Finding Comfort In A Stranger

This is an email I received and just had to share. It reminds me of when I was a little girl and we lost our black lab, Kelly. My mom always (and still does) calls me Elmira, the little girl from Tiny Tunes Adventures because she does what this little girl is doing to her sweet dog. Elmira is famous for saying, "I'm gonna love you and squeeze you all the way home, so you better pack a bag cause it's gonna be a long, long way." This tends to leave the animal to suffer from being squeezed....yes, I squeeze and hold my animals against their will but I love them so much I can't help it! I really relate with this little girl and know that God places things in our lives so that we can learn and do good for others. I hope if I ever have kids, they are as sweet and concerned as this little girl. 

Having dogs when I was growing up taught me one of many meanings of love and having compassion, and just that is displayed here in this story. Being a Christian makes me want to do for others as this person did. I am officially in the holiday spirit! It's the most wonderful time of the year! Happy December 1st!

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.

I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies..' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey &Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven.

Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.

Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by..

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,

God

It is not known who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.