No such thing as coincidences

I used to think that sometimes things just happened, but I really don't anymore. I think that everything that happens in our lives has some kind of meaning, whether we realize it or not. Sometimes we know right away why something has happened, sometimes we figure it out later and sometimes we may never know the why, but I believe that there is always, always a reason. I also believe that the people we meet were put in our paths for a reason.
I've been thinking alot about Bear lately. Last Sunday was the 3rd anniversary of his death. I have never taken the death of a pet so hard as I did his. When he was sick, I prayed to God that He would heal Bear. I asked him to take another dog instead - such as a stray who was starving, an abused dog, one that was going to die anyway. Take that one and put it out of it's misery and let me keep my dog who was loved so much and who was so full of life. I know that if that had been His will, God had the power to heal him, and until the very end, I think I really expected that to happen. But it wasn't to be, and for a long time, I just couldn't understand it. Well, I have finally figured it out.
Losing Bear was the catalyst for our move to Texas. I thought all of that was put into motion by the phone call from Rob telling Don about the job in Center, but I know now that the wheels were already turning. When we lost Bear, it really put me into a depression. I was tired of my job, I hated the hours Don was working and really just kind of hated my life at that time. Normally, I don't think I would have even given moving away a thought, but I was just so ready for any kind of a change, that I wanted to go. Don wasn't so sure and if I hadn't been completely on board, we wouldn't have gone. I know without a shadow of a doubt that we were meant to go there. I also know that even though we thought we went for Don's job, that in reality his job had nothing to do with it. The job just put us in the location we were meant to be in. Someone that worked at the plant told us about the house that we ended up buying, that put us next door to Ja and Toby that led us to White Rock Baptist Church that led to Don's salvation. It is amazing to me to look back and see how everything was connected. We really wanted to buy a house in Center, closer to the plant, but we couldn't find anything we liked. We were meant to be in San Augustine and I am so thankful for that. Honestly, our time in Texas was one of the best periods of my life.
And God is a loving God. He knew the pain I felt over losing Bear and he sent Dusty to us. Dusty has the same zest for life, the same joy that Bear had. He is not a replacement, of course, but Dusty has brought joy back. You can't spend much time with Dusty and not feel good. He is so happy and has a joy that you can see in his face. I love him so much and I know some day I will pay the price for that, but as with Bear, every minute with Dusty is worth more than the pain that comes later. Cinnamon set the pieces of my heart back into place; Dusty glued it back together. And that is the way it was meant to be!