Holly

I have no picture to post tonight. Somehow, my external drive that I have my pictures stored on is not working with my laptop.

If I posted a picture tonight it would be of my good friend Holly.

I first met Holly when she was only a couple of months old. My husband called me at work one day shortly before Christmas to tell me of her arrival at our house. I was eager to get home to meet Holly. I did not know what her name was then but we ultimately decided on Holly. One reason for choosing that name was that Christmas was so close. Holly always brings back memories of Christmas in a special way.

My Dad had a holly tree in is front yard close to the house. Every year when we were getting ready for Christmas, he would go out and cut some holly branches from the tree. We would use them to decorate the house. Perhaps a little on the mantle. Always some on the dining room table adorned by Mom's best china. There were silver hurricane lamps in the middle of the table and the holly was always worked in between them with its red berries. It made a lovely center piece. Of course the table was overflowing with the good food we had been cooking for a couple of days.

When Mom was living, there would always be a jam cake on the food cart ready to be served for dessert. Besides the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and dressing, one could expect banana croquets, broccoli casserole, creamed peas, corn and green beans. The list would go on and on. You get the idea. Mom was a wonderful cook like both my grandmothers before her. She learned from her mom and my dad's mom taught her some different dishes that were traditional from her family.

So it wasn't hard to choose a name for our new puppy. Holly was so much a part of our family tradition and it brought back so many good memories it just seemed the right name for a puppy that arrived shortly before Christmas 14 years ago.

When I first got home that day, Bill was already in the house waiting for me. Of course, the first thing I looked for was the new puppy. She was no where to be seen. Bill informed me that when she first came in, she found a hiding place behind his recliner and there she stayed.

It wasn't long before the new Labrador Retriever puppy had wiggled her way in to our hearts and into the family life. She was smart and learned very quickly. She didn't stay behind the chair long. She was soon out exploring her new home and making friends with both of us. Before long she had learned to sit and stay and Bill soon declared she was the smartest dog he had ever seen. They became constant companions.

There are many stories I could tell of Holly and her exploits but one thing that stands out in my mind is River Bend and potato wedges. Bill often ate at a service station in Taylorsville that served some really good fried chicken and he always liked their potato wedges too. He always shared the potato wedges with Holly. She of course being a lab loved anything food and especially those wedges.

We lived about three blocks from the store. At the end of our sub division, if one walked over the hill and across the street you would be there. Holly soon got the scent of those wedges and the frying chicken from up on our hill. Sooner or later someone would call us from the store and ask us if we owned a black lab with a blue collar bearing the name Holly. That was actually a no brainer. The collar had our phone number. Of course we said yes and one of us would get into the truck and go get her and bring her back home. This went on for several years.

She had Bill's number in nothing flat. She knew if he had food, she would get something tasty for herself. She loves all kinds of food. There isn't much she won't eat. She won't eat onions and will not eat chocolate. As long as he lived, Holly got a portion of Bill's meal. She would stand by him at the table. She didn't beg him. He did not allow that. After he was unable to get to to go to the table and I took his meals to his bed, he always saved a few bites for her. She would wait patiently by his bed. She knew he would share. She loved him and he loved her and thought she was the most wonderful dog that ever lived. And she being a lab thought he was the most wonderful person in the world. She loves me but Bill was her master.

Now there are people who would sniff and say they never feed table scraps to a dog. It is not good for them. Holly is 14 years old. She will have her birthday in a couple of days. Some one told me his dog, a little leg biter, lived to be 17 and never ate a table scrap in his life. I don't know if that made the difference but I do know Holly would not trade all her human food for 3 more years of life.

Today the vet called me with the news that Holly doesn't have much longer to live. The growth removed from her back last week is an aggresive form of cancer. She may already have it in her lungs, speem and blood stream. I don't think I will even let him xray her. She has congestive heart failure already and has been on medication for that for a couple of years. When is enough, enough? I think with Holly that point has been reached.

As long as she is not suffering, I will not consider putting her down. When she does, I will make the decision to do the humane thing for her. She has been a good and faithful pet for me and for my family. She will be leaving me wih her daugher Lilly and granddaughter Erica. She will leave a legacy of love, forgiveness and faithfulness. The greatest wrong we ever inflicted on her was to leave her at home and not take her where we were going. Until the last couple of years that had been infrequent.

She traveled with us to Mississippi to see my son on several occassions and even alerted us one night when a panter was prowling around his home. She traveled with us to California where she learned that digging in the yard was pretty easy there. She stayed in motels with us and never left a mess. She never slept on the furniture or took food from the counter.

She slept in the hallway of the house in Taylorsville. Here she sleeps by my bed. Or where ever she decides she wants to sleep. It is up to her. But before the night is over, she will be on the rug by my bed. In the future when we have a thunder storm, I will remember that she hated them and would stand by the bed and ask me to comfort her. When the cows come up close to the fence I will remember that she stood at the french doors and barked as if to tell them, "Don't you come in my yard. I am watching you."

She is a beloved pet. She gives just a small glimpse of how God loves us. He loves us with an unconditional love that is always forgiving. God is always faithful. The only action required on our part is to ask for that forgiveness. In effect that is how we relate to Holly. We give her a friendly pet and she greets us when we come home. Some day God will greet us when we get home to Heaven to be with him and to be all he intended us to be.

I wonder, will Holly be there already by Bill's side waiting to be part of my welcoming committee? It is a question that we can only answer by guessing. But I do know my Savior will be there waiting for me to welcome me home. And that will be Glory for me.

May God keep you in his loving and tender care.

Regards

Mary

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that who so ever believes on him should not persish but have everlasting life.

~~~John 3: 16