Barney, the Wonder Dog
In September of 2010, I drove up our long driveway and there he was…a skinny, scared white dog. I was drawn like a magnet to this beautiful animal. He allowed me get close to him, one eye was blue, the other was brown, he looked like a young dog, but every bone on his frame was visible. I told my husband that if he is a dumped dog, I want to keep him. We had not had a dog in over 20 years.
He was still hanging around the next morning, so we named him. I thought Hank would be a great name for a ranch dog, but I didn’t want to waste that good name if this dog was just passing through. We decided to call him Barney, the Wonder Dog … I wondered where he came from, I wondered if he was abused, I wondered why he picked our long driveway, I wondered why he was immediately so drawn to me. A trip to the veterinarian confirmed Barney was about 9 months old and extremely underweight, the Vet was concerned that poor nutrition during his formative months may cause serious health issues and warned me not to get attached. Thankfully, Barney survived, he is a “young” senior dog now, his life assignment is as strong as ever, to love me unconditionally.
I look at old photos of the Wonder Dog, destitute, homeless and hopeless, I am reminded how the touch from a loving master changed everything for him. Barney, the Wonder Dog is beautiful, secure and loved, he has triumphantly met his full potential in life. This amazing transformation brings tears to my eye, I too was destitute, lost and hopeless, until receiving a Touch from the Master’s Hand.
God uses this white dog, over and over, to illustrate His love, His unconditional love. Barney has helped me fully grasp the miracle of absolutely unconditional love. I do not think it is a coincidence that the letters used to spell dog are the same letters used to spell God. A dog walked up my driveway one day, he was a perfect gift from God. Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17
