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Sadie and Lessons in Mercy

A short recap …. Sadie came into my life shortly after Grace passed away in 2011. She was chosen from a dog rescue website. The following sums up our time together.

She was born in the year 2011, A gift sent to me from sweet doggie heaven.

The hole in my heart left by dear Lady Grace, Sought fur-bearing comfort to fill up that space.

My boomerang love caught on the fly, Puppy love on the rebound, don’t ask me why.

Wounded and broken, ’fraid of your own breath, So many things nearly scared you to death.

I soon came to realize this was gonna take time, And patience and training and many a dime.

After hours and hours of tears and frustration Lost patience, forgiveness, and then, jubilation.

A breakthrough rewarded, a deepening trust! Patient compassion, no option, a must.

A bond we did forge over many a day, A boomerang love, come home to stay.

Even yet with much training and confidence gained, Unknown fears ever lurked, Some goblins remained.

Such a sensitive soul I came to accept, This was just who you were and I’d have to adapt.

Over time you did teach me to stop and to wait, When you walked through new doors beyond your own gate.

Your zone of great comfort began to grow wider, And you felt so much braver when I was beside ’er.

When the name of dear Sadie came to my mind, I looked up the meaning only to find,

Mercedes meant mercy, a lesson for me, A gift sent to teach, upon bended knee.

This gift of great kindness I learned to extend, Your confidence grew; I learned to bend.

Then tragedy struck while yet in your prime. A deadly disease way before it was time.

So young, my dear Sadie, just barely four, I thought we had years, so many more.

I railed and I cried when I knew it too late, Somehow I had failed her, didn’t step to the plate.

Didn’t realize how ill, hindsight now so clear, The dark voice of doubt filled me with fear.

Was I selfish, uncaring, not taking the time, To notice and care for this dear friend of mine?

The depth of my grief, my face to the ground, The weight of oppression, my spirit was bound.

’Til a message of grace whispered soft in my ear, Turn that mercy you’ve given, to yourself Mary dear.

 Mercy and Grace dressed in fur-bearing love, Sacred lessons, dear treasures, sent from above.

No more boomerang lovers, I’m waiting ‘til spring, For my new puppy love and the gifts that she’ll bring.

His Mercy-New Every Morning and Every Year

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23 NKJV

Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Ps.136:2 NKJV

Following are excerpts from my upcoming book, Tails of Grace and Mercy, joy and comfort dressed in fur-bearing love …

“Sadie, such a dear, sweet, broken thing, fear-filled and unpredictable. Just when I thought we had overcome one fear, a new one would surface, seemingly out of nowhere. Of the many things and situations that unnerved her, most were a mystery to me. But to her, they were only too real and terrifying” …. ….”My time with Sadie taught me several lessons that I may not have learned without her.  First and foremost, Sadie helped me to keep in mind that things may not always be as they appear on the surface. What might seem to be explainable with simple logic may be viewed from the subjective viewpoint of another as mysterious and scary. Since every individual sees life/events/situations through the lens of their personal experiences, some situations may be viewed very differently from how they appear from another’s perspective.” This and many other lessons came along with dear Sadie. So many of these lessons helped me to see some of the most difficult relationships in my life in a new light. The biggest takeaway from this? “Even though I will never fully understand what causes someone to react fearfully, or the extent of their wounded-ness resulting from past trauma, if they allow me, I can sit beside them, speak softly, and offer words of encouragement. I can provide a safe place within boundaries where they can calm down and feel loved. And though there are no guarantees that my comforting presence will change anything, I can still offer to be there . . . when I can.”

Perhaps you too are struggling with your own fears and woundedness or you are called to sit beside someone who is struggling? If so, if I may give you a word of encouragement … Treat yourself with compassion as well as those who are in need of mercy.

Mercy: A blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion. A Compassionate treatment of those in distress. Webster’s Dictionary

May the new year bring you an abundance of Grace, Mercy, Joy and Comfort.

Mary A. Mills