Friends,

Right now we are a dog family. I would like to get a cat in a year or so, but even if I will that negotiation, we must always have a dog. One day we may be a dog and cat family, but we must remain a dog family.

After Leandra and I were married on October 11, 2014, I was determined to get a dog as quickly as possible. My family had dogs growing up, but I craved to have my dog. The following May Leandra and I found a dog on the local shelter’s website that we fell in love with. Her name was given as “Danny” and she was a shepherd/husky mix and had beautiful heteroochromia (two different colored eyes) and one ear that went up and the other down. We were smitten.

On Saturday morning we went to go see her. She didn’t seem that interested in us and was horrible on a leash. I was confident that would change in time, after all she was young and full of energy. All I could see was the chance to finally get my dog, and I could not abide any more delays. Leandra was a bit more cautious and asked to see the other dogs. We asked the people at the front desk what dog they wanted us to get, and they led us to “Sable”. She was the staff’s favorite, but she had a black mark on her as she was returned with no explanation, and other families did not want to take a chance on her. She had been in that shelter for over a year, the majority of her life.

It was love at first sight. She was affectionate, attentive but not too crazy. We found out that she was great at socializing other dogs, and they would often stick her in the same pen with dogs that did not like other dogs, and she would teach them how to play. She would fix them just by being around them.

Once we made up our minds, we were determined to get her as soon as possible. I had a wedding that afternoon and needed to leave. We both went into “get this done” mode. I drove Leandra to get her car, so she could immediately drive back and do the paperwork before anyone else would get her, while I went to the wedding.

The couple getting married insisted I chant the service, which I emphatically resisted to no effect. I caved and took six weeks of vocal lessons to try to do a good job. I didn’t and someone even left a bad Facebook review about it. This is why I don’t sing in Church. I’ll write about this more another time.

Despite my poor vocal performance, the wedding was a good and holy thing, and Leandra met me in the parking lot afterwards with our new DOG! We agreed she needed a new name. I was adamant about “Buttercup”, but that didn’t seem to stick. Weeks later without an agreed upon name, our good friends suggest “Nilla Bean” because she looked like Vanilla Bean ice cream. Not wanting them to feel too good about themselves, we did “Vanilla Bean” and she’s been our’s ever since. Since then, we’ve rescued two other dogs, lost one, and had two children. Vanilla Bean is the first living that we took care of as a family, and taking care of things has been our passion and defining task ever since.

The Bible does not actively condemn dogs; however, it’s clear that it’s authors did not hold them in high esteem. The most we get is gruesome passages about dogs licking wounds of invalids or other comparable references. If we were to adapt a biblical perspective, dogs are neither good nor bad, but a sign of neglect toward our neighbor.

Many, including me, and those who claim to be living biblical lives have a very different experience. Vanilla Bean went from unwanted dog that could not be adopted, to being a beloved part of our family. Even in the midst of her un-wantedness, she was teaching dogs how to be around others dogs, potentially changing the course of their lives. Scripture has little to say about dogs, and what it does say isn’t positive, but her life screams of redemption, and I cannot help but give God thanks for her.

This Sunday we are observing the Feast Day of St Frances by offering blessings for our pets. Bring you stuffies, or real (well-behaved) pets so we can collectively give God thanks for the blessings they have given us.

Blessings,

Nick