Yogi is his name.  His hair is black with suspicious looking white spots and streaks.  He has hugh brown eyes that seem to melt into liquid chocolate when he looks at you.  He has a very gentle loving personality that shows the true meaning of unconditional love.  He is a lifesaver too!  Every time he sees a fire, he has to intervene and put the fire out.  He usually does this by pulling the burning sticks out of the fire while jumping high into the air to snatch at the burning embers with his long black tongue.

In case you haven’t figured it out, Yogi is a dog.  Not just any dog though as you have probably already guessed.  He is a black lab/border collie mix.  He had been a TV star.  While living at the animal shelter he had been on the noon news to see if someone would give him a home.  He is very smart, shaking hands and doing other tricks just to get some attention and loving.  We ended up bringing him home with us because he was to be euthanised the next week if he didn’t find a home. Ok, I’m a sucker for animals and children – not necessarily in that order.

We only had one problem with Yogi.  He needs lots of exercise.  With my arthritis, I can barely walk some days let along run around the yard.  My husband is at retirement age.  Our whole intention when we adopted him was to find him a good home with kids and/or animals to chase.  I was determined not to fall in love with this dog.  I knew how much it would hurt to let him go.  Fat chance of that not happening.

We searched and searched for the right home for him for two years.  Nothing seemed to come to fruition.  Then one day God opened that door and Yogi found a new home.  A great family with 10-year-old Aaron who fell immediately in love with Yogi and Yogi with him.  I mean after all, what dog wouldn’t be ecstatic to have a 10-year-old boy to chase him and play with him.  So, Yogi now has a new home in New Hampshire (the town not the state).  He now lives out in the country with Aaron and 4 barn cats to chase.  There is also a woods behind the house that he and Aaron get to explore.  The last I spoke to the new owners, Aaron and Yogi were a match made in heaven.

I was determined to be stoic as Yogi left for his new home, but I must confess that I shed more than one tear.

It made me stop to think of the sacrifice that God gave us.  He didn’t give up a pet.  The pain He must have endured as He watched his only son die on the cross just to save us from the agony of paying for our sins.  His grace was sufficient.

I don’t know about you, but I am humbled and very thankful that he loved me that much.