Sweetness and sorrow mingled

 Sweetness and sorrow mingled today as our family gathered and celebrated our Thanksgiving meal together. Individual family members drove south to my Mom and Dad's home in the rolling hills, pecan orchard countryside south of Griffin Georgia in Meansville. We all came from different corners of the Atlanta area, all arriving at various times. 

I arrived early and we had some time to sit on the back porch. My Mom and Dad's cat, Snow, didn't look well. I petted her sad looking coat of fur and noticed her erratic breathing and felt her bones more than her white fur. My heart felt heavy. Dad said she wasn't well. Last night, with great effort, she jumped into his lap and laid her head on his chest as though she was asking for help. Dad said he planned to take her to the vet after we had dinner. 

Snow became a valuable and very loved part of the family for so many years. Snow loved to hop up on the back of my Dad's chair and sleep there, like a white blanket, covering his shoulders. 

She also loved to sit outside on the porch railing and sun herself. Snow was a part of our family. 

A hen, rather than a turkey, filled our plates along with dressing, Pineapple Surprise, green beans cooked with bacon, sweet potato souffle, whipped potatoes and Mom's home made pecan pie, made from their pecan trees.We gathered around the table and we were thankful for the feast and for family.

My sister's husband prayed over the meal. He doesn't often attend church and I can't remember when I've heard him pray, however, someone asked him to pray over the meal. He prayed a real prayer and one thing he mentioned is that we don't all get together enough and would the Lord help us with that.  

One of my sons, Michael, my youngest, went with his grand dad to the vet to have them check out Snow. Her name actually is Snowflake. Mom said they named her that because of her white fur and because she was so small, like a tiny snow flake, when they picked her up from the Humane Society 14 years ago.  

The phone rang, and the news wasn't good. The vet said Snow's heart was failing. The decision was made to put her to sleep. Soon, Mom met Dad at the door and hugging, tears fell between them. A beloved pet was gone, a furry member of their family. Snow could be quite verbal at times with her funny meow. Now Snow is quiet... our tears fall in the letting go. 


A small grave was prepared and my oldest son, Josh, carved a simple gravestone out of cedar mixed with love, engraved simply with her name, Snow. 

I believe our heavenly Father gives us the gift of our pets to enrich our lives and let love flow through fur and soft ears and cats on our laps, and doggies who may bark, but who love extravagantly, licking us with love, because He loves us. 


So, today sweetness and sorrow mingled. God was with us and is with us in the sorrow and the letting go. God was with us in our realness and in our differences. We are family.  


I am thankful.

Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows].