"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." – Roger Caras

This is a picture of our Sir Bentley. Two years ago he developed a liver issue that was not fixable and we had to say farewell. He was a remarkable companion to us for five years and handful of months. What an amazing pup and how blessed we were to have him. 

Good Tuesday morning on this March 24, 2026, where, if you are up and able to go, well, since according to the writing of Job, it is God who is the Sustainer of life, as in our next breath, well, that means we need to bend our knee and give Him all the praise and Glory. (Job 7:7 and 33:4) I know I write a lot about aging. It does reflect the stage in my life, but, at the same time I am in reasonably good shape for the shape I'm in. I recently was reminded from a short clip telling about a 1979 research project called the "Counterclockwise Study" authored and supervised by Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer. This study  gathered a group of older men, late 70's through 80's and observed them during a special retreat. Essentially, the participants were put into a setting from 1959 surrounded by period furniture, black and white TV, music, media, food and other items from that era. They were examined before and after only one week of being in that environment they showed significant improvements in vision, hearing, grip strength, memory, and cognitive function. It just goes to show you. I'm not 100% sure of what but it does go to show you something. Mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter, or something like that. Solomon recorded this interesting observation, Proverbs 23:7, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Let me see here, twenty years ago for me would be 2006. I would have been sixty years young. I did look at the songs in all categories, and, alas, I didn't recognize them. I know I was still in my working prime back then, working can to can't, as my grandfather used to say. Somewhere in that time frame was when I discovered a new thing about myself. The Doctor: Mr. Abbott you have full-blown Type-2 diabetes. Mr Abbott: No I do not! The Doctor: Yes you do, the blood test does not lie. Mr. Abbott: In this case, the blood test is wrong! Now tell me how to get rid of it. The Doctor: Change your life, lose weight, and, if you are part of a very small percentage, maybe you can do something about it. And, I did all of those things and still ended up with full-blown Type 2. A game changer but I've been able with God's help to do what they refer to as this: Manage it. (One never gets at ease seeing how nearly every test that is run comes back as abnormal, but, as we are all inclined to say, 'It is what is', right?) Now go back and read my opening comments about Who it is that sustains life. And, the fact that I am still here is because He is not finished with me yet. That is the truth. Period. Continuing the story and Amen.

 

When Bentley had to be put down, (our Jimmy went with him because I couldn't), I firmly committed to never having another pup, period, end of that story. Well, so many people bombarded me with how we really needed to replace him, well, that end of story became an end of chapter and we ushered in the three week old Lil Miss Biscuit. We got her early because her mom was not able to nurse and the folks were feeding the pups goat milk. We fetched some milk replacer from the store and took over her feeding and we more or less raised her by hand. She is not Sir Bentley Barksalot, Esq., but, guess what? She is 100% Lil Miss Biscuit, and, just like that, she is now two years old. Already she is beloved and some say, more than spoiled. I'll never forget Bentley because he was pretty much my first dog. I know. Old people, late in life, you never know what they might get into. But, Bentley loved to ride in the ole truck with his head out the window. He, at least, knew he needed to stay in the truck. Biscuit, well, she loves to ride with her head out the window but she does so with wild abandonment and I have to hold onto her and it's pretty much all I can do to keep her in the truck. That's the truth. It is. It really is. Bentley now Biscuit, they have enriched our lives. I wasn't raised up where pets were ever in the house. That was an ironclad rule. That was yesterday and now is now and Biscuit at this particular time has the final say. Ha! Y'all enjoy and know that God is our Sustainer. Amen.