There is something special about a dog’s love for his master. It is like no other love on earth. In a way it makes me think of the love of God. Don’t get me wrong in no way am I degrading God to a dog. Quite the contrary. How my dog loved me reminds me of the great love of God for his children.

Rusty came to us a puppy. The young boy at church had a sign that read FREE PUPPIES. After church I had to see the puppies I mean who can resists cute little kittens or puppies? The puppies were dropped off at their home one morning along with their mother. They were unwanted. The family decided to keep the mother but sought to find for homes for the two abandoned puppies. They were half breeds not your top of the line thoroughbreds.

I asked if I could hold one of the two puppies. When he looked up at me with that wrinkled brow and his ears bent so and his eyes met mine I could not resist. I had to take him home with me. He was so scared, shivering on the floorboard of my car as we drove home from church that day. I already had another dog at home who was quite spoiled. My husband wasn’t happy about me bringing home another animal so he told me Rusty has to stay outside. That lasted until winter got cold and I could not leave him outside. My darling husband reluctantly let it be so because he loves me and lets me have it my way most of the time. Rusty turned out to be a very good dog even though he was just a mongrel crossbreed. I believe there was some Lab in him as he was a good natured quiet dog. He didn’t have any bad habits like messing in the house or excessive barking as many small dogs do. Being a puppy though he did chew off plugs from the chords of a couple of power tools which my husband had to rewire.

As most dogs are Rusty was loyal to the family that adopted him. He enjoyed running with the children when they played outside or laying at my feet contented to just be near me. When the children grew up he didn’t get as much exercise as my life became busier with my work and new responsibilities. He followed me everywhere when I worked in the garden, tended the chickens, or checked the mail. He understood the words, “Go for a ride” and he got so excited whenever I took him with me to go pay a bill or make a deposit. Window tellers would offer him doggie treats when they saw him with me. He was so good to take places as he was friendly and never barked at anyone. I even took him to Lowes and people stopped to pet him because he was a well behaved friendly dog. Sometimes I took him to Wendy’s to buy him his own hamburger once in a while. He quickly caught on that drive up windows is where he gets special treats.

He also understood the words “Go for a walk” which he was always eager to do but I confess I did not walk him as often as I should have because I was just too busy. Still he was content to lay on the floor at my feet while I painted, prepared lessons, worked a craft, or typed away at my computer. He was there for me. He loved me unconditionally even when I did not have time to devote to him. When I came home from teaching for several hours he always met me at the front door with a wagging tail. If he were outside when I returned home he would run up to my car and lead the car the full length of the driveway as my personal escort.

Rusty was an excellent guard dog. His goal was to protect me and he became aggressive if ever any strange men came around our property. Though he has never bitten anyone he sure put up a convincing show of force when any suspicious man came near me or on our property. The UPS driver was scared of him and did not like to get out of his vehicle. The mailman would honk his horn for us to come get our packages. For some unknown reason Rusty did not like tractor trailer trucks, delivery vehicles, mailmen, Federal Express, school buses, or pickup trucks. He did have one bad habit and that was chasing them down the road when they passed our house. Good thing we don’t live on a busy street. One time he did get caught by a truck driver and was injured. I thought his hind leg was broken but it was just ligaments. With care, medication, and time he healed from that but was not cured from his chasing vehicles so I tried to keep him in most of the time. It was comforting to have a dog on nights my husband was at work because I knew if anyone came a round Rusty would let me know. I felt safe knowing he was there to sound the alarm if ever an unknown predator came around.

One time when I was home alone and I was walking down the ramp from our house my ankle turned because my heel slipped sideways in my shoe and I fell down hard. I could not get up immediately as I was in a great deal of pain. I did not have my phone on me because I am not in the habit of carrying it around especially if I am just stepping outside for a few minutes. I laid face down on the ground moaning, waiting for the pain to subside with my faithful dog standing by my side. After a few moments I attempted to get up. Rusty saw that I was struggling and he literally put his body weight under me to help me get up off the ground. His love for me was a selfless love. All he ever wanted was to serve me, care for me, and protect me. Is that not a picture of the love of God?

Not only that but my dog, Rusty forgave me when I neglected him, didn’t have time for him, or was too busy to even be aware of his presence. Still he remained loyal and true. He never once stopped loving me. Humans are not even half this good. We humans hold grudges, bitterness or anger when we think we have been mistreated, ignored, or unloved but a dog never does. They just keep right on loving us anyway even when we don’t deserve it and that is how a dogs love is like the love of God. Having a loyal dog is the closest thing on earth to understanding what the love of God is like. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38 – 39 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:12 – 13

Remembering my departed friend by Debra Carmona

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