Coco Calling No. 181: My Owner’s Recent Birthday

Humans have a very strange way of celebrating important birthdays. My owner recently reached a certain age. So instead of sending him a card, the local human vets, - (also called the doctor’s surgery), -invited him in for a special birthday blood test! And that wasn’t all. They later rang him up to tell him about all the things that were wrong with him! Cholesterol, blood sugar levels, P.S.A. …. He’d felt wonderful before he went in to see them, but once they’d spoken to him, he thought he’d better not have any more birthday cake!

Fortunately, his results weren’t too bad, but as a precaution, it was suggested that he should visit the local hospital for humans to have his P.S.A. result checked out. And it would involve an examination of a strictly “no go” area of his anatomy! Well, he really wasn’t looking forward to it one bit. But on the day, he took himself off to the hospital, and being a bit of a cheap skate, he avoided paying for the hospital carpark by parking in a nearby side road. It was about a five-minute walk away from where he had to go, so as he made his way along the pavement, he decided to take his mind off things by glancing into peoples’ gardens. Unfortunately, this didn’t really work because the final house he passed was called “Water Works Cottage,” and yes, he would shortly be having his prostate examined.

Soon after arriving at the hospital, my owner was led off to a small room to have his weight checked. And he was told that he was a full six kilos heavier than he thought he was. After returning to the waiting area, the news about the six extra kilos continued to rattle around his brain. Surely his prostate couldn’t have become that enlarged! He had to sit it out and wait for another ten minutes. He’d forgotten to take his glasses along to the appointment. In the distance, on the wall was the name of the doctor that he’d be seeing. And as he squinted, he thought he could make out the name Dr. Eminem. Dr. Eminem? And he started to imagine a wild rapper with a hideously long index finger. Oh dear!

In the end, all turned out well. The doctor wasn’t a rapper at all. He was a very pleasant and professional African and the examination was over in a trice without anything of concern being found. And my owner returned home, a very relieved and grateful man. And I just hope that the local human vets can think of a nicer birthday present for him next time around.

Of course, not all birthdays turn out as planned; life is too unpredictable for that. And the secret for all of us is to learn to be grateful for every small mercy. And to know that despite all the troubles and uncertainties that come our way, Jesus has already provided us with the ultimate safety net. If we can only walk-through life with the peace of God inside our hearts, then our thankfulness for everything will know no bounds. And that’s probably what my owner learnt from his “special birthday treat.”

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Jesu Christ.” (1 Thessalonians: 5:16-18).

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanks-giving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

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