Goodbye

Last night, about twelve hours after I posted “One Old Labrador” below, Freckles died naturally. We’d taken her to the vet yesterday, and would be returning today, but she went very quickly. My daughter was holding her, and right before she died, her tail started wagging—something she hadn’t done in two days. She was probably seeing her old friend Sunshine, a big inviting creek, and a tomato crop ready for harvest. The back yard sure does seem empty.

From Romans 8:19-21 in The Message:
Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.