By GARY ANDREWS
Editor and Publisher

Not long ago as I was moving my car around in our driveway I did something that will probably haunt me for years to come.
For the past 15 years I have had a small, miniature long haired dachshund named Honey. Honey was my dog. She was by my side constantly when I was at home, and we were great companions.
Honey had grown old and moved very slow. On this particular day she was outside with me and gotten under my car without me knowing it. Then it happened!
Even though I was moving the car very slowly my left rear tire ran over Honey, crushing her hips and leaving her helpless on the pavement. I heard her cry out and jumped out of the car to go to her aid, which was of little consequence.
She looked at me with those big old eyes of hers as if she was saying goodbye to her lifetime friend. I stayed with her in her last few moments of life, sobbing and crying over what I had done.
Life gives us many surprises, and sometimes these are not very pleasant. We may lose a loved one in our family, a friend that we have had for years, or even a family pet. When this first happens we go into an adrenaline rush and question what has happened.
There is an old saying, “When life gives you lemons make lemonade.” I have heard this saying for many, many years and it tells me that when something in my life is wrong to make the best of it and look for the good in the situation.
Losing loved ones, friends, or family pets is not an easy situation in life, however we do need to realize that all of us are on this earth for only a short period of time. When I ran over Honey and ended her life I was devastated, but I have come to the realization that it was probably for the best. She has gotten very feeble and it was going to come a day when I would either watch her suffer extensively or have her put away.
Of course we don’t have our loved ones or friends put away but the Lord knows better than we do when it is time to take them home to be with Him. He knows the future of all of us and He probably allows us not to see the suffering and pain our loved one would go through had they lived.
We need to rest on God’s word and have faith in Him in all things.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for allowing me the time on earth to share with family, friends, and even our family pets. You have blessed us immensely and for this we are grateful. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday - Genesis 29:14-28; Monday - Psalm 39:4-6 Tuesday - Matthew 6:25-34; Wednesday - Ecclesiastes 1:1-11; Thursday - John 7:6; Friday - 1 John 2:18; Saturday - Revelation 12:12.)A056-10