“To show too much joy in a place such as this would be unseemly but, as he padded toward her, his tail was extended in a manner which would make wagging possible should all go as expected.”

“Meanwhile, he would continue to play the big, friendly dog. He sat by the counter. Grinned. Wagged his tail.”

“In times of joy, all of us wished we possessed a tail we could wag.”

“We should not expect to have all the blessings of life and none of its trials. It would make this world too delightful a dwelling place, and I fear we would never care to leave it.”

“Of course,there had only been one place to find her.The first one.The beginning.Daniel tumbled toward the first life, ready to wait there for as long as it would take Luce to make her way there,too. He would take her in his arms, whisper in her ear, At last. I found you.I will never let you do.”

“I have pondered how much is provided for us by God's goodness. So many sources of enjoyment, and how thankful we should be. And even if afflictions come...we should know that they are of the hand of God.' She sighed, the semblance of a smile gracing the edges of her mouth. 'We should not expect to have all the blessings of life and none of its trials. it would make this world too delightful a dwelling place, and I fear we would never care to leave it.' Her eyes slipped closed. 'As it is...I have come to believe that it's only by taking some of those objects from us to which our hearts so closely cling that He endeavors...in His kindness, to draw us from this world to one of greater happiness.”