All About Pocket Knives

Ken,
That's is a wonderful biography of your special pup, Gracie! I understand very well the "contract" you mentioned. Our Ausssidor, 1/2 Choc Lab and 1/2 red merle Australian, adores Miss Joy. Like Gracie she moves from room to room with my wife, always in the way. She is almost 8 now and has finally gotten out of the playful puppy stag! We know that day is coming that you just experienced but like you we are thankful for such loyal companionship, human friends could take a few notes. I'm reminded of the comedy segment with Mark Lowry, "Dogs go to heaven" and I'm not prepared to debate that issue theologically. There are some well known biblical scholars on both sides of that particular fence.
Life goes on with great memories of special critters that God has allowed to be in our lives over the years.
Treefarmer

Ken I'm sorry for your loss. It's never an easy thing to do, but you did the right thing at the right time.

.............very hard for me to read these posts, I've been thru this many times...............

Ken, I'm sorry about Gracie. I know when I posted about Josi in the Mostly True Stories you said Gracie had a limited time left then.I am sorry your time of being blessed by Gracie's companionship has ended. Even if there are other dogs or if there will be other dogs in your life, Gracie will always have your heart.

You said you prefer to think that there are dogs in heaven, but you didn't know for sure.
I have pondered that question a lot this past year, losing Josi last month in December and we lost her sire at the beginning of last year.
When I read my Bible it tells me after everything God created He said it was good. God was happy with the things that he created, they were good and I don't read of any account in the Bible where dogs sinned. I see no reason why dogs would not be in heaven.
That's not a doctrinal or theological statement, that's just something I believe. There are some things we have to take on faith.

God bless you my friend, I know it's not easy.

Loosing a member of the family is tough Ken, sorry for your loss. She'll be waiting for you.

Steve Warden wrote:Sorry for your loss Ken. She's a beautiful pup (I don't care how old a pup is, they're a pup 'till they pass).

Ken, you said you don't know if she'll be in heaven, but I found and hold onto this about our sheltie Rio.

The Holy Spirit is giving John a glimpse of the Throne Room of Heaven, and he writes in Revelation 5:13 New King James Version (NKJV)...

13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Not only are our pets (every creature) in heaven, but we'll be able to understand them!

Could I be true? I certainly pray it is!!

Ken, I am truely sorry for your loss. These stories about dogs always bring me to tears.
For many years I preached that there wouldn’t be animals in heaven. Then one day a teenage boy asked me, if there no animals in heaven then why is Jesus described by John as coming back on white horse? How had I missed that all those years? I know there will at the least be horses, so why not dogs? Cats can stay out however.
SSk

Thanks everyone for the sympathy and understanding, and the encouragement. I have buried several dogs. Parting with them is always difficult, more so by far than other animals it seems to me.

We still have Mazie, who is also a great dog and has many of Gracie's same traits and may be even smarter, so we're not without canine companionship. Here's a picture of the two of them that I took last fall when Gracie was still healthy. That's Mazie on the bottom.

Ken

Sorry for your loss Ken.I know your pain.

I'm sorry about the loss of your dog, Ken. I have lost a few some years ago.

Gracie was a real sweetheart that's for sure.

Aw, I’m sorry to hear that. She was a beautiful pup! I had a cancer scare with my 12 year old cat last spring. Fortunately they got it all, but I dread the day something else catches up with him. My sympathies.

So, you guys remember my pet wolf spider, Trasha?
Guess what she did! I think there’s about forty or so.

Sorry for your loss. A girl called a Christian radio program one night. Told Donald Cole her horse died and wanted to know if she is in Heaven? Her told her he thought so as in Revelations it says he will return ridding a great white horse. I'll always remember that, as for cats and dogs we will see for ourselves.

Sorry for the loss of Gracie. Our grief over a lost pet is intense and not easily overcome. If I reflect on the loss of my five dogs, starting at age twelve, I can still be brought to tears, even after all these years.

I don’t know if dogs or other animals go to heaven, but I like that passage from Revelations that Steve quoted. I’ll take a bit of comfort in that.

But, really, why debate that here on earth? We can comfort ourselves with the thought that yes, they will be there and it makes our serial losses here more easily borne.

When we, ourselves get to heaven, if they are there we will hopefully know them, but if they are not, we won’t be aware of it, we won’t question it and we won’t care, will we?

Charlie Noyes

Thanks again to all, for your sympathy and understanding.

Ken

So sorry for your loss Ken. Among the tougher things in life in my opinion to deal with.

As far as if dogs go to heaven...

I cannot comprehend that dogs (and other animals) would not be in heaven given that God created them. Also based on all the joy and love we received from them. All I know is if I make it to Heaven, my dogs will be waiting for me. Just my opinion.

I also like the "Rainbow Bridge" thought...

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Thanks for that Jerry. I had not seen that before.

Ken

I’ve heard the term, ‘Rainbow Bridge’ but not the whole story. It’s a lovely thought and as someone who believes that there is something after this life, I hope it’s true.
Just one thing. If Tommy and Panther and Gaffer and Gaff’s Aunt Gracey aren’t there, I’m not going. No cats, no deal. Of course there will be dogs, King and Joe in particular, but how could Heaven be comfortable without a cat in ones lap?!

zoogirl wrote:I’ve heard the term, ‘Rainbow Bridge’ but not the whole story. It’s a lovely thought and as someone who believes that there is something after this life, I hope it’s true.
Just one thing. If Tommy and Panther and Gaffer and Gaff’s Aunt Gracey aren’t there, I’m not going. No cats, no deal. Of course there will be dogs, King and Joe in particular, but how could Heaven be comfortable without a cat in ones lap?!

Lions are just big cats, and the Bible does say the lion will lie down with the lamb!

One thing we often forget when we think of heaven is that there is also going to be a new earth. An earth that is perfect and eternal. That is where the lion and the lamb will lie down together. We are going to inherit this new heaven and new earth so whether my dogs are in the new heaven or the new earth doesn’t matter to me because we will have the animals that God created with us there.
SSk

Thanks for that Jerry.. 2013 was a tough yr pet wise for us.. Lost our kitty and beagle.. Someone sent us a copy of The Rainbow Bridge in a card and to this day it is on my frig.. Read it almost every day!!
John

Sharpnshinyknives wrote:One thing we often forget when we think of heaven is that there is also going to be a new earth. An earth that is perfect and eternal. That is where the lion and the lamb will lie down together. We are going to inherit this new heaven and new earth so whether my dogs are in the new heaven or the new earth doesn’t matter to me because we will have the animals that God created with us there.
SSk

We all have our own thoughts about this obviously SSk. I respect that.

However, I feel given they are God's creations, no doubt they will be there. I find solace in that whether or not it comes to fruition. When/ if I get there, Nikki will be waiting for me and if all goes well, God will lend me a shotgun and shells for some duck hunting down by the river with my old friend that has passed before me.

My 2 cents.

Jerry

Took this picture today of our Lab, Mazie, with our Akbash livestock guard dog (we just call him “Big Dog”). Seeing him run down a coyote is a sight to behold - I estimate he can run half again faster than a coyote. Thanks to him we also have very little problems from wild hogs, which plague our neighbors. To give some perspective on Big Dog’s size, the Lab weighs about 70 pounds.

Ken

That’s a lot of dog!
He looks like a nice guy though, and Mazie is a beauty.

Mumbleypeg wrote:Took this picture today of our Lab, Mazie, with our Akbash livestock guard dog (we just call him “Big Dog”). Seeing him run down a coyote is a sight to behold - I estimate he can run half again faster than a coyote. Thanks to him we also have very little problems from wild hogs, which plague our neighbors. To give some perspective on Big Dog’s size, the Lab weighs about 70 pounds.

Ken

Beautiful working dogs Ken. I am in awe of my own as far as security duty and of course “mans best friend “ goes. Dogs are great.

Take care my friend, Jerry

Mumbleypeg wrote:In the current (January/February 2019) issue of Ducks Unlimited magazine is an article by Doug Larsen titled "The Contract". Larsen says:

We enter into a difficult contract when we pick up our new puppy. We know we are signing up to get our hearts broken in 10, or if we are lucky, perhaps 15 years.

That's very true, and knowing that we still continue to do it. Worth it every time.

Thanks for the comments zoogirl and Jerry. Mazie says “thank you”. Big Dog doesn’t say much (he’s the strong silent type).

Paul, you’re right. Worth it and more, for the companionship and the unique, non-judgmental and unquestioning devotion dogs give their masters.

Ken