Joyvotion - The Joy of a Dog

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

I write this Joyvotion from the hospital. And even though I’m in a bit of a stressful situation, I feel His joy. It’s my strength. Thinking how we came to be here gives me joy and strength too.

To our dog Scooby, sickness emits the same perfumed scent as bacon. At least that’s been our family joke. Whenever I’ve been ill, Scooby nuzzles up to me and loves on me. Extra. He can tell when I’m not feeling good.

But in the past three years whenever Noah has been sick, he hasn’t snuggled extra with the boy. Until Monday night.

Noah came home Friday afternoon not feeling well. He was sick all weekend but the cold didn’t affect his asthma until Monday. He used his inhaler several times. That night I stayed up late, with Scooby by my side, to enjoy “Dancing with the Stars” on DVR. The males in my home refuse to watch it with me. :0)

At about midnight, Scooby bounced up from his sleep and looked at me curiously. He tilted his head and straightened it. I had no idea what he wanted.

I casually said, “Scooby, we’ll go to bed soon.”

He jumped down and left. I thought he was going to his bed. We’d taken it from Noah’s room and put it in ours because Noah was sick. Ten minutes later, I went to my room and noticed Scooby wasn’t in his bed. I looked around and then opened the door to Noah’s room. Scooby lay cuddled up to Noah’s side.

“Scooby, get down.”

He wouldn’t go. I tried to push and pull him but the dog wouldn’t budge. He just stared at me. Scooby’s never displayed this behavior before. Noah woke up and immediately went to get his inhaler. Thirty minutes later I was on the phone with the doctor and then we went to the ER.

Scooby knew.

Asthma is one of those sicknesses that require judgment calls. You don’t know how bad it is sometimes. Monday night, John and I were on the fence about the seriousness of Noah’s lungs. Scooby knew and brought it to our attention.

Yep, Lassie told us Timmy was in the well. :0)

This morning, Wednesday, Noah is having a chest ex-ray done. We may go home today and we may not. I wish Scooby were here. Maybe he could tell us. :0)

A couple of friends and I were talking the other day about whether animals would be in heaven. My vote is absolutely. John’s Revelation of Heaven included horses and birds. And beyond that, I believe that God would want those of us who are blessed by animals to have that joy in the afterlife. Just like I believe Heaven will contain coconut cream pie and great moments of game playing laughter, I believe dogs will be there, too.

For now we take joy in the pleasures God has offered right here, right now. Although the last several days have been an ordeal for Noah, he’s been a trooper, too. I asked him this morning if he was ready to go home today. He took a minute and thought about this.

“Mom, I like this hospital room. This bed is fun and the food they serve here is great. But I do want to go home. I’ll get to be with my friends at home. And Scooby.”

When we do go home, Scooby will get extra treats. That’s one of his joys.