he had younger legs and could spring off the porch and chase them back into the woods. That would certainly be an exciting way to end the day!

Perhaps his nose just needs to take in the air of the night for any whiff of skunk or fog or danger, now that his hearing is unreliable. He seems quite full of purpose as he stands at the top of the steps to make his survey. He almost commands the peace that is at hand.

So then I sit on the top step next to him, and he sits by me as I put my arm around his neck. And we just sit for a few moments. It is as if we have come to say good-bye to the day, to thank the world for giving us yet another day together, for the peace and comfort of our home, the joy of our walks, the camaraderie of neighbors who have said hello or waved from their windows.

And then, when he is ready, he stands and turns around to head back into the house, knowing that all’s right with the world and ready for a good night’s rest.

Well, we finally made it! I have anticipated this day for some time, and now it has arrived. Famous has turned twelve today! This is a milestone for an English springer spaniel. It means good health and fortune have allowed him to achieve the minimum life expectancy for his breed. It means our lives have been intertwined for a decade plus two and that our routine and our adventures have provided him a purpose and an opportunity to thrive.

It means we have played together. As a young dog full of energy, he scampered out of the house with every opportunity often running miles by my side. We played hard and slept hard, although my slightest stirring would awaken him instantly. He learned to swim in a pool, and his love of water enabled us to explore mountain streams, lakes, waterfalls, and seashores. At one year of age he learned to jump off of a pier into the bright water below and then swim to shore and run around to do it again. We played catch on the tennis courts and fetch in the backyard. Weekends in the summer often gave us the opportunities to hike in state and national parks. And winter snowfalls gave him a delightful new wonderland in which to sprint, jump, and play find the orange rubber ball.

It means we have worked together. I decided from the beginning I could either have a pet or a companion. I chose the latter to try to show I was invested in him at least half as much as he was invested in me. We set up our new life as “Rich and Famous”, and the name took on a life of its own. He went with me to the office for the first two years of his life and made work, carpools, and lunches much more enjoyable. He tagged along for several choir rehearsals, loving the extra attention and seldom disrupting the singing. (He’s a tenor, by the way.)

It means we have traveled together. Oh, so many trips full of memories! He has traveled throughout our state and beyond with nearly twenty states to his travel log. Our longest journey took us from North Carolina out west to Oklahoma and then due north to North Dakota during a very long record heat spell. The iconic image of him leaning out of the passenger window with long ears sailing behind his head brought great amusement to anyone catching a glimpse of him. He has played on farms and dined in luxury hotels. (He was especially well-mannered during the Peabody’s famous duck parade in the hotel’s lobby in Memphis.) He was along for a family trip to Charleston, South Carolina, where we had our own backyard to view the total solar eclipse. But like me, he was always happy to return to our home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

It means we have aged together. Yes, there was a time when we ran 5K races together. Even when we would start at the rear of the pack, he worked to pass every runner in front of us much to the chagrin of the other participants. (I guess he figured the lead dog had the best view!) But we have both slowed down so that now our outings look more like stately promenades. Famous lost most of his hearing more than a year ago, and it was quite sad and profound the first time I came home at the end of the day to discover he was not waiting for me on the other side of the door due to his hearing loss.

It means we are very comfortable with one another. Change happens, but fortunately, for the most part, it comes gradually. We make adjustments. Famous needs assistance getting on the bed and getting in and out of the car. He was starting to miss one or two of the front porch steps, so now he has gotten accustomed to a new ramp. And even though he sleeps a big part of the day, he suddenly transforms again into a young dog whenever I have been away and come through the door.

So as we journey through our remaining years together I ask for your prayers that life and death will be kind. I pray that we are able to make the necessary adjustments and decisions that will support him as he ages. I pray the lessons he is still able to teach me are sweet and guiding. Most of all, I pray that the great gifts of joy and love he has brought me will find new energy as he inspires us all to celebrate life!

Rich and Famous on the occasion of his twelfth birthday, April 18, 2020.

So this is how things stand. Famous is doing well now that he has turned ten years old. His birthday heralds the return of spring with its warm breezes which allow me to leave the coats and gloves behind on our walks and tend to the many activities in the flower garden, which Famous famously supervises. But now he spends more time napping and less time running than when he first came home with me. He is less likely to hear me come into the house if I arrive early, but usually he is watching for me from the window at the appointed time. Either way, he is equally eager to have me home.

Not only has he aged, but so have I. It would be more of a challenge for me to do all the things now that we once did ten years ago. Famous no longer pulls me down the road as I am jogging. Instead, we plan on longer, more leisurely strolls. If my aging bones are any indication of how he must feel being relatively fifteen to twenty years older than me now, then I completely understand how each step can at times be measured.

Here is a picture of Famous in one of his favorite spots–the hill behind our house. I see him there and refer to him as the “king of the hill.” The elevation gives him the best view of the backyard and the driveway in case it is necessary for him to greet or chase someone or something. Seeing him there yesterday I decided to stop what I was doing and plop down beside him and share his grassy bed for a little while. He seemed pleased that I would allow everything else in the world to wait and just hang with him for a few precious moments. I often find his ideas of how to spend the day are better than mine.

And moments are all that we really have when I think about how fast the past ten years have flown and how too soon a future without him advances towards me. There have, indeed, been very few “bad” moments for us to endure. He continues to make my life “rich” beyond measure, and I have reciprocated by taking any opportunity to make him “famous.” He has proven himself to be the perfect dog for me at the perfect time.

 

“But God never left himself without a witness. There were always his reminders, such as sending you rain and good crops and giving you food and joyful hearts.”  Acts 14:17  NLT

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Do we live our lives and conduct our actions as though we are constantly living our faith? Or do we tend to live parts of our day as those who have no faith? We can quickly be lulled into living as the world tells us to live. Then, God’s purpose for our lives is replaced by our own agendas of achievement, conquest, and idolatry. Even after we repent and return to God, we may not accept our own sin. We forget that God is in every moment. He has not abandoned us. On the contrary, He has given us countless gifts, each one a precious treasure which reminds us of his love and care.

In writing of my love for Famous, I hope to convey the greater love which is for my God. My joy in having him as a reminder of God’s provision is a priceless gift which renews my spirit, affirms my faith, and motivates me to measure each moment. This is the responsibility of love.

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When I am honest, I fail to consistently dedicate each moment to the Lord. Teach me to recognize the gift of each breath, each joy, each love.

We walk into a new year not knowing for certain if it will be better than the one before. Perhaps it will bring new unexpected adventure or reward; or, it could bring hardship and ruin. Some speculate that their individual lives will only get better and better. Others have resigned themselves that their best years are already behind them. How do we know?

We know because of what we have learned and because of our faith. We do not need to worry that we are doomed at any moment. When Famous first came home with me he never let me out of my sight. His instinct made him react to insure his safety. Even now he likes to doze on top of my foot in case I should leave while he is asleep. But over the years he has learned the limits of our home and that if I walk out of a room I will likely walk back into it in just a few moments. He has learned patience. Granted, if I am gone longer that a few minutes, he will still come looking for me. He knows he needs me, and he has “faith” I will return to him.

God will make his presence known to us in the year ahead. We need not fear being abandoned. This promise gives assurance that God already knows our needs and will bless us according to our need.

“Getting back into the routine” was anything but routine this morning with temperatures hovering above the single digits. Famous was reluctant to leave his dog bed for a cold walk in the dark until the very last minute when I opened the front door and threatened to leave without him. We had walked the street through our neighborhood thousands of times before but rarely in this type of cold. I was completely covered in winter garb, except for my face around the eyes, and the vapor from my nostrils kept fogging up the lenses of my prescription glasses. Famous also donned a jacket to help maintain body heat, but the pads of his paws were in direct contact with the cold asphalt.

He kept a quick pace, stopping rarely to sniff a patch of grass, and did not put up a fuss when we turned around to head back to the house. From our vantage point at the end of the road we found another sight which was anything but routine. To the west a setting full moon, a “super” moon, served as a beacon to guide us back to the house while in the east three planets, Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury lined up to herald the new year. A beautiful sight since Mercury is so hard to spot, but the true gratitude came as we re-entered a warm home.

May the extraordinary decorate the routine.

It was indeed a cold start to the year. More than half the country awoke to sub-freezing temperatures. I am thankful for warm shelter, the love of family, and health as the year begins. Famous was apparently impressed by the cold wind enough to quicken his steps back from our walk. But he still pined for the door to open so that he could sit on the deck, at least for a little while, and observe the birds and squirrels keeping their distance in the yard. Bright sunshine gave us a bit of relief on our short walks during the day, but the light of tonight’s full moon could only illuminate with no benefit of warmth. Still lovely, but were it a summer’s moon, Famous and I might have lingered and greeted it with howling.

Walk in God’s light in the year ahead. 

 

 

As 2017 comes to an end, I am happy to report both Famous and I are well. We are no longer the young puppy and young man we once were when our journey began. Our first New Year’s Eve together found us running a 5K race together at the stroke of midnight. This year we are likely to fall asleep before 2018 arrives. We’ll see.

Famous will turn ten years old in 2018, but doing well despite developing severe hearing loss and periodontal disease. He rebounded from oral surgery in September, and he seems to recognize and respond to our new sign language in addition to the commands he learned as a puppy. (Now with his deafness, I am glad and quick to recommend early puppy training which teaches hand signals in addition to voice commands.)

And I am well into middle-age but avoided any new set-backs or diagnoses other than my own dental work involving a new crown which had to be placed at the end of the spring. All in all, 2017 was kind.

I wish 2018 to be a kinder year to everyone. As we learn to protect and provide for ourselves, may we learn to open our circle to those who are less fortunate. May we in finding our own paths become the inspiration for others. May we all become Rich with blessings and Famous for our works and good deeds.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

“After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.”  Matthew 2:9  NLT

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Due to an early December snowfall, the ground was still white and saturated with water and ice this morning. Fortunately for me, most of our street was dry and presented no hazard for my first early walk with Famous. He was stepping with energy through the chilly air as we made our turn and started back for home. I had seen where small rivulets of water runoff had turned sloping asphalt into bands of black ice. I led Famous away from these spots, but at one moment he insisted on going in the opposite direction, There was just enough force of resistance against his leash to cause his feet to give out beneath him. He was able to get back up, and pulling against me again, he did another spread eagle in the middle of the road. This time he looked at me to see if I could help him understand why his legs had suddenly stopped working. I could not help myself from being reminded of the fawn, Bambi, when he first walked on ice in the Disney animated film.

Where do we look for guidance in our lives? Do we not usually deceive ourselves into thinking we know what is best? Just as there were good and evil forces giving direction to the magi as they looked for a new king, so there are many influences around us. Some are true and direct us in the way God would have us go. Others are only there to confuse and betray us from finding the miracles God sends to us.

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Teach my heart to recognize the true message of Christmas and to ignore the temptations which will lead to my destruction.