Unconditional Love!
My husband and I pet/house sit for friends as they travel. Most of the pets we sit with are dogs. We’ve sat for some families several times. We set with a Golden Retriever and a Cocapoo yesterday. We were there about 2 weeks ago for a few days, but when we arrived, they barked, jumped, and ran around like crazy, their excitement to see us was phenomenal. They were exceptionally excited to see Roger! He’s the real dog lover and they know it.
Roger was diagnosed about 9 months ago with aggressive Alzheimer’s and a brain tumor. The tumor doesn’t seem to be affecting him negatively, but Alzheimer’s is. Trying to work from home, caregiving, cooking, and taking classes has been challenging to say the least. The most stressful part is managing Roger.
I was so stressed for a few months that my blood pressure was sky high, and I had headaches often. So instead of going to the doctor to get some medicine, I leaned into Jesus. I was honest with the Lord and admitted that my stress was generated by me. I had to change my way of thinking and how I looked at things, especially Roger. After all he couldn’t help the way, he is, and he didn’t willfully choose this.
Although I’d been praying for Roger, I needed more prayer than Roger did. So, I began to ask God to change my attitude, help me focus on the good that I see in Roger and to show me what He sees in Roger. I started changing my ways and my words, my blood pressure lowered, the headaches stopped and I’m so much better, not perfect, but better.
I realized today, as I was writing this blog, that these dogs have been showing me an important lesson about life and myself. God loves me unconditionally; I am to love Roger unconditionally as well, in the way that I look at him, the way I act with and around him, what I say to him and how I speak to him and above all I must have patience with him. Roger needs to know that he is still loved by me, even with the changes he’s going through!
My thoughts control my life and my actions! The inner me is changing! Thank you MKE!
It’s amazing what our pets can remind of about, and unconditional love is at the top of that list. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing this story. Great to see your world within is changing!