From the Archives of Clergy Clatter

February 2004

Dear God,

I had to send Bridget to you today. I took her to the vet to see if something could be done about her arthritis. X-rays showed that she did not have arthritis but very advanced bone cancer. The vet said that she was in a lot of pain. She never let me know how much it hurt. It was time for her to come to you.

Bridget was a gift from the folks at Epiphany at our Celebration of New Ministry. She was a wonderful dog. She let me sleep in her bed, ride in her car, work in her office and live in her house. In other words, she was spoiled rotten but managed it like a real lady. She attended a few clergy conferences, made a few home visits, and was an almost daily fixture at the NUOM office. She even flew in the plane with me a couple of times. Neither the UPS man or the mailman thought very much of her, but the feeling was mutual. Bridget and I had long conversations at night after going to bed. She knew all of my private thoughts because I told her things that I couldn’t tell people. She listened to me as I worked out any problems that were bothering me. She never disagreed with me, but always gave me a lick with her big, wash cloth of a tongue and let me know that everything was all right. We said our prayers together every night. Bridget will have some friends in Doggie Heaven. Captain, our old cocker spaniel, had to be put to sleep in October, and Fala, the Berrys’ collie and Bridget’s best friend, died on Christmas night. So – in a sense, part of the family is back together.

One last thing, God. If I make it to heaven, is there any chance I can go to the Doggie Section? I think I’ll fit in better there.

Richard+