A DOG NAMED UGLY

This July will mark the anniversary of us getting a dog. He is a pure bred German Shepherd whom we call Buster. He is handsome, strong and has a great character. This is our first dog in 30 years, can you believe it. We are both good and bad parents since we are in grandparent mode. Yes he does sit and shake a paw before he is allowed to eat his food, and yes he does come to us when we call, sort of. But today’s blog in not about Buster, it’s about Ugly.

Ugly is the name that was given to a stray dog (and there are tons here). She attached herself to our daughter and grandkids sometime back. Because she is made up of a compendium of breeds her end result is ugly. She is not our problem, so we do not feed her. Well, we toss out a bone or two. We tried our hardest to keep her away from our wonderful pure bred. To our utter dismay they became friends and are now inseparable. 

Ugly has had her spirit broken. Go near her and she cowers whimpering uncontrollably. She expects your disapproval while being annoyingly persistent begging for any scraps of acceptance. This toxic relationship with Ugly began in the winter. Though it was bitterly cold outside with sub-zero temperatures we shut the door on her, and ushered our dog inside. We preferred to pretend she did not exist, and truthfully, she did have a home to go to somewhere. Now before you report me to the “cruelty to animals’ people,” keep in mind this dog is a pest, has flees, ticks, and is Ugly. She has survived without our help up until now and to interfere with nature is just plain wrong.

I hope your sentiment towards me is nearing boiling point. It should! I have tried ignoring her, barring her entrance into the house and not feeding her. I just want this problem to go away. Period.

Early one morning about two weeks ago I took our handsome, strong and great natured Shep outside to do his business. Ugly was there to greet me dragging herself in a completely self deprecating manner. I was so annoyed in my spirit that I stuck my foot out to hinder her forward progress towards me. She completely understood the language of rejection. She turned with head lower than her belly and tail tucked between her legs and skulked off into the early dawn. I was sitting on some building blocks. Being caught up in my own satisfation with the immediate nuisance of Ugly being taken care of I nearly missed the voice of the Holy Spirit. In the quietness of the hour He said, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (Col 1:21 KJV).”  

I got up from my concrete seat avowed in my heart I will never again reject this dog. She is no longer Ugly to me, she is now Sheba, a short nick name we gave her for Mephibosheth. He was a young man crippled in his feet; the son of Jonathan whom King David brought to his palace and gave him a daily seat of honor at his banqueting table. And this was to his would be enemy.

Sheba has a regular meal and the kennel is hers. She now barks at strangers letting them know, I have a home and I am owned and I will protect the house and my family. God help us never to turn our backs on the poor.

 Buster our handsome strong German Shep.                                                    UGLY

 

UGLY who is now named SHEBA