RAINBOW BRIDGE

We've had to walk another beloved dog across Rainbow Bridge. Renoir our grey had renal failure and a growth on his hind leg that kept getting bigger. The vet said in another 1-2 weeks that could've begun to split. He only ate barely one can of prescription only kidney disease dog food. Even with the appetite stimulant, which I was reluctant to give him. He had lost much weight and was down to 56 pounds. He was not real happy.
   And, oh, how the house is quiet. No click, click on the tile floor, no barking when the garage door goes up, no cold wet nose nudging me for a tidbit or attention. No warm breath on me. No one following me into the bathroom. No more rump rubs, or huggies and rubbies. The dog bed is empty where once Renoir was velcroed to it - his favorite spot in the world. It was his safe space, comfort space and mostly that is where you found him. No more 10 pm where's my late treat. No saying goodnight or good morning. No more prepping meals for him or slipping in some table scraps. It's not much coming home without an inquisitive nose waiting for you.
   And, oh, how my heart aches.
   I haven't been dogless in 31 years or without a greyhound in 30 years.
   Renoir was just shy of 13 years old -pretty good for grey. He chose his own name, and lived on his terms, quiet and retiring. But a good grey, polite most of the time and very quiet.
   For now, I grieve, wrapped in sadness and loneliness. LH has been quiet too. At least he was with me when we took him to the vet.
   LH asked me a week ago what I want for Christmas. I told him last night - a new greyhound. and a chance to give another retired racer a forever home. I could be given no greater gift.
   RIP Renoir. I love you. I miss you. You are forever in my heart.

THE LESSON OF GARLIC

There are months when I struggle with the newsletter article for the church. Sometimes they just come together easily and others, well, it's like wringing a nearly dry towel to get a few drips.
   Thinking about stewardship and not having been able to put my garden to rest since we had such a warm September reminded me of the Lesson of Garlic.
   In my herb garden, I plant garlic. This is done in the fall when I clean up the garden and put down a layer of Sweet Peat. Then it's time to give back and plant my cloves of garlic. (Be sure to use native garlic that is for your hardiness zone).
   The first year of my garlic harvest, I had a couple of big knobs of garlic and smaller ones. I was thrilled and when it was fall, I took a couple of the smaller knobs and planted the cloves. We used the big ones to cook with and enjoy.
    When summer harvest came, I only had a big knob of garlic and lots of small ones. What a disappointment! I learned that I had to plant the biggest and best knobs of garlic to get a good harvest.
   Reluctantly, selfishly, and resentfully, I gave back and planted that one big knob of garlic for the next year. The little ones proved to be enough for us all winter long to cook with and enjoy.
   That next summer, I had many large knobs of garlic and they were wonderful. It had returned to me tenfold!
   I learned that in order to enjoy a good garlic harvest, I had to give back the biggest and best garlic knobs. I had to give the first and best fruits back to God and to the earth.
   What would that mean for us to give right off the top from all the blessings of time, talent, money we have been given or earned back to God? How often do we give merely what is left-over from all
our financial and time obligations? A kind of, "Here you go, God, here's a little something for
use in your kingdom." It is often an afterthought. Clearly, not our first and best. And certainly, not the first 3 or 5 percent, let alone 10 percent!
    After the initial struggle of selfishness, reluctance and resentment, of offering back my best and biggest knobs of garlic, I found that I was blessed with so much goodness. Now, it is easy to
offer back, to give the first and best and to be rewarded with a bountiful and beautiful harvest of garlic.
   God will use any means to reach us and teach us! Even humble garlic!
   It was a lesson I needed to learn and it has never disappointed me. Giving to God from the first, and offering back to God my best, has blessed me greatly to overflowing. I am grateful, joyful and filled with all goodness. May you be as well, when you offer back to God first, and the best of which you have earned, and been blessed with. You will not be disappointed and it will return to you tenfold and more!
   "You shall not delay to make offerings from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses." (Ex. 22:29)