"Every Animal is God's Pet"

We are thankful for and blessed by the animals in our lives. We share the house with three cats; Buddy is becoming a true farm dog, roaming outdoors (to the limits of his invisible fence…). And there are the horse, the goats, the chickens, the bees. 

We are responsible for their care and feeding. They need hooves trimmed, feed mixed, mite treatment, daily feeding. But we are also responsible for a relationship with them: snuggling on the couch, playing frisbee in the yard, feeding horse treats, talking to the goats and the chickens and even the bees. It is a precious connection. As we care for them, so they care for us. 

On Sunday, the minister asked the children what they were thankful for, and one said animals. And my great-niece then observed that “every animal is God’s pet.” In God's kingdom, every animal is loved and cared for, every animal is precious in God’s eyes, every animal is a holy creature, a beautiful part of creation. Amen, Hattie B!

 

Thoughts on Election Day

We voted last week, early voting, curbside. The poll workers were pleasant and personable, helpful. The early voting site was not ideal for them – an ancient school gym with no heat, no place to plug in a coffee pot, no microwave to heat food. But they were there, doing an important job for democracy. 

 Many others are voting today, and I am so glad. The news reports that turnout is heavy, both in person and by mail. It is important. I want people to vote, even those who will choose candidates other than those I chose. I want people to vote, and I want all votes to be counted – no matter how long it takes. 

 My father was born in 1918 and lived to be 98. He saw incredible changes in the world. It is astonishing to me that during his lifetime women were granted the right to vote. In the last year of his life, a woman was the nominee for President of the US, and he voted in that election… 

Today, I made an Election Cake. This is a yeasted cake, really more of a sweetened bread, with dried fruit and nuts. It has roots in Connecticut, my former home. Baking it today somehow connects me to the early, early days of this democracy. I wonder if those who made the cake in 1771 worried about the turnout; I wonder if they worried about voter suppression; I wonder if they worried about election deniers; I wonder if they worried about the future of their nation.

The cake is delicious. I shared a big piece with our neighbor. And maybe I will eat some more in the hours and days to come as we await the returns.

Election Cake

 

Doing Unto Others

Many years ago, I was invited to a friend's home for Thanksgiving dinner. One of the other guests was a woman who was affected by dementia. I remember that we were all in the kitchen as my friend made the finishing touches to our meal: stirring the gravy, popping the rolls in the oven, dishing up the cranberry sauce. I’m sure we were all pitching in. It was the kind of happy chaos that precedes a fancy meal. Ruth was sitting quieting at the table, watching, not speaking, a little frown on her face. My friend took a stick of butter and a butter dish and set it before her, asking her to prepare the butter for us. Ruth’s face cleared, and this woman who had made thousands of meals for her family got right to work. It took her a long time to unwrap the butter and get it on the dish, but no one was in a hurry, she was content, and we were all helping get the meal ready. 

I’ve mentioned this event to my friend, and she doesn’t remember any of it. For her, that kindness was nothing special, just her way of including everyone. For her, it was second nature. She doesn’t remember it, but I’ve never forgotten it. I hope that I might respond the same way. And I hope that someone might put a stick of butter in front of me some day. 

“Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me…”. (Matthew 25:40)