By Michele Eich
The other day I was cleaning the dog hair off of our couch for the umpteenth time that week. My husband said something that literally shifted the way I thought about it, and I got a much-needed attitude adjustment.
Anyone who knows me understands that I love our golden retriever, Sunshine. She has been part of our family for over 12 years. My kids joke that she is my favorite child. I would disagree, but she has never talked back and loves me unconditionally despite my bad jokes, awkward dance moves, and burned dinners. (I’ve also never seen her roll her eyes at me which is a huge plus.)
This pup is the smartest and most loyal dog we’ve ever owned. I swear, she can read my mind. For example, I’ll have a thought that I should take her for a walk. At that moment, she will walk up to me with one of my shoes. Like many pet owners, we have to spell words like w-a-l-k, r-i-d-e, and c-h-e-e-s-e, but darn it if this dog hasn’t learned to spell, too!
Like I said, she has some amazing skills, but her best moments came with family members who needed a little extra dose of love from our fur baby. I remember when Sunshine would play fetch with our son for hours after he didn’t make the team. She would spend evenings with our daughter who got kicked out of her friend group in middle school. Our faithful pup would stay close to me when we finally entered the empty nest stage, and I needed someone to mother. You could always find her by someone’s side ready to listen and love.
As I mentioned, I was cleaning her fur off of our couch as I had done the day before and the day before that. It is the one and only downside of owning a golden. In that moment, I said something to my husband that went like this: Ugh, I am cleaning this dog hair off the couch again, and I will have to vacuum it off the floor as well. His response was, “Isn’t that great?!”
I knew exactly what he meant. Over a year ago, we almost lost our girl. My eyes are tearing up as I write this because for months we watched her health decline. Out of the blue, she started limping and running on three legs. We went to many vets to try to figure out what was wrong. I heard a variety of diagnoses including cancer, tumor, arthritis, torn ACL, and more. Sunshine eventually lost her appetite, and the worst part of it all was that for just a bit, she lost her smile. This literally crushed me.
All of this happened during the chaos and uncertainty of 2020. I prayed and prayed that she would recover. With everything going on in the world, I just couldn’t lose our beloved dog. She, along with Jesus, brought me comfort and peace in the midst of the raging storms we all endured in turbulent waters.
My husband’s comment reminded me that dealing with her dog hair was a get to, not a have to. Praise God she recovered and is with us today! Through that situation, God introduced us to a new vet who is a Christian and a great friend to this day. It was truly a Romans 8:28 moment where He worked ALL things for good. Someday I won’t have the privilege to clean up her fur, but for now, it is something that I get to do because she is here with us. Praise the Lord!
The perfect Scripture for this situation is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Paul writes, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Paul dealt with a lot of persecution, suffering, pain, and opposition, so his words are truly meaningful.
The Word doesn’t say to give thanks for all circumstances but in them. God doesn’t cause the pain and suffering we face. We live in a fallen and broken world, but Jesus came to save it. I can give thanks in all situations because I know that God is at work amid the good, the bad, and the ugly. He has proven this over and over in my life, and I am grateful.
So many of us are trying to figure out God’s will for our lives. Should I move there or take that job here? Should I stay in this relationship or move on? I don’t have the answers to those questions, but Paul states in this passage that God’s will is for us to give thanks in all circumstances. When we do, we are letting the Lord know that we trust Him no matter what happens.
As I am writing this, my faithful friend is lying down at my feet where she likes to be in my office. Our pup is happy, healthy, and here. The next time I get to tackle the fur on the couch, the carpet, or my capris, I will take a moment and thank God for another day with our bright ray of light, little Miss Sunshine.
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***To learn more about Michele or contact her, please visit MicheleEich.com or 20VoicesofRecovery.com.
