Note of Thanks

[Pastor Don]

I wanted to say thank you to all who helped us pray for Belvedere.

Today at 10:10am cst, Our BEST friend passed away. He was sitting on Sandra's lap, raised his head and looked around the room, took a hard deep breath and went to sleep. It has been a very hard day for us. I went to a friends house and built a casket made of cedar, and came home and buried him. He now rests in the back yard under the pines that he use to chase the squirrels up all the time.

Belvedere was given to us as a going away gift from the Chelsea, Alabama Church of God of Prophecy when we left as Youth Pastors and took our first church to pastor in Illinois. He became our connection to home. Sandra would sit for hours and just talk to him. She always said that she could tell him anything and not have to worry about anyone finding out.

I am not so sure that animals get to go to heaven, but if one ever does he is sure to be there. It is a fact that he was a gift to us from God.

Please continue to pray for Sandra and I, it is very lonesome here today.

A Sheep Dog in His service (you gotta read the book to know)
Pastor Don Johnston


Belvedere Wadsworth Johnston
May 22, 1992 - March 113, 2003

[deb]

Sandra would sit for hours and just talk to him. She always said that she could tell him anything and not have to worry about anyone finding out.

I am not so sure that animals get to go to heaven, but if one ever does he is sure to be there. It is a fact that he was a gift to us from God.

Please continue to pray for Sandra and I, it is very lonesome here today.

Pastor Don,
Sandra is right. There's a little saying that goes, " A dog is man's best friend, because he wags his tail and not his tongue."
I don't know if our pets will be in heaven, but I do believe there will be animals. I personally can't wait to play with a panda bear.
I will pray for both of you, because I have been there too. It's like they become a member of your family.

Love, Deb

[The Martins]

I'm so sorry. I know exactly how you feel. I've been there.

"This too shall pass."

[Sherry]

I'm so very sorry to hear of Belvedere's passing. I too lost my dog several years ago and it's heartbreaking. I sure hope our pets are going to be in heaven, I can't wait to play with Shelby again one day. My prayer's are with you and your wife. And, it does get better....promise.

[Kenni]

I think there will be animals in heaven. The lion will lay down with the lamb and all that. I don't know that they will be our 'pets' that we have had here, necessarily. I have been told that animals don't have souls.

But, will mosquitos be in heaven? I hope not, but we wouldn't get to pick and choose, now would we?

This morning, my son asked me if there would be dinosaurs in heaven. I, of course, said, "I don't know." Nice innoculous answer that commits you to nothing.
He told me that there would be, most definitely. After all, dinosours die and leave their bones behind just like people do so surely dinosaurs would go to heaven just like we do. Then he smiled one of those cute little self-satisfied smiles that say, 'I figured that out all by myself.'
I just smiled. For him, right now, at his age - heaven wouldn't be complete without dinosaurs.
When we all get to heaven, I'm sure the line in the complaint department won't be very long.

[Gerald Creasy]

If animals will be in heaven, will they be in hell as well?


I had cat once that was awful mean.

[deb]

I think you must be right Gerald. We had a mean cat once upon a time, that attacked my husband and scratched him up trying to get away - so we let him run away. Haven't had a cat since.
Deb

[Gerald Creasy]

I think you must be right Gerald. We had a mean cat once upon a time, that attacked my husband and scratched him up trying to get away - so we let him run away. Haven't had a cat since.
Deb

The cat I have now is a fine cat, but she hates people (except for me of course).

At my old place, where the front door was only a few steps from the sidewalk, she'd sit in the window and growl at people who walked by.

Can an animal so filled with hate make it to heaven?

[deb]

(quote) The cat I have now is a fine cat, but she hates people (except for me of course).

At my old place, where the front door was only a few steps from the sidewalk, she'd sit in the window and growl at people who walked by.

Can an animal so filled with hate make it to heaven? (quote)

Our dogs are the same way as your cats. We have to put them up before anyone can come in the house. They even bark at the people who are regulars. But, of course, they don't bark at us.
If our animals are filled with so much hate and only love their owners, doesn't that make them prejudiced to the extreme? I can't say that our very own pets will be in heaven or hell. But I believe there will be animals and it won't matter if they are the same ones. Isaiah 11:6-7

Deb

[Kenya]

My Dad used to tell me "If you need your dog to be in Heaven to make you happy when you get there, it will be there". Right now in my life, I think I need my "babies" there with me.

I wonder why God made some animals with such distinct personalities though. Why are we able to get so attached to them and care about them so much?