Phone: 267-250-6311
Dogs
By Rev. Deborah A. Ehmann – September 2008
Running through the woods, the large male wolf stopped to gaze at the rising sun. He stood proud, tall, and extremely hungry. His nightly search for food was getting longer and producing fewer results as time went by.
He had separated from his pack a while back, no one knows when, for his life doesn’t run on a clock or calendar. He grew tired of the fierce competition for the females amongst the growing number of males. He thought he would make it on his own. Heck, he may even start a new pack, if he was lucky. But, time and hunger were proving his worst enemies. His belly needed something to eat. It was that simple.
The cool grass under his feet was wet with the morning dew. It reminded him how much thirst he was feeling as he licked the dew from his front left paw. No way of getting back into the pack now. He was totally on his own. His hunger grew.
Just then, a jack rabbit darted past his desperate viewpoint. He lunged deep into the bushes, ferociously attacking the not-so-lucky breakfast hare. He ate. His hunger was satisfied, if only for the moment.
Three thousand miles away, the alarm clock rings an awful electronic chirp. A woman rises to turn it off and immediately a straggly mutt without a name, the one she had adopted from the local rescue shelter just yesterday sprang to his feet after his first semi-peaceful night of sleep in his new home.
The woman runs down the steps with the new pet dog at her heals. She must allow him the opportunity to run in the yard for a few minutes. Little does she realize, the mutt will run as his distant cousin does in the woods. He will sniff the air, feel the morning dew under his paws, and hunger will stir in his belly.
She starts her electric coffee pot and goes to the door to let in her still unnamed, somewhat insecure mangy mutt. "You are so cute’, she tells him. Today you'll get a nice bath." Maybe she’ll name him Sweetheart? She wondered to herself if he'd like that name.
He enters the kitchen and lies down on the floor, still a bit unsure of the woman, but he knows she likes him. Hunger was well known to him while he was living on the street. He thought, ‘maybe today I’ll find some food.’
The woman opens the drawer and removes a can opener. She gets out the new ceramic bowl, with dog paws decorated all around the rim, that she bought just for her new dog. She opens the can of dog food. The dog smells it – it smells delicious! The dog food is placed into the bowl as she speaks some unknown language. She bends to place the bowl on the floor.
The mutt looks. She is saying something, but he doesn’t understand.
By now, the smell is too much to handle. He stands up, walks over to her and the appetizing smell,
as she points to the bowl and food. He eats wondering when his next meal will come.
Eventually, the mangy mutt becomes “Sweetheart” and accepts his new name. Eventually, he realizes he will have food given to him on a regular basis. Eventually, he learns to respect and love the woman,
as he realizes she loves and respects him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Those in the wild are not very different from those animals in captivity. Each suffers. Each feels hunger. Each is unsure of where the next meal comes from, but for those who are lucky enough to find and have a couch and home to call their own, they learn to love and trust humankind.
Prayer of Thanks
for
Those Who Need
and
Those Who CARE!
Rev. Deb Ehmann - October 2008
Let us pray and give thanks for those around the world who open their hearts and homes to homeless animals.
Let us give thanks to those who adopt them, foster them, rehabilitate them, and even give them a bowl of water or scrap of food if they are unable to do more, as the pitiful, homeless animals travel along the streets.
We ask God to watch over these animals and lead them to the safety of a kind hearted human.
We also ask God to bless all the humans who lend a hand or give a kind pat on the head, for they will surely be blessed.
The
White Rose Ministry
offers
Interfaith,
Non-denominational
Religious and Secular
Pet Memorial Services
Pet Crematory Services
Links for the Dogs!
Here is some help when caring for your senior dog.
Senior Dogs
If you are in the Philadelphia area,
have your dog or cat treated like a king or queen at
La Petite
Puppy Salon
3828 Morrell Ave - Phila, PA 19114 - Phone 215-281-3950
* Don't Do It!
* Don't even think about it!
*****
Dogfighting
is a
CRIME!
These Dogs
These dogs have made us smile when we were sad.
They came to us when we were lonely or mad.
They taught us to accept - no matter what it was.
They showed us the meaning of Unconditional Love.
In Loving Memory
Gracie Fritz
Weaver Whiskers
Einstein Chamois
Savanah Malop
Lovey
Highly Recomended for their kind and sympathetic services
Paws to Heaven ~ Pet Crematory
We at the White Rose Ministry have been owned by pets over the years.
We have also been blessed to find and use the services of Paws to Heaven.
The personal care and concern they show is heartwarming at a time when we
need it most, when we have said,"Good-bye" to one of our companions.
We highly recomend Paws to Heaven Pet Crematory.
From their website: "We can never repay the unconditional love and affection our pets provide us. Our mission is to provide you with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your final farewell to your beloved pet is filled with the respect and dignity they deserve. We understand that saying goodbye is never easy. Let us help you in this final act of love." ~ Paws to Heaven
Dog bone graphics on this page are designed by Donatello.
More of his graphic art is coming soon.