[Granville-Hough] 4 Mar 2009 - Sparky

[Trustees for Granville W. Hough]

Date: Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:08:12 -0800
From: Granville W Hough <gwhough at oakapple.net>
Subject: Sparky -4 Mar 2009



        Members of my family who have gone with me on my daily walks will 
remember Pepper and Sparky, canine members of the Glen Miller household 
down my street a few houses. They went walking with Glen twice each day 
just as I did and we had become good friends.  When Pepper saw me in the 
distance, he began yelping and tugging at his leash.  I would give him a 
quick pat and rubbing with consoling words, and Sparky would come up to 
get his share.  Then they would be off to their daily duties.  Saturday, 
Glen only had Pepper, and told me sadly that Sparky had become so 
incapacitated with arthritis and heart trouble, that they had to have 
the vet put him down.  Sparky had seen his 14th birthday and was in his 
15th year, the human equivalent of 100 years old.  This reminded me of a 
story of a little girl who lost her dog and was instructing God in 
taking care of him.



>There is a God in the Post Office 
> 
>
>This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service. 
>
>Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize
her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words: 
>
> 
>
>Dear God, 
>
> 
>
>Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. 
>
> 
>
>I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim.. I am 
sending a picture of her so when you see her. You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her. 
>
> 
>
>Love, Meredith. 
>
> 
>
>We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith, and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get
the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had. 
>
> 
>
>Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith'...in an unfamiliar hand writing. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies'. Taped to the inside front cover was the letter
we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note: 
>
> 
>
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>Dear Meredith, 
>
>Abbey arrived safely in heaven. 
>
>Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. 
>
>Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little
book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by. 
>
> 
>
>Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. 
>
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>I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. 
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>By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love. 
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>Love, 
>
>God