Instead of dog tags jingling, I wake to silence.
There's no one to trip over every time I turn around;
No enthusiastic greeting when I come through the door.
Food falling on the kitchen floor no longer disappears in an instant.
There's no alert each time a squirrel dares enter my yard.
No one tries to beat me up the stairs.
I walk to the mailbox, alone.
It's quiet . . . far too quiet.
On December 9th I said goodbye to my constant companion of almost thirteen years - my faithful sidekick, Daisy May (she came to live with us on May 1, 1998.) A.K.A Daisy the Wonderdog. Lazy Daisy. Daisy Crockett - the dog with the wild front ears...
God is constantly teaching me, but all too frequently I'm too busy to notice. I seem to hear Him most often and most clearly when I'm away from the house, whether it be at a conference, retreat, mission trip, or just out walking with Daisy. I've learned many lessons through her over the years, perhaps because we spent so much time together. That, and I don't listen to music when I walk, I listen for God. Seldom does He disappoint!
We went for what would be our final walk just a week before her parting. Daisy loved going outside...and woe be it to anyone between her and the door!
While I was out there to exercise, Daisy appeared to be there to leave her mark on the world. About every three feet of it, or so it seemed. Just as she was marking her territory for the umpteenth time and I was beginning to lose patience, God pointed out to me that we all do the same thing. We want to leave our mark on the world. We think we're doing something grand, but God is as impressed with our marking as I am with Daisy's.
Ouch!
You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." ~ 2 Corinthians 3:2-3
Any monument we build to ourselves is sure to topple into a heap of rubble. The only mark any of us can hope to leave is what we write on the hearts of those whose lives we touch.
The question is, what kind of mark will it be? One that builds up, or one that tears down? One that points others to Christ, or one that points anywhere else?
Lord, thank you for the many years I've spent with Daisy and the many lessons You've taught me through her. May the only marks I leave be arrows that point directly to You!
Lisa
Awe... Lisa, I'm sorry you lost Daisy:( Great message!
Wow, Lisa. What a powerful, heartfelt message.
My condolences in the passing of such a long, faithful, loving, lesson-maker.
Kaylyn
What an amazing analogy for "leaving a mark on the world" I need to remember what type of mark am I leaving? You always amaze me! Sorry for your loss of Daisy, but it sounds like you have great memories & will of course never forget the lessons she helped you go through ;)