Yesterday, March 23rd, my heart knew it was time. Tater Tot, our beloved 14 year old Yorkie, was ready to romp the fields of heaven. An appointment was made for the following afternoon to release her from her earthly suffering. At that moment, I wrongfully thought I was going to “put her down”. God’s love and compassion changed my understanding from “putting down” to “lifting up and letting go” — resting Tater Tot in God’s presence where she could be completely restored. It is the truth of this perception, not my personal heartbreak, my soul yearns to share.
Each morn before my feet even hit the floor, I reach for my Daily Devotional, JESUS CALLING. Today, March 24th, the very day Tater Tot is crossing the Rainbow Bridge, these are the words my tear-filled eyes read:
March 24 – THIS IS A TIME
“THIS IS A TIME in your life when you must learn to let go of loved ones, of possessions, of control. In order to let go of something that is precious to you, you need to rest in My presence, where you are complete. Take time to bask in the light of My Love. As you relax more and more, your grasping hand gradually opens up, releasing your prized possession into My care. (JESUS CALLING, by Sarah Young.)
Immediately following reading these words, I heard God telling me I WAS NOT “putting Tater Tot down”, as the world declares. Rather, I was “lifting up and letting go” of Tater Tot so His Healing Hands could restore her health, entrust her to family already in heaven and allow Tater Tot the well earned blessing of romping happily in heaven while waiting for me to someday rejoin her.
No, most definitely, Tater Tot was not going in a downward direction as we said “I’ll see you later”. She was being uplifted to the reward her life on earth merited. The world is wrong to pin the phrase “putting down” on our four legged family’s journey to heaven. How many of our human hearts are crushed by these words? “Putting down” or “lifting up and letting go” will, both, break our hearts; but “lifting up and letting go” does not crush our hearts. On the contrary, it supports and allows our souls to cradle what is broken and, in time and faith, cements the pieces of our hearts into a renewed forever love. Simply stated, God can, and will, heal all that are broken if we “lift up, let go” and, in trust, collapse into His Hands.
“Putting down” is a catastrophic end. “Lifting up and letting go” into God’s Hands is an eternal life beginning. Forever, I praise God for the GOD INCIDENCE daily devotional He sent me this morning. Yes, my tears still fall, but the sad are intermingled with the grateful for a deeply cherished companion and the joyful that our little canine cherub now barks in Heaven’s choir.
Uplifted in a Broken Down World 