Tag Archive | dogs

Author Confessions: Does It Matter If Pets Go To Heaven?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: Does it Matter if Pets Go To Heaven?

I figured I should address this, especially after I took over my blog on April 24th to do a book review because I don’t believe my dogs are sanctified. Oh, they are good pups to be sure, but I wonder: Does it matter if pets go to heaven?

Don’t cut me off just yet.

In recent years I’ve had to say good-bye to four dogs, and with each one, I wept, missed them, and kept looking for them. They live in on my memories, but I not entirely certain that dogs (or any pet) goes to heaven.

Scripture doesn’t mention it. God cares about every sparrow that falls though and all animals are created by Him. He mentions sparrows in Luke and Matthew.

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

(Matthew 10:28-30)

Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

(Luke 12:6-7)

When I grieved the first of those dogs I put down, I had to take comfort in a few things:

My dog(s) had been loved. Each one was a rescue and their last days, weeks, and months were filled with affection and love.
My dog(s) had been well-cared for. Good food, medical care when needed, and fresh air and exercise.
My care and love for that pet, mattered to God. Showing kindness to one of His creatures matters.

My pets were a blessing God used in my life:

My dogs provided unconditional love–a reflection of their Creator.
Every dog I’ve owned had their own distinct personality and quirks that delighted me. How much more does God delight in mine?
One dog was my mainstay through a very painful experience and brought me support. The requirements of needing to maintain the daily care of that dog, kept me grounded when the ground in my life was shifting.

Here’s the main point I want to make: Heaven will be wonderful and God loves me and cares about my pets. Is it possible I would be reunited with all of them in Heaven? What a delight that would be. Having said that, heaven isn’t about reuniting with pets, or even people we’ve loved and miss terribly. It is all about Jesus and His kingdom. Being able to be in God’s presence should fill us with all the joy and delight we could ever want for eternity.

Here one earth, He is gracious enough to give us people to love, and pets to steward and care for, but nothing will be greater than being in His presence.

Is it wrong to talk about the “rainbow bridge”? Does it matter if pets go to heaven and to one plans to reunite with them there? My conclusion is no. However, God knows our hearts and if any one person or animal is more important that He is, we are living in idolatry. He longs to be first in our hearts in every way. God cares for our pets and whether or not I believe my dogs will be in heaven, isn’t as important as knowing the God who loves them more than I do, loves me too.

That should be enough.

Spatzle Speaks: I Chose You (Book Review)

Sep30

Reading Time: 2 minutes

My mom loves me. I’m a dog and therefore I know this for a fact. She rescued me ten years ago and I’m still her favorite.

Two years ago, Mom decided I needed a friend. Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t, but Benji was trouble although I admit he was cute and he allowed me to jump on him. We became buds. That is until he bit Mom. I didn’t even say goodbye. Mom wrote a poem on the blog about him here: Ode to Benji She also wrote about it in a different way in this book: I Chose You: Imperfectly Perfect Rescue Dogs and Their Humans, a collection of rescue dog stories by Carmen Leal and many others.

I was really sad when Benji was gone so she adopted another dog: Cooper. He won’t wrestle with me but he’s OK. But them Mom started reading this book and asked Dad about adopting another dog. Another dog? Can you imagine? I had a hard enough time breaking in the last two. I’m fourteen now and I don’t know if I could handle that.

Cooper, a 10-year-old Lhasa Apso/Shih Tzu mix loves to play with his squeaky tennis ball. Mom calls him a “Goofball.” Her nickname for me is “Fuzzy butt.”

Dad said no. Whew. I was so relieved. I left him a little gift of poop on his chair as a sign of my gratitude. He didn’t even thank me.

Mom says this book is great, but I’m not so sure because, well, it made her want to rescue another dog! She says she wants a girl this time but I hear they can be bossy. So read this book at your own risk. You might laugh, you might cry, and you might find yourself and your dog on the pages of this book.

And you might want to rescue another one. I’m OK with that because I was a rescue. I’m a little miffed she didn’t write a story about me though, the perfect rescue dog. (I really am).

I’ll give it five bones in spite of Mom’s “rescue dog fever” because I was a rescue and I’m glad. I love my pack, our home, and our life.

Spatzle Baganz, book reviewer for the silygoos blog because that’s how we roll.

Spatzle Speaks: Hounded (Anita Klumpers)

Feb5

Reading Time: 2 minutes hounded Finally, a book about dogs. Could anything be better? Well, the answer is yes, as author Anita Klumpers writes a fascinating tale about dogs called Hounded.

Mom says that’s not true. It’s about a woman.

Really?

Okay. So it’s about a widow named Elise. She’s not too sad that her stuffy husband croaked. After all she has to dogs to love her. But this is the second husband she’s lost and this one is filthy rich. (Mom says she wished she could relate to that, but I’m content.) And now they think he was murdered and she is suspect number one.

This book is part of a new series by Prism Book Group called “Love is . . .” which is exploring 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. This one looks at “Love is patient.”

An old friend who happens to be a pastor is really patient with Elise. Oh, boy is he patient. But love makes you do weird things from what I understand. I love my mom and dance for her for a treat so I can relate. But the dogs keep getting into mischief and the last thing she wants is to hear about the God who allowed her first husband, who she loved, to die. Life isn’t fair and she was having nothing of a God who orchestrated that.

This is a fast-paced romantic suspense that will keep the reader turning the pages. Anita has a special way with words and obviously with dogs because I kept panting for more. It’s a tail-wagger for sure. I give it five bones because that’s what I do. I’m a dog. I don’t do stars and I lack thumbs.