War Horse

Many thanks to Lauren Merritt of The Christian and Creation, and a horse trainer and riding consultant, for this very insightful review of the recent blockbuster film War Horse (Touchstone '11) ...

As a horse trainer, I have always gone into horse movies with a heavy dose of skepticism.  Even some of the most beautiful movies ever directed can fall apart for me when the references to riding, training, or care of horses are incorrect.  I imagine doctors or nurses have a similar experience when they watch medical dramas on television.  The movie magic shatters for a moment when a soldier mounts his horse from the wrong side, or a doctor is shown galloping a horse over rocky roads for miles only to arrive at his destination with a sound, unlathered horse.

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Buck, a "horse whisperer"

To kick off a few posts on our unique connection to horses, I'm grateful to Nick Olson and Christ and Pop Culture for allowing us to share this poignant review of Buck (Meehl '11), "a powerful documentary that shows how even inhumane circumstances can be redeemed into something beautiful, creative, and compassionate" ... 

Early in the documentary Buck, Dan “Buck” Brannaman tells a crowd of attentive, aspiring horse trainers that there are rarely “people with horse problems” but most often “horses with people problems.”  Yes, Buck is interesting because he’s a primary inspiration for Robert Redford’s 1998 drama The Horse Whisperer, but his story becomes especially fascinating as we learn of what this real-life horse whisperer has endured to become a magical horseman.

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a drop in the bucket

Thanks to Chuck Summers of Seeing Creation for this great reminder of the incredible "vastness and variety" of God's creation and creatures ...

In Psalm 104 the Psalmist declares “How many are your works, O Lord!  In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” (v. 24, NIV)  Elsewhere in this psalm the biblical writer mentions a number of creatures.  He refers to “wild donkeys,” “birds of the air,” “the cattle,” “the stork,” “wild goats,” “the coneys,” “the beasts of the forest,” “lions,” and “leviathan.”  He also mentions other aspects of God’s Creation: the clouds, the wind, the mountains, springs, grass, trees, the moon, the sun, the forest, and the sea.  Without a doubt, the Psalmist recognized all of Creation to be God’s wonderful handiwork and a manifestation of His wisdom.  God’s Creation is seen as a reason for joyful praise.

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christian voices for compassionate animal farming

To close out a short series on a more compassionate animal farming and diet, which previously featured the "Back to the Start" animated video and "... Also Many Animals" from Rev. Leonard Vander Zee, I wanted to link to a few other Christian voices on this critical dimension of caring for God's creatures:

- The Christian Broadcasting Network posted a commendable news segment and accompanying article on Christian "alternative farmer" Joel Salatin, "Natural Farming: Inspiring Passionate 'Stewards.'"  Salatin has received national attention in the natural food movement, including films such as Food, Inc. and books such as The Omnivore's Dilemma.  Following the video is a great quote from Salatin in CBN's article:

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also many animals

A while back my mother pointed me to an admirable article written by Rev. Leonard Vander Zee for The Banner of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.  The article is titled ... Also Many Animals, a reference to Jonah 4:11 in which God tells Jonah, who is anxious for Nineveh to be judged for its wickedness and to save his own psyche in the process, "Should I not have concern for the great city Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people ... and also many animals? (Today's New International Version).

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animals are God's creation

The Donegal Democrat of County Donegal, Ireland recently posted a noteworthy article by Siobhan McNamaraz titled "Animals are God's Creation."  It features "one very dedicated lady" named Margaret Plunkett, a volunteer and spokesperson for Animals in Need of Donegal (which you can find on Facebook) who has loved and cared for animals all her life, including as a little girl rescuing chickens designated for slaughter:

“Back then helping animals just wasn’t done.  When I would see an animal that needed help I used to wonder why it affected me so much.  As I grew older I realised that what I had was a gift, a gift from God to love his creation.

I hope you'll have a chance to read more about Margaret and her work with Animals in Need in "Animals are God's Creation," which closes with another heartfelt quote from Margaret which I know all of us would lend a hearty amen to.  I'm grateful to Liz Jakimow for sharing this beautiful piece.

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back to the start

We don't often share material which advertises a particular product or company, but as many others have found, this "Back to the Start" short from the Chipotle restaurant chain contains a powerful message on its own.  With quaintly animated farm scenes and characters, and set to a surprisingly poignant cover by Willie Nelson of Coldplay's "The Scientist," the 2 min. video movingly portrays the shift away from traditional animal farming practices to sterile and industrialized, or "factory farming," systems; but it ends with such a hopeful revelation and commitment to returning to the way things used to be ... 

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Eddie the rescued dog and grace

Ellen Painter Dollar is a Christian who writes on "faith, family, disability, and ethics," including the genetic bone disorder which she and one of her three children live with.  She's penned an honest and heartfelt post on her family's rather awkward first two months with a rescued dog named Eddie, who lived in at least three other homes previously, and is extremely shy and often nervous.  Here are just a few lines from "What my Dog is Teaching me About Grace," which I hope you'll have a chance to read in full:

There were times in those first weeks that I was so baffled by this animal and so certain I could not ever understand what he needs, much less provide it, that the foster mom’s offer [to take Eddie back if necessary] was tempting.

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the lion will lay down with the lamb

The week before Christmas our chuch choir performed a beautiful Advent cantata which I had the privilege of participating in as a reader.  I was struck by a few passages from Isaiah which were featured in the arrangement and how much application the book has, not only to us as followers of a Messiah who came as a humble baby in a manger, but also to God's creatures and the hope He has in store for them. 

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the good good pig

If you're looking for an enjoyable read, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better one than The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood, by Sy Montgomery (Ballantine '06).  I picked it up off a bookstore's featured shelf a few years ago, and could hardly put it down over the following days.

The Good Good Pig does in fact tell the story of a fine pig, dubbed Christopher Hogwood after the conductor and musicologist by the same name.  Christopher was born a sickly and tiny runt, and was spared an early death by a kind farmer who couldn't bring himself to do the deed: "George would take him out to the manure pile, intending to dispatch him quickly with a blow to the head from his shovel.  But George would watch the little piglet-his soulful eyes, his big floppy ears, his admirable will to live-and just couldn't do it" (pg. 9).

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