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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new life for rescued lab beagles

A couple of friends just shared this very touching video from Beagle Freedom Project, which shows 9 rescued research lab beagles taking their very first, tentative steps outside.  It's such a simple thing, to see a dog walk on grass for the first time, but a profound reminder of God's most basic intentions for His creatures, regardless of how humanity might otherwise designate them for use (and often dubiously) ...

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19th century British Evangelicals on cruelty to animals

Following our two historic and extraordinary examples of early 19th century British Evangelicals speaking out in a strong way against cruelty toward God's creatures.  First is the passionate poem "On Cruelty to Brute Animals," from a Friendly Hints poetry section of The Evangelical Magazine, 1806:

A MAN of kindness to his beast be kind;
But brutal actions shew a brutal mind.
Remember, he who made thee made the brute;
Who gave thee speech and reason, form'd him mute:
He can't complain; but God's omniscient eye
Beholds thy cruelty,—he hears his cry.
He was design'd thy servant and thy drudge;
But know,—that his Creator is thy Judge!

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feel-good Monday

We've been running a few posts on companion animals, and it seemed high time in general to share some uplifting and cute stories about our four-legged friends ...

- First, a heartwarming video of Winston the cat taking care of his canine buddy Zeke just home from the vet and a bad allergy reaction.  Winston licks him clean and then straddles on top of him to sleep (from Purina Animal All Stars).

- This is a cute video of a baby cuddling with an unbelievably amiable and patient cat, one of several clips if you look to the right on the YouTube page:

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closing tracks, a win for all

It was great to see Citizen Link, a Focus on the Family affiliate, address horse and dog racing earlier this year in a blog post by Chad Hills.  In "Closing Tracks, A Win for All," Hill mentions some of the harsh realities which racing horses and dogs can face, including whipping in the case of horses and inhumane warehouse kennelling for greyhounds, and all too frequent injury and euthanasia for both of these noble creatures.

Hills also mentions the gambling machine supporting both racing industries, even gambling unrelated to the actual races: "Today, if a track survives, it’s likely dependent on revenue from highly addictive slot machines.  Empty stands surrounding the tracks replay past generations’ entertainment to a mere handful of spectators like a dusty, broken record."

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closer than a brother

The last post in our animal death and grief series is a deeply touching tribute to a scarred dog who became the most loyal companion and protector, sent by personal message from our dear friend Cherie Sindall of Bravehearts Horse Haven & Animal Shelter in South Africa ...

One of my beloved rescued dogs died of cancer 2 weeks ago.  I knew he had a tumour and that it was inoperable, so I let him 'be' to live, love and be loved, and have quality of life.  He was abandoned when he was about 3 or 4 years old, and was taken to Animal Welfare.  At the time, I had just relocated to the farm I live on and the only dog I had was a rescued miniature doberman!  The neighbour farmers told me I need additional security reinforcements or I would become another South African farm statistic. 

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things I learned about life from my dog Charlie

Updated on July 28, 2011 by Ben DeVries

Jason Clark, who pastors a Vineyard church in London and leads a doctoral program in Global Missional Leadership for George Fox Seminary, has also hosted blog series in recent years on the connection between our faith and animal welfare, with contributions from myself and other friends.  Jason was kind enough to allow us to repost this touching reflection which he wrote after the passing of his dog Charlie, on the powerful lessons he learned from him and the unique individuality and place which Charlie took in Jason's family ...

So last wednesday night, we went out as a family and scattered our labrador Charlie's ashes in his favourite park.  Carrying my beloved labrador in a box whilst I carried so many memories of him with me.

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do animals have souls?

As promised in our introduction to the question of whether animals have souls, following is a re-post of Dean Ohlman's thoughtful and balanced reflection from The Wonder of Creation.  "Do Animals Have Souls?" was originally shared following two posts ("Losing a Good, Good Dog" and "A Pet Grief Observed") which in part wrestled with the haunting uncertainty of whether we'll be reunited with the animals we've loved and lost in heaven.  Dean presents a very biblically grounded take on the question, with some perhaps surprising possibilities ...

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