I love how God is always preparing us for what is coming our way.
  I know that when I am seeking him with a sincere heart, and doing what I can to put myself in the center of His will, He will honor that and He will always take care of me, no matter what.
  I believe that and I trust in that

 
Over the years, I have come to appreciate the special way Kathy Troccoli has with words, both in her songs and in her writings.
  I only remember reading two of her books.
  Each time I have, it has been at the turning of one season to another in my life. The book I’ve been reading,
Am I Not Still God?
 I
 got back in the spring.
  It is one of the books I may pick up a few times a week read a section or chapter, meditate on it, and then put it down until the next time I feel led to pick it up. God knew, as he always knows, just what I would need and when.
  The last time I read it I had left off right before the section ‘Jesus Wept.’
  This was what God wanted me to read this past Friday.
 

 
In this section, Kathy opened my eyes more to the sensitivity of Jesus.
  In John chapter 11, Jesus had finally made his way back to Judea after Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. In verse 32, Mary falls at the feet of Jesus.
   In verse 33 it says, ‘When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in (was deeply moved in) the spirit and was troubled.’
   In verse 35 scripture says “Jesus Wept”
   I don’t think I ever saw this before.
  As Kathy says, these are two very significant words which show the tender heart of Jesus.
  I know that Jesus was human and that He has experienced the same feelings I have and will experience, but Kathy helped me to see how sensitive God is to our tears.
  Sensitive enough that he created our bodies in such a way as to be able to cry tears to release the feelings we are having through tear ducts in our eyes.
  As she says, “He knew we would laugh until we cried and we would grieve with a wrenching far too deep for words, one that would have to come out of our eyes.
  Our eyes are the windows to our souls, and it is only natural for them to release the truth of what is being felt there.”
 

 
This reading and reading of the scriptures brought great comfort to me this past Friday.
  On Friday, I was able to muster some courage to invoke the responsibility I had and make the call that would free Lucky from the pain and struggles he was having, and were getting worse.
  The time had come for me to give Lucky back to Jesus.
  So on Friday, September 22, 2006 by the grace and love of God, and with the embrace of
  friends that have a heart like mine for the best friends God has given us,
 I had the strength to follow through with the most difficult decision I have ever had to make.
  I let Lucky go, back to the arms of Jesus.

 
As Kathy goes on, she reminds me that God holds all our tears in a bottle and lets not one of them fall to the ground.
  “He feels deeply.
  He is moved greatly.
  He lets us bury our heads in his chest, and as he wipes our tears He wipes his own.”
  I believe this with all my heart.
  This is not the first time I have cried and felt God crying with me.
  Many times, Gods tears come as a shower from heaven as they did this past Friday morning and have been off and on the last few days.

 
I miss Lucky.
  He was my best friend and companion for over twelve years.
  He saw me through some of the most difficult times of my life.
  Lucky was always there for me, never wavering in his love and affection for me, even when I didn’t deserve it, and didn’t or couldn’t give it back. He loved me even when I scolded him, most of which was for silly things.
  He helped me learn the deeper meaning of unconditional love.
  With Jesus, he was my security. Hhe went wherever I went (he made six moves with me); he was my protector and my comforter. Lucky was my best friend and was a great gift from Jesus himself.
 

 
I will always miss Lucky and at this point, I cannot put the feelings and emotions I am having and going through into words.
  I do know Lucky is free now and is in a much better place.
  I can smile and find peace in that, especially when I see him running again and playing Frisbee.

June 2006

 
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

                                                                                               
            Rev. 21:4