Oreo.

His life started rough and ended abruptly. The bit sandwiched in the middle was a picture of how God can use even the smallest, most insignificant things to bring joy and healing to His people. 

My parents found Oreo on Petfinder. It's a nationwide website that connects people looking for a pet with pets looking for kind people. Oreo was a Boston Terrier used as a bait dog in a pit bull fighting ring when he was just a puppy. I briefly looked into bait dogs and couldn't stomach much of it, so I'm not an expert. However, I do know enough to wonder how he survived as long as he did. He was rescued before he turned 1 and put into a terrible foster home. When Mom and Dad went "just to look" they found a quivering, hairless mess tied to a tree, chafed and bloodied from the inappropriate use of a harness. Needless to say, he was traumatized and a bit loopy by the time God brought him into Mom and Dad's life. Also needless to say, their "just to look" turned into "get him out of here and home with us as quickly as possible." In one moment his life changed and ours began to be marked with good if quirky memories.

The first time I saw Oreo, I was confused. He was bony, googly-eyed, and had such short hair that his white bits looked bald. If you stressed him out (which was easy to do) those bald bits would turn bright pink. His ears were too big for his head and he was incredibly neurotic. Metallic clanging sounds would send him into a tailspin and kissing or hugging around him was firmly rebuked. He had little nubs for teeth and fat pockets just above each eye. So why did Mom and Dad pick him? As far as I could see there was very little going for him. Days later I was already attached to his sweet nature and incapable of seeing the googly eyes. He was like Nanny McPhee, slowly losing his physical ugliness as his inward merits became evident to the beholder.

Several years later, when Dad was stationed in Iraq, Oreo ended up coming to Dallas to live with Brian, myself, and our dog Sammy (Sammy also had a bad start in life, dumped on a busy street as a puppy). Mom was traveling too much and kennels were a bad, bad place for Oreo, so my parents asked us to be his home for those months. During that time he became as much our dog as my parent's dog. He routinely curled up in the crook of Brian's legs whenever the opportunity presented itself, or looked like it was about to present itself. He and Sammy tore around the apartment generally loving life together. And best of all, he became sensitive to my emotions, curling up with me just when I needed it (Sammy was and is useless for this). By the time we sent him back home, I was completely unable to see the ugly dog I had first met.

In 2011 we left the US to come to PNG for our first term as a married couple. One of the hardest aspects of leaving was saying goodbye to Sammy and Oreo. I knew that both would be well cared for and happy in each other's company, but I wanted their lives to be with me. Despite the sadness I felt at leaving them behind, I couldn't help but marvel at them. They both started life forgotten and abused, but were now a daily reminder that God truly does look after His creation. He saw Oreo's need and Sammy's need, and He saw the places they could fill in each of our lives. Even as we left they were part of healing my Mom's ache at our departure. Instead of serving a God that sees, but doesn't care, we serve a God that takes time to connect those dots and bring people and creatures together to bring each other joy. And in that I believe He takes great delight. 

While we were home on furlough last year we spent most of our time in San Antonio with my parents. Oreo became Ray's self-appointed guardian, standing watch over her from inside the nursery when he could, and from just outside the door of the nursery if he was shut out. I don't believe he understood why he was doing it, he just felt a natural compulsion to watch over her. He did the same with my sister's child and any other children that were nearby. If I didn't love Oreo before, he sealed my heart by guarding my child. And that's how I'll always remember him. Curled up in a tight ball under her crib, googly eyes glued to the door. 

I knew the email would eventually come informing us that Oreo or Sammy had died, but I didn't imagine it would hurt so much when it happened. I thought being here in PNG was a big enough break in my heart from them that it would be easier. But it's not. Over time I will be able to see that even his death is from the merciful hand of God. He wasn't doing well mentally, and only seemed to be getting worse. He was fully taken care of, but life was still hard for him to live. His death was quick and he had already spent his short years serving many people. And now he can rest. And now though the tears come in gushes at random times, very soon I'll simply be able to remember Oreo as God's beautifully ugly gift to our family.