My dog from God

Just wanted to share this photo and story because I thought it was so very cool.

A few years ago my mom was very sick and spiraling down, we knew it would only be a matter of months until we lost her and it was terribly hard taking care of her like she was a child and seeing her in so much pain.

At the same time my husband had just had major surgery and came out of it successfully thank God! But he was home recovering on the couch for about six weeks. The day after my husbands surgery, our boy dog of 11 years, Bandit, suddenly took ill. I rushed him to the vet but had to make the hard decision to euthanize him.

So there I am, working full time and teaching gym classes part time, running a house hold, caring for my husband and caring for my sick mother and I lose a dog. It's safe to say that I had a big hole in my heart and while I kept my faith, always do, and kept myself busy running around like a crazy woman I just felt empty inside.

I prayed hard for many things... strength, the ability to get up each morning and face the inevitable, the ability to remain humble and kind...

On the way to work one day I was half heartedly checking through my emails when I received a random email from Great Dog Rescue of New England about some available puppies. There was one little guy, just barely six weeks old. His mother had been abandoned and put into a kill shelter somewhere in Florida where she birthed her litter of 4 pups. I knew it was crazy at the time to add even more to my plate and considering my husband was pretty much condemned to the couch for a while and wouldn't be able to help, I went for it! I contacted the agency, paid the adoption fee and had the puppy transported to an animal hospital two hours away from me. I picked him up and took him home two weeks later.

Wow! When you see those bumper stickers that read "Who Rescued Who", well that speaks volumes. This little guy came into my life at just the right time, he filled that hole in my heart, he gave me hope, he gave me a reason to get up every morning, he gave me strength and he gave me something to take care of with the return of unconditional love. The moment I saw him I knew he'd been here before. At only 6 weeks old his eyes reflected an old soul and when I say he understands me, I am not exaggerating.

He was sent to me for many reasons but most of all I believe he was the answer to my endless prayers.

He curled up with my husband night after night and helped him to heal. A couple of months before my mom passed away I took him to her house and plopped him into her bed, he immediately and gently curled up near her face, she hugged and kissed him. That was the last time I saw my mother smile.

I lost my mom on Thanksgiving. We went though all of the events of a wake and a burial pretty numb to everything going on around me but always engaged with my pup, my rock by my side. Life went on...

It was months later when my husband and I were on the way to Easter dinner at my mother in laws and since we basically skipped Thanksgiving and Christmas that year, it was the first real holiday I was celebrating with family but without my mom. I felt terrible and sad. Easter brunch at my moms was one of the favorites but now everything was different.

So we packed up the car, put BubbaDuke (our pup) in the back seat and started making our way. I turned around to the back seat to snap a photo of Bubba. It wasn't until later that I looked at the photo and couldn't believe my eyes.

The marking on his chest is like a Rorschach, many people see different things depending upon how he's sitting. Sometimes it looks like another dog, sometimes it looks like an owl or a goat, even a cow. But on this day, on Easter Sunday, right when I felt my hope sinking yet again, I saw this on his chest....

While I am spiritual, not religious, I do see the cross.
He is one handsome fella, that is for sure. Glad he came to you when you needed him!
I can't ever imagine life without a dog.

Isn't it amazing how God sends you what you most need in ways you never thought possible?

We're maybe experiencing some of that now in our lives, and I do know what you mean.

It's like I told a friend once: In my experience, He always has a way even if it's an open manhole cover in the street that you never see coming.

I'm glad you found (or were sent a friend) when you needed him most, and I did see what you saw.

a reply to: Scorpiogurl

This is a beautiful story... I needed something uplifting right now. Thank you and enjoy your beautiful furry family member. He is special!

a reply to: Scorpiogurl

This little guy came into my life at just the right time, he filled that hole in my heart, he gave me hope, he gave me a reason to get up every morning, he gave me strength and he gave me something to take care of with the return of unconditional love. The moment I saw him I knew he'd been here before. At only 6 weeks old his eyes reflected an old soul and when I say he understands me, I am not exaggerating.

What a world we live in, where our pets fulfill us more than our loved ones.

I agree, his eyes tell a story, he's got the 'thousand yard stare'.

originally posted by: chiefsmom
While I am spiritual, not religious, I do see the cross.
He is one handsome fella, that is for sure. Glad he came to you when you needed him!
I can't ever imagine life without a dog.

Thanks! I can't imagine life without a dog (or dogs) either!

originally posted by: ketsuko
Isn't it amazing how God sends you what you most need in ways you never thought possible?

We're maybe experiencing some of that now in our lives, and I do know what you mean.

It's like I told a friend once: In my experience, He always has a way even if it's an open manhole cover in the street that you never see coming.

I'm glad you found (or were sent a friend) when you needed him most, and I did see what you saw.

Thanks! and yes, we are always given what we need, I just wish everyone had their eyes open enough to see it!

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Scorpiogurl

This little guy came into my life at just the right time, he filled that hole in my heart, he gave me hope, he gave me a reason to get up every morning, he gave me strength and he gave me something to take care of with the return of unconditional love. The moment I saw him I knew he'd been here before. At only 6 weeks old his eyes reflected an old soul and when I say he understands me, I am not exaggerating.

What a world we live in, where our pets fulfill us more than our loved ones.

I agree, his eyes tell a story, he's got the 'thousand yard stare'.

Right? Everywhere I take him people just crowd around him, he attracts so much attention. Me and my husband always say "Everyone loves the Bubba!". He just has that personality and that face. I've had strangers tell me that he's an old soul.

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: Scorpiogurl

This is a beautiful story... I needed something uplifting right now. Thank you and enjoy your beautiful furry family member. He is special!

Awww I am glad this story could help

a reply to: Scorpiogurl

I've had strangers tell me that he's an old soul.

From what you relate about his early 'formative' development, he's been thru a lot.

And is more loving despite it, or because of it? I'm glad he provided that much needed respite from your hectic life. Dogs do that...

From one pet person to another, I bet he's glad to have found you too.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Scorpiogurl

I've had strangers tell me that he's an old soul.

From what you relate about his early 'formative' development, he's been thru a lot.

And is more loving despite it, or because of it? I'm glad he provided that much needed respite from your hectic life. Dogs do that...

From one pet person to another, I bet he's glad to have found you too.

For sure! I mean he was born in a shelter and I really have no idea what the conditions were like there. He was transported through several states and he made three check-point stops on the way. First to get neutered, then to get all shots, and then quarantined for two days and finally to MA. When we went to pick him up the vet tech said "You know he's missing a digit right?" What??? he is missing one of his toes on his front paw but they couldn't say how it happened. My regular vet later said he was probably attacked or lost it in a fight because you can see a very small scar on his paw. It never effected him one way or the other. It was like he belonged at our home from the moment we brought him in the house and set him down, he took a few minutes to sniff out his surroundings, found his dog bed and plopped right down as happy as could be. Like he knew it was his home.

a reply to: Scorpiogurl

beautiful Pup you have.

I'm sorry for your rough time, glad to hear the pup helped/helps you. its relieving.

btw what do you call him by?

a reply to: Scorpiogurl

"We are always given what we need".... Hmmmmm, tell that to the Syrian Children... Tell that to the starving millions worldwide.... Tell that to the millions of people sexually abused each day in this world..... Tell that to the parent who's child was just kidnapped and raped/murdered........ They would probably disagree with you..... Do you still stand by your statement?

I admire your story and your spirit, and hope you are managing to deal with your terrible loss, but the dog wasn't "sent" to you... You actively went and bought him... How was he "sent" to you by god?

And that's not really a great cross.... In fact, it looks more like a crucified body... But I would respectfully suggest that this is a coincidence..

PA.

originally posted by: ware2010
a reply to: Scorpiogurl

beautiful Pup you have.

I'm sorry for your rough time, glad to hear the pup helped/helps you. its relieving.

btw what do you call him by?

His name is Bubba.
I usually call him Bubba-Duke or Butter cup lol!

a reply to: Scorpiogurl

I see myself in other people. I see people I lost in other people. Your mother will always be with you. We are all part of the same spirit.

a reply to: PerfectAnomoly

I respect you are an atheist, but who are you to take hope and faith and trash them because you don't have them?

When I spoke about our own circumstance, part of it involved one of our two cars popping a head gasket leaving us short transportation in a lurch and needing to replace a vehicle on short notice and short funds.

Sounds like a disaster, but taken in consideration with others things I will not go into given that this is the OP's thread and story, it led into a long chain of coincidences that actually seem to be setting us on a course that is overall potentially going to be more positive for us. In other words, all the dominoes fell out correctly and there are so many of them falling that it defies just simple luck.

But then, I have faith.

Since you don't. You'd say it was all random chance and luck.

originally posted by: PerfectAnomoly
a reply to: Scorpiogurl

"We are always given what we need".... Hmmmmm, tell that to the Syrian Children... Tell that to the starving millions worldwide.... Tell that to the millions of people sexually abused each day in this world..... Tell that to the parent who's child was just kidnapped and raped/murdered........ They would probably disagree with you..... Do you still stand by your statement?

I admire your story and your spirit, and hope you are managing to deal with your terrible loss, but the dog wasn't "sent" to you... You actively went and bought him... How was he "sent" to you by god?

And that's not really a great cross.... In fact, it looks more like a crucified body... But I would respectfully suggest that this is a coincidence..

PA.

I can't imagine how angry you must feel. It appears as if you don't believe in this sort of thing so I can only assume that since you're here even reading this that you are searching for something, no?

I thank you for your input and while I may not agree with you, I certainly understand what you're trying to say. In terms of standing by my statement when considering those facing terrible suffering in so many forms? My answer is a resounding "Yes". Simply because I have no choice. For whatever the reason is, I've always known God. I don't expect anyone to really understand that and I don't have the best words to explain that. All I can say is I've never questioned my belief, since I can remember, Gods been with me.

Those atrocities you mention, God didn't cause that, human's did.

He was "sent" to me because I prayed for a "rescue". Not a play on words there. I didn't even think about getting another dog and had never even heard of the organization, just got the email one day.

Nothing is a coincidence.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: PerfectAnomoly

I respect you are an atheist, but who are you to take hope and faith and trash them because you don't have them?

When I spoke about our own circumstance, part of it involved one of our two cars popping a head gasket leaving us short transportation in a lurch and needing to replace a vehicle on short notice and short funds.

Sounds like a disaster, but taken in consideration with others things I will not go into given that this is the OP's thread and story, it led into a long chain of coincidences that actually seem to be setting us on a course that is overall potentially going to be more positive for us. In other words, all the dominoes fell out correctly and there are so many of them falling that it defies just simple luck.

But then, I have faith.

Since you don't. You'd say it was all random chance and luck.

Everything happens for a reason

a reply to: Scorpiogurl

Yes, and when people get so angry at human suffering caused by situations created entirely by human agency, meaning it is entirely within human power to stop it, and they demand God do something or they claim He is no God or at least not benevolent, they seem not to be thinking of the flip side of that demand which would be a God who lets no one live their own lives and make their own choices.

If God were to prevent others from doing things He didn't like and causing suffering, then it would mean He would prevent everyone from doing things He didn't like.

I don't want to get all religious and preachy but wouldn't it be nice if we could be like your dog in other people's lives
Something to consider being for others, sorry, that's how it made me fel