“…faith without works is barren? “(James 2:20b)
A vet check and a clean bill of health for my two puppies who will be 12 months old next Monday made me feel very much lighter.
Sure, we have no back yard garden anymore (artificial turf and rusted iron flower sculptures are the order of the day! And we’ve re-turfed the front yard. And installed at great expense latches on doors, several baby gates. And spent a fortune on leashes, car restraints, vet bills, broken furniture, yada yada yada…
But watching them happily consume a marrow bone in their own very different ways, (Lizzie tucks in straight away, Darcy has to bury his for a couple of hours), brought a smile to my heart. Our bird neighbours have also benefited from the puppies; at feeding time the cheeky Indian minor birds hop down from neighbouring trees for scraps and they’re not averse to grabbing some water from the bowls.
The hard work, and expense, of caring for the puppies has reminded me that there is much hard work to be done, and expense, in looking after all Creation. My prayer is that we are not too late, and that in generations to come there will a sense of lightness for others when looking around this precious place we all call home. A prayer from the Seasons of Creation app (day 12):
Great Creator Spirit, we cry out to you in prayer. May the destruction of country be turned into the protection and restoration of Country - your precious creation. May we love all our neighbours- our land neighbour, water neighbour, sky neighbour, tree neighbour, plant neighbour, animal neighbour, bird neighbour, fish neighbour, rock neighbour, mount and neighbour- our earth neighbour. May we see the urgent need for action and as we take action, may you wipe our tears from death, mourning, crying, and pain, and may our tears be turned to tears of life, joy, rest, and release. Amen.
Rev Ceri
