On this afternoon, I was trying to come to terms with the news from the veterinarian that my four-legged friend, whose name means 'joy', the one who came into our lives after having to saying good bye to our dog Shady, has a life-limiting form of cancer. She is only three years old and there is a knot in my stomach at the thought of having to let her go so soon.
I know it may sound foolish and sentimental, but as I stroked behind her ears, I quietly whispered, "I'll love you till the end, we'll take care of you, you won't have to suffer".
Mostly I'm having to remind myself again of the truth of Scripture that death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54); that we have a home in heaven waiting for us when our time on this earth is done; that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:-13)