During these summer months, we sing with gusto some of our most creation- and creature-friendly hymns: All Creatures of Our God and King, For the Beauty of the Earth and Let All Things Now Living ... the list goes on. Their
lyrics remind us of God the Creator's endless creativity and care for
the Earth and those who inhabit it — particularly those who share our
homes, yards and pastures. Many of us — whether as a child or adult —
can name a dog or cat, horse or hamster that has made our life richer.
The Lutheran
celebrates and salutes the animals who give us unconditional love —
cats like Nicodemus, dogs like Snickers and all who have seen us
through difficult times, played with us and for whom we have wept and
may still grieve. And we sing: "All things bright and beautiful, all
creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God
made them all" (With One Voice, 767)
It was one of those rare April days — the sun shining in an almost cloudless sky. The kind of day that draws children outdoors to play, reluctant to go back inside and wringing every minute from the fading daylight.
But up and down the block, not a child was to be found. They were in the Pickett's bathroom where Molly was giving birth to her pups.
They watched attentively as each pup was delivered. Molly's "mom," Sandra Pickett, a nurse, was ready to help, but Molly knew what to do. She licked each pup as it emerged, anxiously but skillfully attending to each.
Now the Picketts didn't believe us when we said our dog, Snuffy, was the father. After all, he was 17, lame, blind and nearly deaf. But they weren't around when Molly came calling at our house. They didn't see Snuffy leap to his feet and run to the door, feet sliding out from under him when he hit the kitchen linoleum, barking all the way.
The rest of this article is only available to subscribers.
© 2013 Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
