Well, the past week was wild. In seven days, I drove 2,048 miles (no, I am not a tractor trailer driver) but have more respect for them than ever rolling to GA, MD, DC, VA, SC, NC, PA and then 300 miles to Ocean City, MD just returning yesterday, Monday Jan 31. On Jan 24-27, I was back in Atlanta, GA for the Praisefest Ministries www.CruisewithaCause.org Board Meeting and then had the privilege to return as a guest on ATLANTA LIVE promoting the cruise and sharing what God is doing in our midst. GLORY TO GOD!

Unfortunately, I knew the inevitable was approaching. My wife’s beloved dog, COOKIE had been ill and at 13 years old I realized for sometime that she (and us) were on borrowed time. After returning late Thursday night, my wife, Ruth already made plans to put Cookie down. Since 1998, I have officiated 125 weddings as an ordained minister and preached over 100 funerals and buried a few friends in between but didn’t think the loss of my wife’s dog would hurt so much.

My wife, Ruth is one of the most selfless, hardworking, gracious, unassuming women in the world. Ruth while working in Dallas, TX on a Christian radio station was doing a remote interview at a grand-opening of a bakery near Irving (former home of the Dallas Cowboys). At that bakery where Ruth was broadcasting LIVE she met a man who had a couple puppies for sale. Ruth whom was single at the time immediately fell in love with the dogs but this one in particular. She paid $30 on the spot for the puppy and when asked what she was going to name her since she was just outside the bakery she smiled and said: “COOKIE.”

The two of them bonded instantly. One of the countless attributes I admire about Ruth is her faith. She was born in El Salvador but with some of the civil unrest in her country she was able to come to the United States over 20 years ago. After working in Texas for over a decade she was offered a job in radio at three different cities (her pick). She didn’t know anyone in the Nation’s Capitol but after praying about it she had peace and left her family, loved ones and her job “by faith” and made the half country trip to DC not knowing anyone! However, she wasn’t alone. She had God in her heart and Cookie by her side in that long distance trip to her new home just outside of Washington, D.C.

Did you know that DOG spelled backwards is GOD? Both are loyal and loving and present each step of the way. After adjusting to her new home, Ruth and Cookie spent endless hours together and when she would return home from work Cookie would race to meet her at the front door. Cookie was a companion, confidant and constant protector. Before we met, Ruth had the luxury with Cookie of having both a friend by day and a pillow and bodyguard at night. Being single and living near a major city can be dangerous for anyone (especially a single woman).

One night after moving to Maryland in the middle of the night two men began to pound on the front door and tried desperately to break it down to cause some serious harm. Fortunately, Cookie was present despite looking innocent had more than bark but a BITE that would make RAMBO cautious. Cookie went into attack mode at Ruth’s defense and the ROAR that came from her on the other side of the door was enough to make the would be attackers/robbers/stalkers scared and went to their Plan B – GO HOME!

Years later, I remember the first time I came to meet Cookie she hit me with a similar growl. In life, I preach grace but not accustomed to the growl of this dog! I knew I liked Ruth immediately but wasn’t sure about how I was going to connect with her dog. After a couple of visits, Cookie eased up and I began to slowly warm up to her. Ruth and I would take walks in the park with her and she loved to stick her head out the window like the pig in the GEICO commercial. She was in Heaven! Cookie was like an evangelist – she loved to be on the road and always ready to roll! Ruth made a great point. Cookie was willing to go EVERYWHERE with her Master. Her entire focus was not self but YOU! She would literally spend all day by your side if you allowed her. Ruth went on to say the Holy Spirit is a gentleman and God desires to go with us but too many try to put Him in a box (like a pet or toy). It has been said: “When you come to Christ you get all there is to have of the Holy Spirit. The problem is only a few have allowed the Holy Spirit to have all of us.”

Cookie was not only cute and cudly but could pick up on things before us. At nights, she sensed things and heard noises long before we did. Regardless, if it were the trash truck before 6 AM or a deer tresspassing in our yard at midnight she was alert better than most alarms. On Friday, January 29, 2011, I knew it was her last full day on Earth. She sensed everything else and now I was wondering if she knew her time was almost up? Ruth was really having a hard time and she was trying to stay so strong because she didn’t want her little girl (Cookie) see her cry. While Ruth was at work, I snuck out back and recorded the video below of our COOKIE the day before she was to leave us. In my heart, I wanted to give Ruth one more memory of the one who made life so memorable (especially while she was single).

Cookie was so graceful and on Friday night it was getting hard on all of us. Ruth was trying to be strong for Cookie and I was trying to be strong for Ruth and it was difficult to fall asleep. The appointment on Saturday morning was 9AM and its not the best way to start off the weekend. Even convicted felons are usually executed at midnight and it didn’t seem fair that we didn’t even have the afternoon with her. Ruth wanted to take Cookie for one last walk and I felt like they started together and it would be best if they had their time together one last time. With Andrew in my arms, I watched outside the window with blurry vision (tears) because I could picture Ruth and Cookie in my mind playing at that bakery where they met the first time in Texas. Riding in the car together across America while listening to the radio only with a prayer in her heart and a dog by her side. Talk about faith! When those thugs tried to hurt the one I would eventually marry by almost knocking the door down I wondered in that moment had it not been for GOD and her DOG then I may have never walked down the aisle with my wife now.

Ruth elected to ride in the backseat as I drove. What was Ruth doing? Holding Cookie in her arms. We drove to the animal hospital and at 10:05 AM the vet assistant came to escort our dog into another room. Heartbroken but what Ruth did next was beyond wisdom. She intentionally didn’t say “goodbye” because she didn’t want to scare Cookie thinking the worse was around the corner. Like the little boy in the movie “JOHN Q” with Denzel Washington taught us: “Dad, its not good bye but see you later.” Not trying to get too deep theologically here but for the born again Christian it is a fact death is not a hopeless end but endless hope. At 10:12 AM Cookie slipped into a sleep never to awake again. The lump in Ruth’s throat she said later was almost too much to bare and my heart was so heavy as I tried to encourage her. Sometimes saying nothing and being there means everything. No sermon, no Scripture, no quotes but tried to do what Cookie would do – be close and hold her tight.

One of the most powerful visuals that has been engrained in my mind for 25 years is a picture I saw in my father’s law enforcement magazine when I was in eighth grade. Recently, I tried to find the picture but couldn’t but the image is as vivid as ever. It was a black and white picture of a dog that was on the shoulder of a major highway. Two police cars were parked sideways with the lights flashing and a corpse lay on the road with a white sheet draped over the body. The car was mangled with the front end completely crushed and apparently the owner and his dog were involved in a fatal accident. The owner died and the dog lived. The caption noted that the dog never once left its deceased owner’s side.

Immediately, I was reminded of Cookie. She never left Ruth and in the end Ruth never left her. Together, we walked away from the animal hospital and I recall thinking what love and loyalty. Both were loyal and loving to the end. The word friEND has “end” in it. Acquantainces come and go but friends are there to the end. Fairweather friends show up in the sunshine but faithful friends stay through the storm. The rest of my days I pray to resemble more of God and more of our dog. How? Faithful Friend to the very end.

(my friend, Dr Bob Morgan of Gardner-Webb Univ after learning of Cookie’s loss shared this priceless story below. Enjoy!)

A Dog’s Purpose? (from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker ‘s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ”I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live. He said,”People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The Six-year-old continued, ”Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!