Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me. I've been in Langford vets’ college and had all kinds of tests, fortunately missing the cat-scan (in case I caught the cat). The bottom line is that they think I have an underperforming thyroid and the boss and she-who-must-be-obeyed have to wrestle me twice a day to get pills down my neck, which they say will eventually make me feel better.

The boss says life is a journey from cradle to grave, and on to something amazing. He says Lent is a season to think deeply about ourselves and the journey we are on. I’m afraid my mind has been on sadder things of late. When I was a puppy of about six weeks, I was separated from my brother Shadow and sister Sabre. A few days after arriving here I met up with Sabes in the park. It was a wonderful reunion and our owners have been good friends ever since. However, brother Shadow remained elusive until a couple of weeks ago, when we spotted him in Worle. The boss recognised him immediately (not hard considering he looked just like me) but he wouldn’t let us out of the car because of the traffic. He promised that now he knew where Shad lives, he’d arrange for us all to get together some day.

We were so looking forward to all meeting up again and catching up with news. But then the boss heard that Shadow had died. I was devastated, but then it turned out later that it wasn't my brother at all, but a distant cousin in East London. Apparently he drank some anti-freeze in the next-door neighbour’s garage. That’s typical of our family. Sabre of course (that's her on the left above - otherwise known as Hoover Lips) would probably have got away with it. She can eat the entire contents of the rubbish bin without so much as a hiccup. However, we boys have always been a little delicate in the tummy department and the boss has the vet’s bills to prove it. I have a picture below of cousin Shadow - handsome chap - runs in the family!

The boss says there’s no such thing as doggy heaven. He says that we have such a good life here that we don’t need it. He says that humans have such pain and sorrow that God made heaven for them. He says that’s why Jesus went to the cross, to get right alongside and experience human pain with you. He says that’s what Lent is about, going through your own particular “desert” with Him alongside, knowing that He suffered just like you and triumphed over it.

I hope he’s wrong about doggy heaven, or I may never get to meet Shadow. God bless you dear cousin, and God bless you readers. I think you’re very lucky to have such an amazing friend in Jesus.

Bruno xx