Man's Best Friend

"No man can be condemed for owning a dog. As long as he has a dog, he has a friend; and the poorer he gets, the better friend he has." - Will Rogers Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. Proverbs 27:9

"What do you expect to do with that puppy?" He stared at me with glaring eyes. "I'm gonna get him some dog food," he explained that cold night. The ball of fur snuggled deeper into his jacket. It poked out between his zipper. My brother could barely stand, he'd been drinking. I tried to get him out of there before the boss saw him. He was off the clock, but I was working that night. "Get out of here before you get in trouble." "No! Not until I get my new best friend some dog food," he demanded. "Alright, here, let me help you." I took the little thing and hid him in my jacket this time. I was getting off shortly. As we rambled down one aisle after another, we finally found the dog food. I purchased it, and snuck a pup and a passed out brother into my car. We got out of there unnoticed even after his partying that night. Sneaking home I tried to get both past my mother. The plan was to get him to bed, but the pup gave us away with his whimpering. "Oh, no. She's gonna flip out to find him drunk." I sat my brother on the couch as my mom came in.

"What was that noise?" came her questioning. "That's nothing," he grumbled in a voice he was hoping sounded sober but just sort of slurred out. "Here, let me fix him some coffee," she exclaimed. "Don't tell, Dad," he said in a worried teenager's voice. I think he didn't even realize he was taking to Mom. "He came up to work drinking and I covered for him...." HHMM..... UUNNN.... "That's the sound I heard earlier," she declared. "Oh, that's a puppy one of his friend's gave him. It's a chow, I think. Look, mom, don't be mad at him. He asked this girl out, and he really liked her. He had been talking to her for months. Well, you know how they do him. He talked to a friend, and he went to drown his sorrows."

"Well, the puppy sure is cute. And his hangover will be quite painful tomorrow. I'm not saying I'm not disappointed in him, but I can understand the hurt," she said, "Go to bed and he can sleep it off."

"Funny, the dog starts whining when I try to take him away from him." "Just leave him with him tonite. He'll be alright," she stated. So began the time that Bear, as we called him that night came into our lives. We had owned many dogs before but this one lived the longest and touched our lives the deepest. I think from that small moment on he was put here to comfort us in times of distress. He never was the type of dog that jumped up on you, he only came over when you sat down, to place his head in your lap to be petted. He never got excited like most chows. He patiently waited on you until you returned. All with a pleasant demeanor.

I spent many nights, when I was at my saddest, just sitting on a front porch swing looking at the stars. Those times he came and laid his head in my lap to let me know he cared was innumerable. He was like that to us all. But he especially knew when my brother was sad. Animals who love us can sense these things. He cared and paid special attention to my father in his last few years. Always gentle with the children. Even as he got too old, Boo-Bear, as they called him, was a member of the family. The day he died closed a chapter in my life. We have never had a dog like him since.

God gave him to the most distraught member of our family that night. He gave us all 13 years of love. Maybe God has given such an animal as this to you at sometime in your life.

This is just another layer I peel back in understanding God's immense love. He uses even a dog to show affection and understanding when all other friends are gone. Like God, he never cared if I was rich or poor, good looking or ugly, dumb or smart. He didn't care what kind of car I drove, how big my house was, or what kind of clothes I wore. He was always glad to see me and loved unconditionally. His feelings never changed, they were unwavering. He was my friend. He saw me and the rest of us through some tough times. There will be a day, a perfect day, when my soul searching is done, when I'll play chase with him again. And I'll sit underneath one of heaven's trees and my friend will lay his head in my lap once again.

By

Lance Gargus