First, let me thank you for staying with me and being patient in this process. I hope it doesn’t appear that I think it is all about me and my family. Even if no pets were involved I would be sharing my life experiences and His Word to hopefully encourage you in your faith and trust in the Lord. You know, “Inspire Me”, “Blue Skies, Butterflies, and Battlegrounds”, and in this case, All Things Great and Small.

With that said, I will begin with a bonus then on to my dreams and the “Right Door”.

In my first attempt to write about this in All Things Great and Small, I stated “I made my title include all things because the Lord cares about all things concerning us”. Closer to the end I quoted 1 Peter 5:7. I ended with a picture of our church bulletin referencing the books the veterinarian wrote, and the verse in Psalm 104:24-25. This morning I looked at the other bulletin that was with this one. This is what I saw…

Thank You, Lord, for your apropos bonus.

Now on to the first dream that shows just how deeply He does care about us…

In this dream, I was standing in front of our vet clinic which does not provide emergency care. I saw a man standing on my left and I understood that he was one of the doctors. I said I wanted to bring him last night for help but I didn’t. The doctor said, “Howie was here last night scratching at the door to come in but no one was here to help.   I could see Howie frantically scratching to get in for help. Immediately after, I looked up and saw Jesus standing slightly to the right. Jesus said to me, “ I was here for Howie and I opened the right door for him to come in”. He came in the door with Jesus! I woke up! Can you imagine the astonishment, then, the peace that swept over me? I cried with joy and wonderment this time. I understood that it was Howie’s time to go with Jesus. Jesus was there for him and opened the right door. Remember the doggy door at our church I mentioned?

My heart was so full of overwhelming gratitude, yet there was more healing in the process still ahead. The process included another dream. More than I could ask for.

This dream began with me standing in our family room looking at our front door. It was opened slightly and a bright beam of sunshine was pouring inside our foyer (our house faces the north so the front is always shady). (Our door was reversed in the dream. The doorknob is on the right but in the dream it was on the left). Then I saw Howie happily and hurriedly passing through the doorway into the light. Howie had had a fear of passing through doors that weren’t opened wide. There was absolutely no fear or hesitation in this instance. I awoke with a smile and another big bandage on my heart.

The Lord hasn’t stopped doing His part, nor will He ever. He is Jehovah Nacham, Hebrew for The Lord is my Comforter. The Greek word for “Comforter” is parakletos, which combines “para” and “kaleo” to mean “called to one’s side”. He has assuredly been by our side. How do we thank You, Lord?

As I have relived these dreams over and over, I decided to search for a picture of Jesus opening the door for a dog. Here is what I found. Another big step in healing our broken hearts.

Some day I will order this and hang it by our front door.

Meanwhile, I choose instead of staying heartbroken by the loss, to shift my thoughts to the joy and wonder God gave us through Howie’s life. The reality is, that Howie was aging. I just didn’t want to accept that fact. Also, most of us outlive our pets. So when we add them to our family we will most likely have to say goodbye.

Our new veterinarian sent us a card that says, “Forever in our hearts“…“They ask for so little yet leave behind so much”. I’m cherishing the “so much”!

But no, it doesn’t stop there. We received a sympathy card from Cousin Kathy. The message read, “To make Heaven the perfect resting place for loved ones we adore, God made sure those Pearly Gates contained a doggy door”. Again, the doggy door! The right door!

The Lord has beautifully connected more comfort and healing than I could have imagined. Hopefully, this has helped encourage you to trust our incredible God forever at our side through all things great and small. Always opening the right door for us to enter in as we cast our cares/anxieties on Him because He deeply cares for us.

Psalm 100:4 NKJV “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise, Be thankful to Him and bless His name”.

I am thankful Lord for 11 Wonder-filled years with Howie the Wonder dog that you led through the Right Door.

To Him be all the praise and glory forever! AMEN!

And if you have a pet, please hug him or her for David our family, and me,

Reba