Two evenings ago our precious dog, Itsy Mae, was hit and killed by a car driven by one of our neighbors. We will miss her very deeply.
Itsy taught us many things. For one, she was totally devoted to my wife, Peggy, whom she always wanted to be with. She would look up at Peggy with such devotion and admiration that love just seemed to radiate from her eyes.
Anytime Peggy was away from home, Itsy laid on top of the couch, looking out the window, waiting for her return. Such loyalty and devotion were beautiful to behold.
It reminds me of the way we should be regarding the Lord in our lives. As we behold Him, we are changed. Our commitment to Him should be like Itsy's commitment to Peggy—a total, unbroken commitment to the One we love. We should be waiting for His return, as well.
When we love someone, it makes us vulnerable to hurt, and there has been a great deal of hurt in our home since Itsy died. Though we have attempted to fill the void with a new puppy named Cubby, our memories of Itsy remain very vivid and they also are helping us to fill the void.
Here is a good prayer that relates to the way our dogs view us: "Dear Lord, please make me into the kind of person my dog thinks I am." Itsy had unconditional love for her "parents," that's for sure, and this made relating to her so very special.
God's love for you and me is unconditional, as well. He wants us to do our best and to trust Him to do the rest.
I don't know if dogs go to Heaven, but I hope I will see Itsy again, for she truly was a very special dog that God blessed us with for five years. Now we thank Him for Cubby, and I look forward to what I will learn about life, myself, and my relationship with God from him.
RIP, Itsy Mae Hildebrand.
