Tag Archives: French Bull Dog

Good Bye Sweet Carl

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As my husband and I embraced each other, we couldn’t stop crying and shaking from our loss. Carl was laid to rest today under the trees in our backyard, next to our English Bull dog, Sally.

What started as a normal day in our household, ended tragically for all of us. I would have never thought that I would be writing these words to all of you who have followed the life and antics of my little French Bull dog. But I do believe that I owe it to you to let you know that this sweet little dog who has provided so many smiles and tears has left this world.

Grief fills my heart right now. Just thinking about Carl causes my eyes to well up and a sinking feeling to set in. My tendency is to stay busy and distracted so I won’t feel. It just hurts too much to think that I will never see him again.

Bee has been extra attentive towards us in the last couple of hours. She has followed us around and seems to know that something isn’t right. I am not sure if she is sad or grateful for being the only dog.

This coming Wednesday, I am releasing my new book Empty Hands. I have wondered why I gave this book this name. But given the broken heart that I am feeling and the thoughts of being empty, this title is making more sense to me as I mourn.

I will send a link for all of you who would like to purchase a copy in the next couple of days.

But for right now, please keep my husband and I in your prayers.

I am not sure if I will continue this blog. It just doesn’t make sense right now. We have no plans to replace Carl. As you all know, there is no way to replace this sweet dog that filled our hearts with such joy and happiness.

In the love of Christ,

Cora

Paralyzed with Fear

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I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.  It had been so long since I had seen Carl in this position that it took me a minute to realize what I was looking at. I had gotten up in the middle of the night and I happened to look in the hallway and there, paralyzed, was Carl.

Darkness was surrounding him on all sides. I could see Carl’s body shake and knew he was unable to make his way through the door and over to his bed. As I peered in the direction that he was looking, all I could see was Bee, our other French bull dog dozing on her pillow.

Fear can paralyze all of us. It can stop us in our tracks and surround us like the darkness of night. Whatever we are facing can seem too large for us to get through. To others it may seem as passive as a sleeping dog, but to us, it can be too massive to get around.

When the fear begins to continue to lie to us about our inability to move, there is someone that we need to picture in our minds. Someone who didn’t allow fear to dictate His next moves. Someone who knew the horrific events that He would have to get through on our behalf.

Jesus didn’t allow the fear of the night to stop Him from the journey that took him to the grave, the place where we fear the most. He did this so that we would continue when our hearts tell us to stop.

The same power that was used to raise Jesus from the dead is the same power that we as believers have to walk through our fears.

The only thing I could do when I saw Carl stuck in place was to escort him to his bed. He didn’t want to walk by his sister Bee so he took a detour under the bed and slid close to the outside wall. Even though it wasn’t the most direct route, he did have the courage to find his way to his bed.

Hopefully, the next time I am gripped with fear, I will be willing to find my way through it, even if I have to follow Carl’s example and take a detour.

The Fake Turtles of Life

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Carl’s ears perked up as he looked in the direction of the object that caught his attention. He didn’t waiver his sights from the green turtle that was placed at the door of the house we were approaching.

While Carl’s focus was glued on the green piece of pottery, a brown rabbit with a fluffy white tail hopped only a couple of yards from where the little dog was walking. But because his attention was solely focused on the inanimate object, he totally missed what could have been a prized prey.

Once Carl drew closer to the fake turtle, the real rabbit had hopped away. And instead of being excited about reaching his goal, Carl’s ears began to droop and his body slumped down as he realized the reality of the situation.

Before thinking poorly of Carl, I know I need to look at my own heart and how many fake turtles I have pursued at the expense of letting the real thing hop by me. How often have I set my sights on worldly possessions with the belief that the things will satisfy me?IMG_3565

Mark 10:17-22 clearly addresses how anyone can miss out on being truly satisfied for the things that hold us hostage.

“And as Jesus was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”  And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”  And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

Jesus knew that this young man’s sights were glued to the things he owned and didn’t want to give them up for treasure in heaven. It states that Jesus loved him as he spoke truth to him. But because the man loved his possessions, he walked away disheartened.

How often have we heard of a famous person take their life? Not long ago, Oscar award winning actor Robin Williams took his life. The world was shocked to hear that this successful man who appeared to have arrived would commit suicide. Could he have possibly had his sights on the fake turtle?

Carl has moved on. He just raced down the stairs into the backyard to chase a squirrel up a tree. Once the rodent was halfway up, he and his sister began to wrestle for bragging rights. After a successful conquest, he has laid down on the floor and fallen asleep, only to dream about real turtles. IMG_3735