All Creatures of Our God and King...

I don't know how to begin this post, but somehow I need to put this into words...

Our sweet sweet Sunshine went over the "Rainbow Bridge" last night.

I like to think that just as he loved to lay down in the shed in front of the cross and the Nativity scene that we stored there for Christmas, maybe he's laying down at the feet of Jesus now. I don't know where our beloved pets go when they die, but somehow I think there's a special place for them in heaven.

This was Sunshine and Blackie, watching the sunset just a few evenings ago.  

This was last week. Little did I know these would be the last photos I would be taking of sweet Sunshine.

A few weeks ago he seemed to be losing his appetite for the dry food we fed him and Blackie all the time. So we started them on some canned food to see how they would like it, and I think I already told you they loved it.  But as the days went by, Sunshine lost interest in that food as well.

I thought he looked a bit sad in this picture, but I didn't realize he was telling me good bye.

The last couple of weeks he stayed mostly on this straw doormat outside our glass doors. He rarely left it except to go potty or eat, but then he just lost interest in eating altogether, and on this past Saturday and Sunday he didn't eat a bite of food, and barely drank water.  Of course it was the weekend, so there wasn't much I could do. 

All day yesterday he barely moved, but when he did move, he took himself to the woods where he always loved to lay under the cool trees near the pond.

I knew in my heart that he was going there to die, and although my heart was breaking, I knew he was where he wanted to be.

Tearfully, I sang this song to him...

"You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray, you'll never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my Sunshine away..."

Remember when I took these pictures of him with this ceramic cat we have that looks just like him? He was so funny about looking at that cat...

Anyway, as the sun was going down in the west, I knew that Sunshine was breathing his last breaths. 

I didn't know what else to do, so I just wandered around, praying for him, and taking pictures of the beauty of the evening...

The Sand Hill Cranes were out there on Still Waters Pond, settling down for the night:

And this morning when I woke up and the sun came up, I went and checked to see if Sunshine was still in the same place, and yes, he was. He had not moved an inch, so  I knew he was gone.  

I couldn't reach him because of all the underbrush. So we called our son Benton to come over and help us get him out of the woods and bury him, which he did so very kindly.

Blackie knew something was up...he was comforting me and himself by clinging to my legs...

Benton took care of the burial, and I found something appropriate to put on his grave...

I am sorry to start this Thanksgiving week off with this sad news. But I am thankful for the almost a year that we were blessed to have Sunshine and Blackie here with us. Thankfully we still have Blackie, but Sunshine is going to be missed by all of us.  

I will close with this hymn of praise to our God and King...

1. All creatures of our God and King,

Lift up your voice and with us sing

Alleluia, alleluia!

Thou burning sun with golden beam,

Thou silver moon with softer gleam,

O praise him, O praise him,

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

2. Thou rushing winds that art so strong,

Ye clouds that sail in Heav'n along,

O praise him, alleluia!

Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,

Ye lights of evening, find a voice.

O praise him, O praise him,

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

3. And all ye saints of tender heart,

Forgiving others, take your part,

O sing ye, alleluia!

Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,

Praise God and on him cast your care:

O praise him, O praise him,

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

4. Let all things their creator bless,

And worship him in humbleness,

O praise him, alleluia!

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,

And praise the Spirit, Three in One:

O praise him, O praise him,

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Amen.