one starfish

I've wanted to share the following video and poem by way of encouragement for a few months now, but a dialogue thread in our prayer group makes me wonder if God might have had today in particular in mind.  It's so easy to get discouraged in caring for animals, with so much more cruelty and suffering looming behind every compassionate step forward, and often fighting our own limitations and insecurities along the way (Lord knows I battle them myself).

This short story might be familiar, it's adapted from Loren Eiseley's "The Star Thrower" in his book The Unexpected Universe.  Commonly known as the "starfish story," this version is set to gentle music and images, and reminds of the important truth that even one person or animal helped is more than worth our effort and sacrifice: 

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a man and a goose

Just a note that I'll be away from the blog and out of communication for the next ten days, taking a bit of an LOA and visiting family in Virginia where my brother Josh (creator of our beautiful site banner) just graduated from college and my niece Norah is celebrating her first birthday!  I'll be sure to follow up on any emails and blog comments when I get back.

Before I go, I wanted to pass along this heartwarming heartwarming story of a man who formed a special friendship with a toulouse goose named Maria in downtown Los Angeles (thanks to Rosie and others for sharing).  They walk together, Maria shoos away competitors of all species for Dominick's attention, and he can hardly get away at the end their regular rendezvous!

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the story of the Easter robin

With Good Friday and Easter coming up next weekend, I wanted to pass along a children's book which I recently reviewed for Vegbooks, Dandi Daley Mackall's The Story of the Easter Robin, illustrated by Anna Vojtech (Zonderkidz '10).  I found it to be a warm and compassionate story, and beautifully presented, though I had one or two suggestions for parents or other caretakers who might share the book with their children.  Here's my introduction to the review:

Christian children’s books about the biblical story of Easter or the animals we culturally associate with the celebration today (bunnies, chicks, etc.) are plentiful.  But books which are true to the original message of Christ’s resurrection and also communicate a message of genuine concern for animals are hard to find.  Because of this, The Story of the Easter Robin is worth noting ...

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God's natural systems

A poignant contribution to our series on creation care and creature care from good friend Dean Ohlman of RBC Ministries and The Wonder of Creation ...

You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
   they flow between the hills;
they give drink to every beast of the field;
   the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
   they sing among the branches.
From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
   the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

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a sparrow's last moments in Iraq

I first got to know Jamin McMahon when he was stationed with a military medical unit in Iraq.  He told me of some of his experiences caring for sparrows on-base, and graciously allowed me to share one of the more moving episodes here ...

I think it would help to write about this.  It haunts me; it’s one of those things which others, even close, would feel an impatience and irritation for.  What is the big deal, they'd wonder?  It is an indulgence.

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a murder of crows

Last Sunday, a captivating and eye-opening documentary aired on PBS Nature called "A Murder of Crows." In case you're wondering, as I did, if "murder" is referring to some sort of unfortunate massacre, it's actually just the proper term for a group of crows. 

The documentary portrays the amazing intelligence of crows in several unique respects, some of which has only recently been discovered by biologists.  It's reflected in their memory, communication, survival methods, creativity and tool-making.  Some of their capabilities even astonishingly match or surpass those of apes. 

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baby hummingbird and bunny rescued, and fed!

This is a beautiful story and video about a baby hummingbird who was found fallen out of his nest with a damaged wing.  The fledgling was patiently and lovingly taught to feed and nursed back to health by Peter Tommerup and Lee Anne Welch, and his wing was rehabilitated at Sulphur Creek Nature Center in Hayward, California.  You won't believe his mother's bravery or trust in Peter in returning to feed him as well:

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John Stott on humans and animals

The Gospel Coalition has made available for download a sermon titled "Humans and Animals" from the venerable and hugely influential Christian voice John Stott.  Stott, born in 1921, is a British pastor, theologian and prolific author who founded the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion in the early 1960's.  Billy Graham himself pays tribute to Stott as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2005, an article which increases my respect for Stott's contributions to world evangelism and missions, and his personal humility just as well.

In "Humans and Animals," Stott acknowledges the differences between humans and animals biblically understood, and also our dominion over them, even our permission to use them for human needs which that dominion grants.  And while many Christian leaders have traditionally taken the discussion no further, I greatly admire Stott's adamant call to a respectful appreciation and compassionate stewardship of the animals God has wonderfully created and graciously called us to care for on His behalf. 

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oil spill prayer journey: decontamination, frustration & oration

Scott Williams and I are a day or two behind updating on our prayer trip along the Gulf of Mexico, as full as each day has been, but please know we intend to get caught up.  Following is Scott's recap of an eventful day 2, and thank you for following along and praying with us ...

Wednesday our gulf coast prayer journey took us down to Grand Isle, LA.  This is located to the southeast of New Orleans and has been a place of much activity these last 59 days.

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solar cells, baby seals and God's infinite care

As we continue to ask the question, "Is caring for animals a valid Christian concern?," Lauren Merritt provides another biblically grounded and poignant response ...  

For those who say, “animals are put here to serve and be useful to man” – I don’t argue, but neither do I completely agree.  We daily encounter the milk of a dairy cow, the eggs of a chicken and the meat of a beef cow.  We’ve read Genesis 1, which clearly tells us to have dominion and to subdue the earth.  But how can we define this dominion?  Is it such that any unused animal is a useless existence?

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