An entry from my journal this morning....

Jessie, my crazy, neurotic, absolutely wonderful dog, is being especially needy this morning. I finally put my journal to the side and talked to her, rubbing her belly and giving her kisses. Then I told her, "Why are you so needy? Do you realize that everyday you wake up and someone is there to love you? Everyday someone is here to love you. I'm here. Timmy's here. Or Mary and George are there." And as I continued playing with her and rubbing her, I had a really sad thought: there are children in the world who wake up with no one to love on them. My dog is loved more than some children in the world. Then I thought how Jessie always has food and fresh water. A luxury for so many. And then the crazy thought: Jessie has insurance.

I know you can't quite compare pet insurance to human insurance, but consider the implications: Jessie gets yearly check-ups from a certified, trained doctor. She gets yearly vaccinations. She takes monthly prescriptions to protect her heart and the rest of her body. When Jessie is sick, she goes to the doctor's office. If Jessie is really sick or hurt, she does to the ER. In the past, Jessie has had some intestinal issues, so she was on a daily prescription until that cleared up. For a while, because of her mental issues, she was on psych drugs. Jessie gets better medical treatment than so many in this world, even so many in this country.

I don't feel guilty for how well we treat Jessie. She is a genuine part of our family and I think it is the responsible thing to do to take care of any pet you take into your home. This is the main reason Timmy and I were so thoughtful about getting a pet in the first place. We understood the emotional and financial commitment. This is probably one of the main reasons we don't get Jessie a permanent friend/playmate. But still I have to remind myself what Timmy and Will Ferrell remind me: "She's just an F-ing dog." She is part of God's glorious creation. She is one of God's creations, but she does not bear the image of God himself. There are image bearers in this world who aren't treated as well as my dog.