All Creatures Great and Small

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace....."

Sunday night was our annual Blessing of the Animals service.

Some of these animals and their people have been coming to this service from the very beginning, like Annabelle Lee Smith and Pete Redditt.

This was the first time a couple of the animals had attended the service, but they were very respectful and well behaved. Hercules and Charm acted as if they were old pros. Bill rescued these two from the shelter, where they were about to be euthanized.

There is no doubt that these small creatures have brought joy and comfort to their owners. Animals have a way of soothing and making us happy in a way that is not fully understood.

Even a stuffed creature can bring back a memory of the comfort that it provided for a loved one. This bear belonged to Brian Zulker, who is now with the Lord. His parents gave him the bear and put his favorite team's shirt on it. The bear that comforted Brian now brings back memories of the man their son was, of the joys and the sorrows, and now it comforts them.

Of course, in any of our gatherings there must be some downright foolishness. Brother John had said any animal was welcome, except a wolverine. Marilyn and I thought that was discriminatory! She brought the closest thing she could find.....a Michigan sweatshirt. Brother John wasn't about to pray for a sweatshirt, but did pray and thank God for the couple who made their way here from Michigan...Marty & Marilyn Borntrager.

The important thing is that we laughed together, cried together, shared our love and God's love for all of us. "All creatures great and small, the Lord God made them all."...and aren't you glad He did?