Animals

I was 18 when I left home for the first time.  I went to the same college that my father had gone to.  It was an hour and a half from my hometown and it was a small Christian liberal arts school.  I want to say that I had not researched the whole college experience the way people do today.  There were no college visits with my parents, there were no higher education counselors that helped me direct my path.  I just picked from what I knew and luckily it was an excellent choice.

I had been on campus for a couple of weeks when the homesickness was really setting in.  The few friends that I had made all had a class the hour before lunch, so most days I would go to the post office which was at the bottom of campus and then walk through a canyon to get up to my dorm which was at the top of campus, all alone.  Most days I would spend that time crying and lamenting the decision to go so far away from home and maybe it was all a big mistake and maybe I can just transfer out and go live at home.  Change...bad!!!!

So, one day I decided instead of crying I was going to pray.  I prayed all the way from the bottom to the top and at some point a raccoon ran out in front of me.   I had the sense that God had sent the raccoon to speak to me, to say I am watching you, I am with you, everything is going to be okay.

We are now some 26 years later, over the years many times little animals have brought me joy, peace, a sense of calm.  One time even laughter, it was about 10 years ago, my children were very small.  My toddlers were strapped into their car seats screaming for one reason or another and I was trying to get some where that I could get them out and calm them down.  I was sitting at a red light, frustrated, frazzled and spent.  I looked up and directly in front of me was a cow, chewing his cud.  This cow was staring me dead in the eye, slowly chewing, chewing, chewing.  The cow then took its long black tongue and stuck the entire thing up his nostril.  I bust out laughing, quite hysterically I might add.  My children stopped crying and started trying to figure out why Mommy was laughing.

God knows exactly what we need, all the time, when we need it.  Be aware of his presence, be it through a bird in the sky, or a squirrel in a tree.  Your very own pet can be a reminder of God's constant presence by your side.  God knows the number of the hairs on your head.  He knows your needs, do not worry about tomorrow.

Job 12 7-10
"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?  In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.