Loss and Hope

We lost another dog yesterday.  We have had a terrible time keeping dogs since we moved out to the country.  The one dearest to our heart attacked my brother when he was pushing the kids on the tire swing – bad – ripped up his clothes and a large tear in his leg.  It probably needed stitched but being my brother he did not need to go to the Dr.  That dog, Jack, had to go; it could have easily been one of the kids friends…  We still cry over Jack sometimes.  Then we got our lab puppy that is still with us and a good dog.  We had a rat terrier at the same time; we gave him away to someone who could offer him travel and a lap to sit on all day long.  That’s all he wanted in life was a lap and car rides; we let him go because we knew he would be so much happier with the trucker who needed a companion.  We got Junior, the softest dog I had ever encountered, we only had him a few months – we still don’t know if it was car injuries or a wild animal fight.  Then Kenzie, she had some issues but we had hopes, she was hit by a car yesterday.  It looks like, even out in the country, we need a fence.  Anyway, I have to tell the kids when they get up, they will be sad.  No one had formed a complete bond with Kenzi – that makes me sad.  We got her after Junior died because our lab, Chris, stopped eating.  We didn’t want to loose him to a broken heart.  He and Kenzie were great friends.

I do have a point… hope.  I realize this does not sound like a message of hope.  But whenever we encounter trials, not only will they make us stronger, but trusting in the Lord provides hope.  My boys have suffered greater loss in their lives than I have to date.  They lost their grandmother on their dad’s side.  When my ex-husband was in a very rough spot in his life, things were even more out of control for him than when we divorced; he had supervised visits with the boys (yes, that bad).  Their grandparents (his parents) supervised the visits.  That way they got to see the boys a lot and their son did not have to have a stranger supervise – it also kept them in their son’s life (and the boys’ lives).  At that time the boys and their Grandma became closer than close.  For two years, the boys spent every other weekend with their grandparents in addition to four weeks (separated) of every summer.  When their dad began to reconstruct his life and heal, he ‘re-joined’ their family.  He got his visitation back and continued to heal.  He even healed his relationship with his parents.  Just over a year ago his mother (the boys’ grandmother) lost her earthly fight with cancer and won her spiritual battle for heaven.  That is what got the boys through it, hope.  Hope in things unseen!  They know how much she had declined in the last 10 years.  They don’t remember her before she became sick.  It was the hope of salvation, and knowing she was ready for death that helped them to cope.  I told them to picture her in heaven riding her horses again.  She wasn’t in pain, she gets to spend time with Jesus, she could run, she could play, and she is healed! 

God gives us so much hope.  We know things can get better.  We know that someday our losses will just be a distant memory, maybe painful, but still a memory.  We know that life goes on, we know that God will walk with us every step of the way!  We know that God will not leave us unless we make him go.  We know that he is always there for us!

Psalms 46:1  1God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (2 So we will not fear...)

Isaiah 41:10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you.  Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up in my victorious right hand.

John 14:1  "Don't let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God and trust also in me."   (this is Jesus talking)

Romans 8:24&25  24 For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Hebrews 11:1  Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen, it gives us assurance about things we can not see.

Psalm 55:22  Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.  He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Romans 5:3-5  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Psalm 50:15  Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.

Psalm 40:1,2  I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.  He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

Nahum 1:7  The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes.  He is close to those who trust in him.