“Tell me about when you first met Patches,” I asked Janice, my sister-in-law. Not only had Patches been a wonderful pet for many years for Janice but Patches surprisingly impacted my life too.
Janice began the story telling how she had received a phone call from a friend that heard about the homeless Shih Tzu dog in a nearby veterinarian clinic. The friend invited her to go along to see the dog. “When we arrived at the clinic,” Janice said, “the dog was waiting to meet us in a get-acquainted room. He was as cute as he could be. My heart went out to him.” The vet unfolded the history. He told them a couple had surrendered the dog because they no longer wanted him. The dog loved the woman but was afraid of the man.
The compassionate heart of my sister-in-law blossomed into a strong bond with the little dog. Together, she and the dog felt confident they could work through his fear issues. She named him Patches. He had a new name and a new home where no one would ever throw anything at him again!
With time, Patches became fiercely protective of his adopted “mother.” Knowing his tendencies, I admired him from a respectable distance when she was around.
One day, when we were together with Janice, Patches, and our family at Grandmother’s house, I unexpectedly found myself in the middle of a medical crisis. I sat on the sofa, waiting for a call back from the doctor. Other family members were in the same room, including Patches, who was clinging to his “mom.”
Then Patches did something he’d never done before. He quietly left his mom, climbed up on the sofa, and stretched himself alongside my leg as tightly as he could and just lay there. I can still remember the warmth radiating from his body. He was as still and close as he could be.
Never did I expect to receive comfort from Patches, a little creature that needed support and love in his life. It gave me a glimpse into the majesty and awe of our Creator, Who can even touch us through little four-legged animals.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT)
Arlette Revells
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