Found the poem! Here it is

Fellow Dog Lovers-
I read this poem years ago and couldn't remember what it was called, but knew I'd know it when I found it. Sure enough - here it is:

The Last Battle
If it should be that I grow frail and weak
and pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done,
For this--the last battle--can't be won.
You will be sad I understand,
Don't let grief then stay your hand,
For on this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.
We have had so many happy years,
What is to come can hold no fears
You'd not want me to suffer, so.
When the time comes, please let me go.
Take me to where to my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me til the end
And hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.
I know in time you will agree
it is a kindness you do to me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Don't grieve that it must be you
Who has to decide this thing to do;
We've been so close--we two--these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.
-Author Unknown

Now we just choose a day & time; how to comment

"Timing is everything," right? Maybe not. Maybe just making the right choices is everything and timing is just a variable. We've made the right choice. It's time to let Sammie move on and die in peace with dignity and as little pain and suffering as possible. We (okay, namely I) don't have the right to force her to endure a drawn-out, pitiful existence in the sunset of her life.

And I won't. Andy won't let me. God bless him. But he and Munchkin will go with me to the vet's office to say our final goodbyes and hold our sweet "puppy" as she slips and sleeps away. I can do this. I must do this. I will do this. It's the right thing to do.

I'm not sure, but I think we'll go tomorrow. At least one of us has evening commitments Wed, Thurs and Fri nights and Pepper will not need to be left alone that first evening. We're supposed to be somewhere tomorrow night too - busy week for us! - but we're about to bail on that. Priorities. Death in the family is a priority and Sammie & Pepper are family. We have to do what's right for both of them and us too. Pepper's whole life has been with Sammie. She deserves consideration as well.

Here's the link to the blog post where I explain how to comment on the blog:
http://agingdoggie.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-comment-post.html

New meaning to a favorite hymn

Natalie Sleeth wrote a beautiful hymn in 1986 (per the United Methodist hymnal) that is one of my favorites. It is called "Hymn of Promise." The final two of three verses go like this:
There's a song in every silence,
seeking word and melody;
there's a dawn in every darkness,
bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future;
what it holds, a mystery,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning;
in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing;
in our life, eternity.
In our death, a resurrection;
at the last, a victory,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.

Our church requests favorite hymns from the congregation and we sing the most voted-upon "favorite hymns" each July. A couple of weeks ago before Sammie got so bad, I listed this wonderful hymn on the request card. Now, I realize it's unlikely to get more votes than "Amazing Grace" or "Great is Thy Faithfulness." In fact, we may well not be singing it in July, but if not it won't be for lack of votes from yours truly!

God works in such marvelous and mysterious ways. That hymn has been in my brain all morning and I've been humming and then singing the first verse - the one I have memorized. So I finally opened my purple hymnal Andy's brother Ben gave me several Christmases ago and noticed the 2nd and 3rd verses as written above. It seems those were the ones I needed the most right now.

God is great - All the time!