Chapter 41 – Unframed Faith

Peace of God Rules and Keeps

Philippians 4:7

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 3:15

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

Kathunk! A long pause and another kathunk came out from Kaiyah’s room space. I went as quickly as I could tear away from some work I had been doing upstairs. Kaiyah was partly sitting in her Lady Kaiyah bed box looking upset and awkward as she tried to get up and out of her cozy spot. I could tell she had been trying, and for sure that was the sound I had heard. She was having a difficult time lifting her back legs high enough over the top edge of her luxury bed frame.

I spoke to her, “Kaiyah, it’s ok do you need a little help honey?” She looked over at me and in one fell swoop, jumped over the bed in a very deer like bound and landed safely and soundly on the carpet without even a wobble. She made a mad dash to her backyard exit door and had her curlie tail waggling as she watched me catch up to her and open the passage door to her garden. Off she went like husky lightning, to find relief and do a few friskity laps before coming back inside. She ate a good hearty breakfast and went back to her cozy space. This time I watched to see how she moved to get back in bed. She hopped in with a flump and lay down in a curl after a twirl. She peeked up at me with ears pointed straight up and gave me her sweet faced expression of, “I’m ok, see?” And then quietly put her head down drifting back to sleep.

A week or so later this happened again, and then again. I knew Kaiyah would eventually not be able to continue enjoying the Lady Kaiyah luxury bed frame; her physical needs were definitely changing. I had noticed also that she was sleeping with her body position more open instead of the cozy curl she usually liked to do, spreading herself out more and with her legs more straightened. One afternoon after taking a nap I heard that kathunk again, but much moreso. She was trying to get out of the bed and totally couldn’t. Her back legs just couldn’t get high enough. The front of those paws landing hard against the side. I walked over very calmly and helped her out. She looked a bit sad and confused. I pet her and checked her legs and feet. All was ok but I did notice the tightness in the muscles at the back of the upper portion of the legs and in her lower back. I was praying for her and for wisdom as I knew accommodations were required.

I filled the bed with cardboard at the bottom to provide more height to the depth and added a bit of cushioning along all the sides with thick blankets to see if that would help her. That seemed to work but only for a short time. When Pumpkin came to visit her he noticed there was not much room in the bed anymore. She was sleeping more spread out and with all the extra cushioning he couldn’t go in any more. That seemed to frustrate them both. Kaiyah almost tripped on him on one occasion and he never tried to go in that bed again with her in it. They both were clearly saddened by the situation and very naturally Kaiyah had decided, on her own, to no longer sleep in her luxury bed. She chose to lay on the floor where she didn’t have to step in and out, or hop, and where she could be close to her buddy Pumpkin. She was able to sprawl out as was best for her without the limits of her bed frame. It made total sense that she needed to be unframed from her bed box. I knew it was time to retire the lovely bed and focus on making the carpet space as cozy as could be… for both of them.

Of course, Peter was aware of these changes as well and we both, in our own way, were dealing with the reality of what she was going through and what could be done to help her. Her community walks were shorter and shorter, and the foothills trips more seldom. She still had a lot of determination and energy to go for those out in the open land mission trips and we did so as often as she could.

On one of those excursions a few of the community neighbors were out there riding bikes along the pathway. We encouraged the thin but strong mature lady as she peddled hard to climb the steep incline going up the path winding up the hill. “You got this!” I shouted, encouraging her after a quick greeting in the late morning sunshine. She worked hard but she made it! Kaiyah wanted to follow right after, and I let her lead and I cheered on my old girl working just as hard to paw-peddle her way up, and she made it!!! She liked the view from that high desert hill and we took a few minutes to soak it in and for her to decide when to get going again.

She looked up at the sky and in one mini-hop lunge forward, we continued with her steady cadence. Slowly we came around the winding downturn that travelled along the narrow dirt path. She stopped after noticing a man and his son riding dirt bikes just up ahead on another trail path. She was more cautious with them, and waited to see which way they would go. They apparently went in a direction that she was good with so she moved right along winding her way down and back toward the trailhead we went. As she transitioned to a small switch-back that would curve around a very small hill that meandered toward the parking lot, the boy and his father came zooming along up ahead. She stopped, watched, and plodded her way heading right for them but we were on a different path. She was tired at that point but kept her pace steady. I had waved at them and they just stared. The boy asked his father, “What about her…..?” something else but I didn’t hear. His dad answered loudly looking right at us, “That one is already dead!” The boy sounded sad and said something as the father scowled in our direction and they, thankfully, rode out of sight.

I don’t know why that incident struck me so hard but I was angry, sad, frustrated, and once again disappointed in people. With unusual folks living around us I wasn’t sure if they were talking about Kaiyah, me, or both of us but it was uncalled for and cruel and upsetting to me and the boy for sure. After they were gone we were again alone. I had Colossians 3:15 rise in my heart, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Deep breath and then a soft whisper, “Please Lord let your Peace rule in our hearts…..”

Kaiyah and I stopped; I hugged my old girl really tight, prayed for her, prayed for me and even those folks. I spoke words of life over her and even quoted a few Passages and thanked God for everything I could think of, for every day we had been given, and for our God being with us no matter what or where we were; He Sees and Knows it all. It was important to forgive and trust all with Jesus but even so it can hurt. Kaiyah and I made our way back to the old SUV and I lifted our “vertical dog” carefully in, gave her a treat, water - and lots of pets as we watched a few song birds hopping on the grass and tree nearby. I could tell she was tired and wanted to go home and we did.

When we came in she directly made her way across the living room to the kitchen and right to her own backyard access point and waited. I couldn’t help but marvel at her self-control and always, if possible, preferring her own grassy “bathroom” to even the largest outdoor “public spaces.” Out she hopped slowly finding exactly where to do her business or “make a deposit.” When ready she stiffly strode up the one stair, in with a hop, and straight on to her warm cozy floor space after head bumps from Pumpkin and a good MEOW from Gideon. Cotton would joyfully whistle when he could see her from Home Cage especially if she got friskity. Boy, would he get happy calls going watching her sudden burst of unleashed energy with chunky cheeks!

We decided to have a follow-up visit with Kaiyah’s vet at that time. The doctor was sure Kaiyah was dealing with accelerating normal arthritis and other old age husky conditions. Even though changes were seen, her eyes and ears, her heart and overall health was good. She was however concerned about her spine near her back legs and wondered if something had happened. I told her everything I knew that had happened about the luxury bed, the change in sleeping posture, the time she slipped in the kitchen and landed on her wee bum, I even reiterated the two falls she already knew about… everything I could think of. I didn’t watch her every minute she was inside or outside, but we only had one area in the far corner that may have been something, but we never saw anything happen and she almost never went back there. Peter tried to think of anything as well although he was often at work and we both tried to be super careful with her. We were at a loss and terribly upset by that news.

I felt a horrible guilt for whatever had happened as I should have been there to prevent or protect her. I should have kept a better watch, put a gate or something in the back of the SUV to prevent those two falls, removed her luxury bed frame sooner, blocked off that part of the yard… oh, my mind ran with all kinds of thoughts and the emotions which only added to the complicated ones we both were already dealing with. The doctor prescribed some gentle and yet effective treat meds to help Kaiyah with pain. We already had been regularly giving her glucosamine-chondrotin with MSM. Peter’s dad helped us get those to help her joints. Her food was supposed to help as well, along with new additional senior centered treats for our Kaiyah. We wanted her to have the best quality of life achievable and as much love and attention as she could handle.

It was evident we needed the strength of solid undergirding and forefending (shielding) Truth as in Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” We reminded each other of the Peace we have in Jesus and we needed Him and His Guard over our minds, our hearts, our lives including our sweet fur and feather babies. Scriptures that I’ve clung to, and still cling to, so often throughout my life - each one a life preserver just like Isaiah 26:3-4 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:”

We continued to invest quality bonding time with every one of our pets. Kaiyah had new goodies to help her feel better. We had them all on the very best quality need and age specific foods we could afford, and we had finally come to a decision about the whole move thing. Ever aware of the fact we were all aging and time being as precious as it is, and things being what they were, Peter and I decided unframed faith was needed, surrendered with no limits, spreading out our trust in Him from right where we were, and put our home on the market. We welcomed the Lord to Work in all of it. We asked Him to Show us His Will and His Timing whatever the outcome. We didn’t want emotions driving us. A decision was made, finally, but not a totally peaceful one….  

 …Until we meet again…