Shortly after we moved to Hawaii, my wife Claire called and told me a beautiful dog had just shown up in our yard. I was away on a business trip, so I missed that first moment. But I did not miss what followed as the greatest dog ever gave us a lesson on love. Claire knew I really did not want a dog so she said, ‘You know, the boys have been wanting a dog, praying for a dog. They’re out there now playing with her and it’s the sweetest thing. They already love her. Can we keep her?’

‘You should see them. They are so happy!’

Our boys loved Sunshine at first glance and she loved them.

We found out she needed a new home, so we gained not just a beautiful dog but a great dog, maybe the greatest dog ever.

The Greatest Dog Ever

My boys loved her. My wife loved her. I loved her. Everyone she met loved her.

As a large dog, Sunshine’s life span was shorter than smaller dogs. Things started going wrong when she reached her 11th year. Spinal arthritis, brain seizures, bad stuff. We tried everything for two years, but she eventually died.

A lesson on love from Sunshine

Even when she was very sick towards the end of her life, Sunshine always stood ready to go for a walk, stood ready to give us the greatest gift she had to give, her love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NIV

For Sunshine, love meant doing something. Taking a walk or welcoming us home as though we’d been gone for a month or two. She loved us, and she knew we loved her. That was enough.

Maybe you also have love from your own greatest dog ever. Actually, the second greatest dog ever because Sunshine already took the first spot in that ranking.

The greatest gift of all is…

If you’re blessed with love from a great dog, from your family, your friends, and even from your Creator, enjoy every moment because love is the greatest gift of all.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

Puppyhood to old age in 12 to 15 years

A dog we love can go from puppyhood to old age and die in 12 or 15 years. We see the entire timespan so vividly and poignantly because we live through it each day.

But does the lesson hit home? What lesson? That our lives are also finite. Like Sunshine, we have a span, and in the fullness of time, our lives will pass away.

Sunshine’s last few months were rough. She lived in pain every day; we could see it in her eyes. Yet she still made the effort to wag her tail, even if it was a small wag. She knew we loved her, and so she chose to show her love as much as she could.

We have a choice…

We all face this choice too. If your health fails or if you lose a loved one, I believe you have a choice. Fall in love each and every day or descend into despair.

We have a choice. Fall in love or descend into despair.

KurtBrouwer.com

If you decide to fall in love, put on your seatbelt because you have a challenging journey ahead. It’s not easy to love those around you when things go badly for you.

If you descend into despair, you’re not alone. Many people have done so. But as long as the spirit within you lives, you have the choice and the opportunity to love and be loved.

Will the greatest dog ever be in heaven?

I believe dogs should be in heaven, but that issue is way above my pay grade. Of course, everything is above my pay grade now that I’m retired, but you get the idea. God alone will decide whether or not dogs go to heaven.

But I do know one thing. If there are dogs in heaven, Sunshine will be there with us.

Running around, jumping, turning, racing back to get on the tee with us. Simply happy to be with her family.