Briley & Me

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, 
your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. — Psalm 36:6              

Growing up, we had a dog named Sparky. Well, if you ask my sister, we had a series of dogs named Sparky that kept wandering into the road and getting hit. But I choose to live in delightful denial. I like to think Sparky is still wagging her tail, greeting me as I come home from ball practice, both of us in eternal youth. 

Recently, I adopted a yellow lab named Briley. Now I no longer do things on a whim. I need to think of how things will impact Briley. Do I take her along or put her in her crate? Do I need someone to check on her? How will she react? Since becoming a parent, I have not made such a life-altering step — and I'm loving it.                     

At the shelter, I fell in love with Briley so quickly that I didn't examine her paperwork well. Her owners got her from a breeder and raised her in an outdoor pen. They tried to breed her at least once, and she lost a litter right before being taken to the shelter. Her owners introduced two younger labs into her pen and she did not respond well. I can't imagine this, as Briley is one of the most docile creatures I've ever met.            

One of the thrilling things about building a new friendship is getting to know what is unique about the other. Here are three things I've learned about Briley so far:

1. She loves it when Aunt April brushes her and rubs her belly. She tolerates a shower, but seems to relish not having all that extra fur weighing her down. I know it is much more pleasant to hug her when she smells like shampoo instead of dirty dog.
2. Despite being an outside dog for 6 years, she shows great discipline in her voiding habits. She really only "does her business" in the morning and the evening. When she does, she has a lot on her agenda, if you know what I mean.
3. She follows me wherever I go. This can be problematic as I often work at my desk through the night. She was not getting enough sleep, so I put her bed in her crate and covered it with blankets. Now, she sleeps beside me. But when I get up, even if I’m only going to the bathroom, she is at my heels.           

Christians have debated for centuries the ultimate destiny of pets. Do all dogs really go to heaven? Are animals brute beasts who don’t have souls and thus could never join in union with the Eternal One?            

I find these arguments senseless. They miss the point. We do not determine who goes to heaven and who doesn’t. Let’s leave that to God. Instead, let’s focus on our God-given responsibility to care for all of God’s creation, particularly those who have so much to teach us about duty, loyalty and love.           

Many faith communities praise God for pets. I found one service from Discipleship Ministries of the UMC. It includes this prayer of thanksgiving to God: 

            Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe; for the sake of our comfort

                         You give us domestic animals as companions.

            Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe; you care for us

                        Even as you care for the birds of the air.

“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.” ―  Mark Twain