Often times, the topic of Abortion is discussed in a purely political context. Terminating a pregnancy is often articulated in the context of "A Woman's Choice". Dissenters to the practice of abortion are often labeled using the complementary "Pro-Life," or the impliedly derogatory "Anti-Choice." Proponents of abortion lean on the Roe vs. Wade decision from 1973, in arguing that the Due Process Clause in the 14th Amendment and the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution, entitled a woman to the "right to privacy" in terminating her pregnancy. Justice Harry Blackmun wrote the reasoned opinion that supported a woman's right to have an abortion, making Roe vs. Wade one of the landmark cases of this country's judicial and political history. When considering the term "Abortion" does not not appear in the Constitution, proponents point to the evolution to America's social and political landscape over the past century to be more "enlightened" as to the superior intellectual and social qualities of mankind.
But a woman's right to "Choose" to end her pregnancy has far greater implications than those presented in the political sphere. Women in the present day can choose to a large extent: what career she will pursue; her husband (Some women will argue a thinning herd of marry-able men makes this option one of semantics); where she will live; her friends; what form of contraceptive she will use (I'm not advocating this option or a trying to imply biblical approval; but am simply elaborating on the "choices" a woman can make); and her eternal fate. It is true that women do not enjoy complete equality with men, but this examination is not one of comparing secular roles and liberties. It is an examination of mankind's role in the creation process, and a woman's God ordained role as the catalyst for all human life. So the central issue of choice is not really one of life and freedom, but is really a question of whether God's gift of life to us supercedes His gift of free will to us.
You see, God is the author of life. In the book of Genesis, Chapter 1, one witnesses The Holy, Living, Thinking, Reasoning God proclaim in v.26 "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..."
He thought about doing it, then He did it:
"v.27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
God created man and woman, and gave them the gift of life. Not only the ability to live and grow, but to create others like them.
Now, it is true he also gave this same gift to the beasts of the animal kingdom. But like the seasons, the cycle of life within the animal kingdom is really one similar to an automatic timer. The animals have an internal clock that governs their need and desire to procreate and perpetuate life in their individual species. Human on the otherhand, have more autonomy. Besides, it is we who were created in God's image.
The gift of life God gave man is special for another reason. Not only do we have the ability to take part in the creation process, when a husband and wife express their love and attraction for each other through sexual intercourse. But, when man and woman unite in physical intimacy protected within the bounds of marriage, God is also present. He sanctions the union of a man and his wife in their intimacy. What is even more mind-blowing, He communes with the unseen, but fully alive fetus as it grows in the inner most parts of the woman's body. In Psalms 139, King David laments how God's delight in us begins even as we grow in our mother's wombs:
"13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.'
Even in our mother's wombs, God knows us and communes with us. With that in mind, what conclusion would a rational person come to, as it relates to God's opinion on the issue of abortion?
It is true, the political opportunists in our country have used the issue of abortion as a wedge issue in national politics, to create division and obtain a political advantage. But God is not a politician, and when Christ was here on Earth, He seemed to go to great lengths to avoid political debates altogether.
Instead God is the loving Parent who gives His precious children a gift, in the hope we use it with the respect and reverence one should have given the magnitude of of the gift's power.
So, with that in mind, how does God feel about the topic of abortion? Does He nod in affirmative approval? Shrug His shoulders in preoccupied indifference? Or does he cry inconsolably as the cycle of life He gifted to His children, comes to a violent end?
Monday, June 9, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
It Really Is Time For A Change
Turn on any news program, and one will be filled with stories of doom and gloom. News reports of "Global Warming", "Rising Energy Prices", 'Rumors of Wars", and a "Sense of Restlessness" permeate the airwaves. Why?
Is it because Republican President George Bush has been in office for the past 8 years?
Is it because of the war in Iraq?
Is it because this is an election year, and people are just ready for a new political climate?
Is it because of the failing financial markets around the world?
Will a change in the affiliation of the political party in the White House cure what ails the masses? Or bring comfort to the human heart?
Isaiah 55 states:
55:2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you?
Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing!
Enjoy fine food!
55:3 Pay attention and come to me!
Listen, so you can live!
Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you,
just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.
55:5 Look, you will summon nations you did not previously know;
nations that did not previously know you will run to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he bestows honor on you.
55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle
and sinful people their plans.
They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them,
and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.
55:9 for just as the sky is higher than the earth,
so my deeds are superior to your deeds
and my plans superior to your plans.
55:10 The rain and snow fall from the sky
and do not return,
but instead water the earth
and make it produce and yield crops,
and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing.
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.”
55:12 Indeed you will go out with joy;
you will be led along in peace;
the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you,
and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.
55:13 Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes,
firs will grow in place of nettles;
they will be a monument to the Lord,
a permanent reminder that will remain.
Wow!! God promises to fulfill our needs and give peace in our hearts. But that fulfilment only comes when one returns to God and enters into a real relationship with Him.
Thus the crux of the problem when Man has the free will to choose his path, and that path takes him away from the God that created him.
The news reports don't reflect a need for a change in public policies. They reflect the frustrations of mankind in being disheartened with the path he is has pursued apart from God.
Man has become blind, weary, disillusioned, and frustrated. We worship the Earth. We worship political parties. We worship ourselves. We worship the idols we have crafted of wood, brick, silver, and gold. In Biblical times, they were pagan gods.
In the modern day, they are the homes, cars, clothes, and lifestyle that are a little too luxurious for our wallets.
And yet, we as humans are still unhappy...
God's promises to give what our souls thirst so much for. Him. We were created with a God shaped hole in our hearts that only He could fill.
Putting our hopes for peace, fulfillment and salvation in anything besides Him will always result in more despair and decay.
Instead of hoping in Obama or McCain to fix all that is wrong in the world, hope that the authority and person of Jesus Christ becomes more of a reality with each passing day.
Is it because Republican President George Bush has been in office for the past 8 years?
Is it because of the war in Iraq?
Is it because this is an election year, and people are just ready for a new political climate?
Is it because of the failing financial markets around the world?
Will a change in the affiliation of the political party in the White House cure what ails the masses? Or bring comfort to the human heart?
Isaiah 55 states:
"55:1 “Hey, all who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come!
Buy and eat!
Come! Buy wine and milk
without money and without cost!
You who have no money, come!
Buy and eat!
Come! Buy wine and milk
without money and without cost!
55:2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you?
Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing!
Enjoy fine food!
55:3 Pay attention and come to me!
Listen, so you can live!
Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you,
just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.
55:5 Look, you will summon nations you did not previously know;
nations that did not previously know you will run to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he bestows honor on you.
55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle
and sinful people their plans.
They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them,
and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.
55:9 for just as the sky is higher than the earth,
so my deeds are superior to your deeds
and my plans superior to your plans.
55:10 The rain and snow fall from the sky
and do not return,
but instead water the earth
and make it produce and yield crops,
and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing.
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.”
55:12 Indeed you will go out with joy;
you will be led along in peace;
the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you,
and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.
55:13 Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes,
firs will grow in place of nettles;
they will be a monument to the Lord,
a permanent reminder that will remain.
Wow!! God promises to fulfill our needs and give peace in our hearts. But that fulfilment only comes when one returns to God and enters into a real relationship with Him.
Thus the crux of the problem when Man has the free will to choose his path, and that path takes him away from the God that created him.
The news reports don't reflect a need for a change in public policies. They reflect the frustrations of mankind in being disheartened with the path he is has pursued apart from God.
Man has become blind, weary, disillusioned, and frustrated. We worship the Earth. We worship political parties. We worship ourselves. We worship the idols we have crafted of wood, brick, silver, and gold. In Biblical times, they were pagan gods.
In the modern day, they are the homes, cars, clothes, and lifestyle that are a little too luxurious for our wallets.
And yet, we as humans are still unhappy...
God's promises to give what our souls thirst so much for. Him. We were created with a God shaped hole in our hearts that only He could fill.
Putting our hopes for peace, fulfillment and salvation in anything besides Him will always result in more despair and decay.
Instead of hoping in Obama or McCain to fix all that is wrong in the world, hope that the authority and person of Jesus Christ becomes more of a reality with each passing day.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Back Up and Running
I must have been smoking crack, when I decided to start a blog while a full-time law student, part time law-intern for a law firm, part-time mediator for state court, father of 2 kids (ages 4 and 3), and the husband of the baddest chick on the planet. In other words, I not only don't have time, I probably need an extra 20 hours each week. But God gives strength to the weary, so I hope to be more diligent going forward.
I just completed my second year of law school, while working full time hours as a law intern for a small firm, and doing an externship for state court as a mediator. At this point, I am pretty much fried. I am enjoying spending time with my wife and kids over the summer. I will enjoy this time next summer even more, which is when I hope to graduate from law school. In the mean time, I hope to post at least 1 small entry each day.
Till next time... God Bless
I just completed my second year of law school, while working full time hours as a law intern for a small firm, and doing an externship for state court as a mediator. At this point, I am pretty much fried. I am enjoying spending time with my wife and kids over the summer. I will enjoy this time next summer even more, which is when I hope to graduate from law school. In the mean time, I hope to post at least 1 small entry each day.
Till next time... God Bless
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Going Home to Glory
On January 30, 2007 Janette Ridely, Tamila's grandmother, passed away after battling respiratory ailments for the past two months. She had finally succumbed to cardio-pulmonary failure at the age of 76 years old.
Of course Tami and her mom, Shirley (Mom), took it hard. We all hoped Ms. Ridley would get better, as her doctors stated they were hopeful she would be able to go home soon. But her ailments were too much for her to overcome. This all started one day back in the middle of October. Ms. Ridley started having problems breathing, and Mom had to take her to the hospital. She was initially in the hospital for about 5 weeks, as she had a shunt put into her esophagus to help her breath, and overcome what the doctors believed to be a generalized respiratory infection. It was hard for the doctors to determine exactly what type of infection she had, because her ailment was further complicated by the fact she smoked up until the day she went into the hospital in October.
Ms. Ridley had been a life long smoker, so it was hard to determine exactly whether she had pneumonia, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, pulmonary hypertension, or a generalized Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, of which emphysema and chronic bronchitis are grouped. All of these illnesses have some overlap of the same symptoms. Since Ms. Ridley had been a smoker all of her life, she probably suffered from a severe form of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which basically destroys the air sacs in the lungs, causing shortness of breath and wheezing as the body struggles to absorb air. Ms. Ridley was also a diabetic, and suffered from imbalanced insulin levels in the week before her passing. I am sure it was the combination of these two ailments that overwhelmed her body.
Now on a personal level, Ms. Ridley was the typical grandmother and great-grandmother. I had been told she battled all kinds of adversity as a young lady, but she managed to raise two high-quality, loving young ladies in my mother-in-law Shirley and her late sister Gwen. Ms. Ridley had also been feisty as a younger woman, but she had really mellowed out when she got older. She was a little eccentric, but she was always personable. I always told Tam Ms. Ridley was as tough as iron, and that if someone dropped a nuclear bomb, the only person that would survive would be Ms. Ridley. She was literally unbreakable or unbendable, and was quite set in her ways. After living a life of adversity, she had conquered everything. In the end, God took mercy on her and relieved her of her failing earthly body. He called her Home to be with "He who knew thee as she was being formed in the womb".
She was always sweet to me, and always made an effort to speak to me whenever I went over my mother-in-law's house, even if she had to holler down the stairs from her bedroom as I came into the front door. She loved my wife Tam and her sister, Tameka. She simply adored her great-grand kids ((Tam and I kids Olan (4) and Cassidy (2), and Tameka and Antoine's kids Aniyah (4) and Isaiah (2)). In the year before Ms. Ridley passed away, my mother-in-law had kept Cassidy during the day. It was during this time Cassidy and Ms. Ridley became running buddies. I would usually get to Mom's house when Ms. Ridley was eating breakfast, and Cassidy would run over to the table next to Mr. Ridley and snatch one of her biscuits. Ms. Ridley always had bisuits and grits for breakfast. Ms. Ridley would often feed Cassidy out of her plate, which was a miracle in itself since Mr. Ridley did not mess around when it came to her food. Her name for Olan was "Sweet Boy", and it would bother her if Tam or I had to discipline Olan when he misbehaved. The great-grand kids loved her, and Ms. Ridley ate it up.
Although Tam and I worked, and she was on a fixed income, Ms. Ridley would sometimes give us money. She would also give me money to tithe at our church, even though she was not a member. I never saw her laugh as much as when the kids were around her. She had mellowed out to the point where she would hang out with the kids , watch TV, and nap through out the day. Tam told me the day Ms. Ridley left the house to go to the hospital back in October, Cassidy cried and went upstairs to Ms. Ridley's room and sat on her bed. Tam had to go up there to calm her down. Cassidy was really upset Ms. Ridley was leaving the house. The two of them had really become that tight.
Christmas morning, Tam, myself, and the kids went to see Ms. Ridley at the geriatric hospital she was at. It was the last time we saw her before she passed away. We sat with her for about half an hour, and decided to leave because she was tired. Before we left, the kids gave her kisses. I'm glad she lived to long enough to spend time with her great-grand kids. They gave her a lot of joy.
Here is to you Ms. Ridley. We will miss you and long for the day when we all fellowship with you again, as that will be when we all are in the Presence of The Lord in Heaven. Rest well, you have earned it.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The Fear of The Lord Part 1
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Why did Solomon state in the Book of Proverbs that fearing God, is the point of origin from which all wisdom flows?
God was so impressed that Solomon did not ask for something he could use for selfish gain, He not only gave him wisdom, He made him the greatest and wealthiest king in the world. And given that King Solomon's reputation as one of the wisest and splendor-drenched kings in the history of the world is still intact too this day, God's blessing was no small feat.
What would you ask for, if given such an opportunity as Solomon?
But fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Why did Solomon state in the Book of Proverbs that fearing God, is the point of origin from which all wisdom flows?
- Is it because God is the source of all knowledge, and all should consider and absorb His take on the matter in question?
- Or is it because when one fears the Lord, he will be more conscious of his actions and their eternal consequences of those actions?
- Or is it because since God is Omnipotent (Unlimited Power and Authority) and Omnipresent (Present Everywhere At The Same Time), He is able to to help us navigate our path, to ensure we are not victim to the pitfalls and snares that entrap others?
- Or is it because we are fragile, and without God giving us wisdom, we are more likely to to allow our sinful nature to dictate our actions, which is almost a guarantee for tragedy?
God was so impressed that Solomon did not ask for something he could use for selfish gain, He not only gave him wisdom, He made him the greatest and wealthiest king in the world. And given that King Solomon's reputation as one of the wisest and splendor-drenched kings in the history of the world is still intact too this day, God's blessing was no small feat.
What would you ask for, if given such an opportunity as Solomon?
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas Lord
Disclaimer: I am a born again Christian. I did not grow up in the church or in a Christian household. I actually submitted to the authority of Christ as my Lord and Savior, as a 21 year old Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, stationed overseas in 1991. I had enough of living in selfishness, emptiness, and simply ran out of options. So, my turning to Christ was more out of survival than of looking for some self-congragulatory "Religious" experience. Like all relationships, it has been one of ups and downs. And those vacillations have been totally my fault, as Christ's purpose and goals for my life have never changed. I was just too immature to appreciate where He wanted to take me.
With that said, I take the opportunity today to wish Him a Happy Birthday, and to thank Him for all he has done for me, and all he has done for all of mankind. One day, He will make all that is wrong, right... In the meantime, I await His arrival, and long to be totally submitted to His plan and purpose.
Happy Birthday Lord and Have Blessed Day
With that said, I take the opportunity today to wish Him a Happy Birthday, and to thank Him for all he has done for me, and all he has done for all of mankind. One day, He will make all that is wrong, right... In the meantime, I await His arrival, and long to be totally submitted to His plan and purpose.
Happy Birthday Lord and Have Blessed Day
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend
Looking back in hindsight, I now see that she was really sick. Like any person with cancer, she had her good days and her bad days. Because she was a 10 year old dog, Sheba had slowed down quite a bit from the days when she was an energetic puppy. And it was difficult to distinguish the bad days from the days when she was just plain tired. As a puppy she was always high energy.. too high energy. She flat out wore me out some days, but she was a good dog. To be more precise, she was a human dressed like a dog. Now matter how long an obituary I could write, no amount of words could do justice to describe Sheba Gill's involvement with the Gill family. But I'll give it my best shot. Here goes.
In June of 1997, I was home in Atlanta during summer break from college. I was entering my senior year at Hampton University, which I was attending on a football scholarship. One Saturday, my mom brought a little puppy home she had got from a friend of the family. The puppy was a golden brown... almost blond. She had big floppy ears and a purple tongue. I almost thought she was a Chow, because Chows are one of the breeds that have purple tongues. I asked my mom what she was going to name the puppy, to which she replied "Sheba". Now mind you, Sheba was originally my mom's dog. I was going to school in Virginia and was only home for the summer, so raising a dog was not anywhere in my plans. But Sheba and I really took to each other.
The same day my mom brought her home, I started potty training her. I ran to the store and got some puppy food and dog treats. From that day on, were inseparable. Tamila Hill, my girlfriend at the time (who would later become my wife) also took to Sheba. And Sheba took to her too. We would go out on dates to Piedmont Park and take Sheba with us. For the rest of the summer, Sheba pretty much hung with me. Right before I went back to school in August, my mom started having second thoughts about keep Sheba. She suggested she would keep her until I graduated and then I would take Sheba as my own. I agreed. I
Sheba and I were tight, even though my schedule was hectic. I would let Sheba out in the morning. Then I would go to class at Georgia State , get out of class at 11am and catch the bus to work . I would work 2pm-10:30pm and catch the bus home, getting home about 11:30. I would then let her out when I got home. So during the week, I would not get to spend a lot of time with Sheba, but the weekends were different. Tami would usually come over Saturday morning. Unless we were going to a mall or a movie, Sheba would hang with us. Parks, drives around the city, going to Stone Mountain, you name it, Sheba was there. In November of 1998, I proposed to Tami and she accepted. We began to look forward to our lives together as a family.
I ended up needed to go back to Hampton for to take my last two of the needed three classes. Like a bonehead, I registered at GSU as a transient student, which meant I could only go to school at GSU for one semester. So I finished the Fall of '98 at GSU and continued to live in the apartment and work at AAA until May '99. I then had to go back to Hampton to take the last two classes: 1 during the summer and 1 in the fall. I left Sheba with my mom and moved back to Hampton. Tami was home in Atlanta planning our wedding that would take place on December 18, 1999. I completed the needed classes over the summer and fall, taking my last final on December 6th, 1999. I left the exam room, went back to my dorm room, and was on a Greyhound back to Atlanta within 2 hours.
A few weeks earlier over the Thanksgiving break, Tami and I had a found an apartment in Atlanta (Riverside Apartments, now called Riverside Vinings) that took pets and one that we could afford. It was a small apartment. A 900 square foot apartment with one bedroom and a kitchenette. But it was home. Starting out, money was TIGHT, but it was fun. Tami, Sheba and I would all pile into my old full size bed at bedtime. On weekends, I would get some hot dogs and cheap $2.00 steaks and grill on the patio (Violation of the City Fire Code). Sheba could eat her weight in steak. Tami and I also found a trail that led to a path that ran along the banks of the Chattahoochee River. We would take Sheba down there and let her walk through the water. Life was simple. However, it was at this time I noticed some quirks in my dog.
Sheba had pretty much been raised by my mom, which means my mom let her do whatever she wanted. Sheba would brazenly eat out of the garbage can. And would stand 6 inches from you, when you were eating, to beg for food. When she did not get any food, she would urinate on the carpet out of spite. This was always a pet peeve of mine. Whenever she would urinate on the carpet, I would get livid, because she had been house-trained since she was a month old. She also hated to get wet, which was strange for a dog. If she was standing in wet grass, she hold up one of her paws, as if to say she was too prissy to get wet. Whenever I gave her a bath, I had to put on swimming trunks because I would get just as wet as she did. Sheba also had the bad habit of chewing the toes out of my socks, only mine.
But she was a part of the family... Our family. And like all families, you get used to each others quirks. We eventually moved into our first home in Douglasville, Ga. After being married about 3 years, Tami and I bought a Boxer puppy from on of my best friends. We named him Dutch-Daddy, or Dutch for short. Of course, Sheba did not like this. She would nip at the Boxer puppy, or sulk in the corner whenever he came into the room. But they eventually became pretty tight. One time I took Dutch and Sheba to the vet after Dutch's face became really swollen (He got stung when he ate a yellow jacket). When the vet tried to touch Dutch, Sheba tried to bite her, and started barking. So she took to protecting him, while he was still a puppy.
Tami and I would have two kids (boy, then a girl) along the way. Sheba went from sleeping in the bed, to sleeping on the floor. Eventually, Sheba and Dutch would have to sleep in the garage because they would tend to roam around the house and get into things. We no longer spent all of our time with her, taking her to parks and letting her ride in the car when we ran errands. The kids and our work week became the priority, and the dogs , while our pets, became more like pets and less like our kids. And this is the way it remained until the second week in October 2007, when we first started noticing Sheba was really lethargic. She started peeing on the carpet. But suprisingly, I did not get mad at her. I would see the pee stain, and she would give me a look that said "Sorry", and "I would tell her it's okay Sheps". She began to eat less as well. She would still be outside when I came home from class, but know she would be laying by the back porch, instead of running around the yard.
On October 31st, I took her to the vet. The night before, I noticed she was barely able to stand, and looked really tired. She just sat in the corner and looked really sad. A couple of days earlier, she laid on the couch, while I sat in the floor in front of her and she laid her chin on my shoulder while I watched TV. She just looked really tired. At the vet, she could not get our of the car, so I had to carry her in. I laid her down on the table, and told the vet I thought she had a blockage in her intestines (her stomach had swollen to 3 times the normal size). He said she had cancer, probably lymphoma. He also said he could do surgery to make me happy to confirm it was cancer, but Sheba would still have to be put to sleep and I would be out of pocket close to a $1,000. I asked for a minute to say goodbye, and went out to pay the bill. When I went back to look at her, she was already gone. I had the doctor open up her abdomen (Remember, I was a Biology major, so I was not squeamish), and we both saw that her spleen was the size of a grapefruit (normally the size of a small banana cut in half). The doctor said it was probaly a lymphoma type blood cancer, and that is why her illness progressed so quickly.
Tami called as I was leaving the vet's office... as expected she was hysterical. She cried almost everyday for a month. Sheba had grown to become more her dog than mine, and she was kind of like our first child. The kids would ask about her, but they were too young to miss her. Besides, Dutch was the really the dog they played with. Tami still cries if she finds a toy of Sheba's, or a picture she took of her right before she died. I cried for 2 or 3 days aafter she died. I even went to the Humane Society looking to get another puppy. I eventually decided against it. I said if I still want one a month from now, I would get one, and I ended up not wanting another one. I decided to just spend more time with Dutch, and that has worked out good. Besides, Sheba had so much personality, I coould not replace her even if I wanted to.
That's it. That's my obituary to Sheba. A great dog, and a great friend. Thanks for ten years of friendship.
In June of 1997, I was home in Atlanta during summer break from college. I was entering my senior year at Hampton University, which I was attending on a football scholarship. One Saturday, my mom brought a little puppy home she had got from a friend of the family. The puppy was a golden brown... almost blond. She had big floppy ears and a purple tongue. I almost thought she was a Chow, because Chows are one of the breeds that have purple tongues. I asked my mom what she was going to name the puppy, to which she replied "Sheba". Now mind you, Sheba was originally my mom's dog. I was going to school in Virginia and was only home for the summer, so raising a dog was not anywhere in my plans. But Sheba and I really took to each other.
The same day my mom brought her home, I started potty training her. I ran to the store and got some puppy food and dog treats. From that day on, were inseparable. Tamila Hill, my girlfriend at the time (who would later become my wife) also took to Sheba. And Sheba took to her too. We would go out on dates to Piedmont Park and take Sheba with us. For the rest of the summer, Sheba pretty much hung with me. Right before I went back to school in August, my mom started having second thoughts about keep Sheba. She suggested she would keep her until I graduated and then I would take Sheba as my own. I agreed. I
Sheba and I were tight, even though my schedule was hectic. I would let Sheba out in the morning. Then I would go to class at Georgia State , get out of class at 11am and catch the bus to work . I would work 2pm-10:30pm and catch the bus home, getting home about 11:30. I would then let her out when I got home. So during the week, I would not get to spend a lot of time with Sheba, but the weekends were different. Tami would usually come over Saturday morning. Unless we were going to a mall or a movie, Sheba would hang with us. Parks, drives around the city, going to Stone Mountain, you name it, Sheba was there. In November of 1998, I proposed to Tami and she accepted. We began to look forward to our lives together as a family.
I ended up needed to go back to Hampton for to take my last two of the needed three classes. Like a bonehead, I registered at GSU as a transient student, which meant I could only go to school at GSU for one semester. So I finished the Fall of '98 at GSU and continued to live in the apartment and work at AAA until May '99. I then had to go back to Hampton to take the last two classes: 1 during the summer and 1 in the fall. I left Sheba with my mom and moved back to Hampton. Tami was home in Atlanta planning our wedding that would take place on December 18, 1999. I completed the needed classes over the summer and fall, taking my last final on December 6th, 1999. I left the exam room, went back to my dorm room, and was on a Greyhound back to Atlanta within 2 hours.
A few weeks earlier over the Thanksgiving break, Tami and I had a found an apartment in Atlanta (Riverside Apartments, now called Riverside Vinings) that took pets and one that we could afford. It was a small apartment. A 900 square foot apartment with one bedroom and a kitchenette. But it was home. Starting out, money was TIGHT, but it was fun. Tami, Sheba and I would all pile into my old full size bed at bedtime. On weekends, I would get some hot dogs and cheap $2.00 steaks and grill on the patio (Violation of the City Fire Code). Sheba could eat her weight in steak. Tami and I also found a trail that led to a path that ran along the banks of the Chattahoochee River. We would take Sheba down there and let her walk through the water. Life was simple. However, it was at this time I noticed some quirks in my dog.
Sheba had pretty much been raised by my mom, which means my mom let her do whatever she wanted. Sheba would brazenly eat out of the garbage can. And would stand 6 inches from you, when you were eating, to beg for food. When she did not get any food, she would urinate on the carpet out of spite. This was always a pet peeve of mine. Whenever she would urinate on the carpet, I would get livid, because she had been house-trained since she was a month old. She also hated to get wet, which was strange for a dog. If she was standing in wet grass, she hold up one of her paws, as if to say she was too prissy to get wet. Whenever I gave her a bath, I had to put on swimming trunks because I would get just as wet as she did. Sheba also had the bad habit of chewing the toes out of my socks, only mine.
But she was a part of the family... Our family. And like all families, you get used to each others quirks. We eventually moved into our first home in Douglasville, Ga. After being married about 3 years, Tami and I bought a Boxer puppy from on of my best friends. We named him Dutch-Daddy, or Dutch for short. Of course, Sheba did not like this. She would nip at the Boxer puppy, or sulk in the corner whenever he came into the room. But they eventually became pretty tight. One time I took Dutch and Sheba to the vet after Dutch's face became really swollen (He got stung when he ate a yellow jacket). When the vet tried to touch Dutch, Sheba tried to bite her, and started barking. So she took to protecting him, while he was still a puppy.
Tami and I would have two kids (boy, then a girl) along the way. Sheba went from sleeping in the bed, to sleeping on the floor. Eventually, Sheba and Dutch would have to sleep in the garage because they would tend to roam around the house and get into things. We no longer spent all of our time with her, taking her to parks and letting her ride in the car when we ran errands. The kids and our work week became the priority, and the dogs , while our pets, became more like pets and less like our kids. And this is the way it remained until the second week in October 2007, when we first started noticing Sheba was really lethargic. She started peeing on the carpet. But suprisingly, I did not get mad at her. I would see the pee stain, and she would give me a look that said "Sorry", and "I would tell her it's okay Sheps". She began to eat less as well. She would still be outside when I came home from class, but know she would be laying by the back porch, instead of running around the yard.
On October 31st, I took her to the vet. The night before, I noticed she was barely able to stand, and looked really tired. She just sat in the corner and looked really sad. A couple of days earlier, she laid on the couch, while I sat in the floor in front of her and she laid her chin on my shoulder while I watched TV. She just looked really tired. At the vet, she could not get our of the car, so I had to carry her in. I laid her down on the table, and told the vet I thought she had a blockage in her intestines (her stomach had swollen to 3 times the normal size). He said she had cancer, probably lymphoma. He also said he could do surgery to make me happy to confirm it was cancer, but Sheba would still have to be put to sleep and I would be out of pocket close to a $1,000. I asked for a minute to say goodbye, and went out to pay the bill. When I went back to look at her, she was already gone. I had the doctor open up her abdomen (Remember, I was a Biology major, so I was not squeamish), and we both saw that her spleen was the size of a grapefruit (normally the size of a small banana cut in half). The doctor said it was probaly a lymphoma type blood cancer, and that is why her illness progressed so quickly.
Tami called as I was leaving the vet's office... as expected she was hysterical. She cried almost everyday for a month. Sheba had grown to become more her dog than mine, and she was kind of like our first child. The kids would ask about her, but they were too young to miss her. Besides, Dutch was the really the dog they played with. Tami still cries if she finds a toy of Sheba's, or a picture she took of her right before she died. I cried for 2 or 3 days aafter she died. I even went to the Humane Society looking to get another puppy. I eventually decided against it. I said if I still want one a month from now, I would get one, and I ended up not wanting another one. I decided to just spend more time with Dutch, and that has worked out good. Besides, Sheba had so much personality, I coould not replace her even if I wanted to.
That's it. That's my obituary to Sheba. A great dog, and a great friend. Thanks for ten years of friendship.
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