"The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs." ~ Charles de Gaulle

It's Friday, August 29, 2014 and I'm lamenting another huge special day that I missed. This one was last Tuesday. National Dog Day. I should have noticed that Facebook over the last few days has looked like a running record of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I was in a business the other day and their dog came out to greet me. I said my hellos to the furry little doggie and tried to get on with the purpose of my visit. The lady looked at me like maybe I had not done enough in embracing their canine critter. I made a confession to her. We are not dog people. We are not animal people. We have zip, zero, nada. I suddenly sensed the air being sucked out of the room. She reacted as if I had just announced that I was a Nazi war criminal who had come out of hiding. She began naming off all the pets they have in their family. Dogs, cats, turtles, and several other species. I told her that was great but it just wasn't our thing. I got the look again. She was probably wondering about how messed up my childhood must have been or what other traumatic experience had happened that brought on this severe, dysfunctional behavior. I finally got her to acknowledge that I represented my company as her customer and the purpose of my visit had nothing to do with me not having my own dog. I thought about asking if there was a place I could send a letter of apology to. You know. To the entire world so that everyone can get over it. I am joking because I don't really care one way or the other. Most people love their pets. That's good. We don't have any. That's okay too. Or, I think it is. Right?

I'm thinking about getting me a stuffed animal. Not from the taxidermist. You know. From the department store. I could enjoy holding him/her/it in my lap. I wouldn't have to worry about feeding it, walking it, cleaning up after it, or any of the vet bills that typically are a part of the program. I bet he/she/it would do a great job of staying when I issued that command. I wouldn't have to worry about him/her/it chasing other animals. I could then tell a pet joke so that I would be more accepted. "I dressed my dog up as a cat for Halloween. Now he won't come when I call him." ~ "Q: Why did the cowboy get a dachshund for a pet? A: Someone told him to get a long little doggy." ~ Those were reader submitted funnies to the Readers Digest. I'm not certain that I could keep a straight face if I told someone I had a pet at home and in reality it was the stuffed one. That might hold back the harsh looks, but, I'm not sure I could live with that. Maybe I could get a laugh if I told them my dog is so dumb it chases parked cars. Maybe not. Okay. Calm down all you pet lovers out there in bloggerland. This has all been done in fun but I'll end it with a challenge: "Have you hugged your ____________ (fill in the blank) today?

Yes. I did think of that. Maybe I could bring back the pet rock. Good idea but to tell the truth I'll likely just keep on getting the cold shoulder because I don't have a cold nose nuzzling on me. We all have our burdens to bear. This has been a very fast paced and challenging week for me. Too much schedule but not enough me. I'm not even sure I know what that means but it more or less reflects some insight into my week. I have enjoyed our visits. I hope that if nothing else, you may have had at least a smile or two along the way, and, that you have been reminded that our hope is in the Lord God of heaven. He is there for us even when everyone else is gone including our pets. I do hope you will have a most wonderful Saturday, Lord's Day Sunday, and that the Labor Day holiday will be a good one for you and yours. Y'all be careful out there and I'll  catch back up with you either on Monday or Tuesday. Lord willing, of course. May God bless. Amen.  ....More later.