I woke up early this morning feeling quiet, awkward and sad. The house is…quiet, awkward and sad. There’s a “hole” that wasn’t here a couple of days ago.

Yesterday my family said “goodbye” to our Willie, a Welsh corgi we’ve loved in our home for the past nine years.

If you’ve never had a dog, you won’t get this and you’re missing out on one of God’s sweetest gifts. Then again, you’re also missing out on the heartbreak of them passing away.

My sadness will fade eventually but the joy Willie brought to our lives will always be with us.

In her portraits, The Queen of England is often seen holding one of her corgis, the “official” dog of her monarchy. If you aren’t keeping up with the Queen, let me describe what a Welsh corgi looks like, what Willie looked like (and he was so much better looking that the Queen’s scroungey mutts.) Bred for fox hunting, corgis have fox-like faces, pointy, almost rabbit-like ears, extremely thick, beige and white furry coats and a stump where a tail should be. Their most distinct feature though is their legs, or lack of legs. A dog nearly the size of a German Sheppard, but with three or four inch legs draws a lot of attention and smiles out in public. A corgi isn’t the fastest dog, but with their legs and low profile they can stop and turn on a dime.

Willie loved attention from anyone that would give it to him. When met with a welcoming face, he’d smile (dog people can see their smiles, non-dog people think we’re crazy,) wag his stump and run to greet his new friend. If you were especially friendly, he’d roll on his back and let you scratch his stomach.

I missed scratching his stomach this morning. It was part of our normal morning ritual. After carefully stepping over him where he stood guard in our bedroom doorway, I’d tell him “good morning,” scratch the top of his head and then the side of his face, at which point he’d “melt” and roll over on his back to wait for the tummy scratch, smiling the entire time.

He would then follow me into the kitchen, the tags on his collar clinging and his nails clicking on the tile floor. I’d put on the coffee while he’d get a drink of water. By the time I finished the coffee he’d be waiting by the front door for me to accompany him to the yard. My trip to the kitchen was too quiet this morning.

Whenever I returned home, whether I was gone for 15 minutes or 15 days, Willie would be at the door to greet me, wagging his stump and smiling. I’d sit on the ground to be at his level and then he’d stand on his hind legs and give me a hug. We both loved hugging each other like that. He was always so glad to see me and I was always so thankful for the “welcome” my little buddy would give me, sometimes the highlight of my day.

Sure, there’s the costly vet trips, cleaning the spots on the carpet, the 3am barking, the skunk confrontations, the dead spots on the lawn, the expensive foods, driving around the neighborhood looking for them, the mounds of dog hair everywhere and the “explosion” of chasing the cat out of the house (that’s a good thing by the way…I guess that’s my job now.) I’m even going to miss all that stuff. But it’s more than made up for with what they give you in return; their love and loyalty and companionship.

There’s debate among theologians whether our pets will be in heaven with us. I think that’s a “no brainer.” Of course they will.
The Bible doesn’t specifically talk about our pets, but in Isaiah 11 it tells us that:
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

Am I supposed to believe that wolves, lambs, leopards, goats, calves, lions, oxen and bears will be there but Willie won’t? That doesn’t make sense. If we believe that pets are God-created companions, that He loves them and us, doesn’t it make sense that they’ll be in Heaven with us?

A poem by theologian John Piper says:
And as I knelt beside the brook
To drink eternal life, I took
A glance across the golden grass,
And saw my dog, old Blackie, fast
As she could come. She leaped the stream—
Almost—and what a happy gleam
Was in her eye. I knelt to drink
And knew that I was on the brink
Of endless joy. And everywhere
I turned I saw a wonder there.

Piper’s dog Blackie will be there. So will our Willie, Sadie and Bailey. And this may not be entirely biblical, but I’m looking forward to watching Willie chase that stupid cat around again. (Not sure what kind of Heaven that would be for the cat though…God will figure that out.)

Get him Willie…Good boy…that’s my good boy. Come and give me a hug buddy.

Mike Wright
www.michaelwrightonline.com

Dear Mike,

As you miss Willie, may your heart always be full of the wonderful memories he left you as his last gift. Of course these angels go to Heaven! The animals are all of God's magnificent plan.

I hope the following passages bring you some comfort:

ROMANS 8:19-21 "the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the *** of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
(KJV).

LUKE 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" (NKJ)

ACTS 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (KJV)

REV. 21:5 And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (KJV)

ECCLESIASTES 3:18 I said in my heart, "Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals”. (NKJ)

ECCLESIASTES 3:19-20 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath, man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust and to dust all return. (NIV)

LUKE 3:6 "all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (KJV)

PSALM 36:6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O LORD. (NRS)

GENESIS 1:30 and to every animal of the earth, and to every fowl of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth on the earth, in which is a living soul, every green herb for food. And it was so. (DBY)

ALL creatures great and small.........The Lord God hath made them all and saw it was good. One day you and Willie will surely be reunited and what a glorious day it will be. Life is short...........eternity isn't.

Peace and hugs of love from my heart to yours,
Beth

awwww... i'm so sorry. i lost a "willie" too. eight years ago my schnauzer, willie, died so yea, i relate to everything your saying. he got skunked, he cried like a baby when i returned from church... after he passed away i didn't even feel like getting up in the morning without him.

there's no reason our beloved dogs won't be in heaven. as a local newscaster said: "it wouldn't be heaven without them".

i wrote this poem 3 years after willie died. i'm sure you can relate.

The Price of Love

Gotta say goodbye. Don't wanna say goodbye.
Because it's killing me. Breaking me.
I knew this was coming. Not ready for it.
I'll never be ready for it.

I have no choice.
Gotta let go. I can't let go.
Wanna hold onto you as long as i can.
Don't make me say "goodbye".

Mommy loves you. Endless tears begin to flow.
The pain is emotionally and totally heartbreaking.

Where are you? There's your corner of the couch.
Without you.

My heart has a hold nothing else can fill.
Do I even want it filled? No.

Don't wake me up. I don't wanna get up.
Your gone. Nothing to get up for anymore.

Moments without you are seared with pain.
They turn into days and weeks.
Months pass by.

A new dog arrives.
It's not you. I don't want this puppy.
I want you, my beloved willie.
Only you.

Time passes. Emotions soften.
The new puppy is trying to win my heart.
but I won't let her in.
It's not her place, it's yours.

Three years have passed.
I'm starting to feel affection for her.
It's not her fault she came when she did.
I guess she deserves my love.
Will she break my heart someday?
Probably.

The agony of loss. The emptiness.
The loneliness. The tears.
Are not only worth the love.
They are the price of love.

Gotta let go. Don't want to let go.
but I have no choice. Your gone.
Not coming back. I will let go.
But never of my love
for you.

Two weeks ago i lost the beagle, miss lucy, that came 3 wks after willie died. My son put a memorial for her recently, in the memorial area.

I am sorry for your loss Mike it is never easy.
I haven't read the whole of your post as I'm feeling a little fragile myself today.
I'm glad you came here to share.
elaine

i am so sorry for your loss. i know hard it is and the heavy heart you are feeling.i do believe they will be with us. i know they are all with their maker now waiting for us. in my heart, our maker welcomes them back into his home and tells them job well done. the day will come when we will all be together again. i know that. you will be reunited with willie and i know the first thing he will do is give you a giant knee hug. and we will feel whole again. i had two cats that passed away. my fred about four months ago. now i have a little puppy lucy but as someone who loves all furry creatures, i can tell you i know in heaven theres room enough for both. maybe in seperate fields but room enough for all. willie is "upstairs" now and he is watching over you and your family. please take some comfort in that.

take care. you are in my thoughts and prayers. may you find peace.
patricia

My aunt, who was a nun, believed that whatever you need to make you happy in heaven will be there. I can't imagine a heaven filled with only people - where would the fun be in that? Willie will be there waiting for you.