Hummingbirds, Rabbits, and Bears! Oh My!
During this pandemic, my family has spent more time outside than ever before. Sarah and I made a ritual of having our morning coffee on the front porch and our family took daily walks on the bayou or in the Edith Moore Bird Sanctuary. Even in the heat, we had dinner on the back porch almost every evening. We played hours of driveway basketball and took a short vacation to rural Arkansas for hiking and a change of scenery. We even went to a drive through petting zoo to surprise the kiddos. All that to say that we have been exposed to more wildlife (and maybe not so “wild” life at the petting zoo) in the last six months that ever before.
The myriad of animals has been remarkable. We watched a family of hawks build a nest and have chicks in the tree across the street. Our hummingbird feeder was finally discovered. We got to know the rabbits living in the back yard and watch the woodpeckers search for grubs in the trees. We met two little armadillos with furry ears on a hike and even saw a brown bear running beside the road in Arkansas. And the variety of hungry animals at the petting zoo was amazing! Quarantine slowed us down and made us look around. God has surrounded us with an unbelievable array of creatures.
This Sunday evening, we will be paying special attention to the creatures that live in our homes as we have our annual Blessing of the Animals service on Holy Spirit’s athletic field. The amount of time we have spent with our pets these past months has been unprecedented and while I have always loved animals, particularly our family dogs, I have become ever more grateful for Rosa as she ran around with my kids, gave my son a reason to get out and move for walks around the block, and just made us laugh on occasion.
There are different reasons for blessing something or someone. Sometimes it is to set them apart as holding special significance like when we bless water at baptism or a couple in marriage. At other times, we bless out of a desire for God to be known to us like when we blessed the tags for our backpacks, bags, and briefcases. Those tags are meant to remind us that God is with us in our daily lives. Sometimes we bless to give thanks like when we celebrate our Sunday School teachers at the end of the year or our high school seniors upon graduation. When we bless our fellow creatures at the Blessing of the Animals, I believe we do all three.
So, I hope you will join us Sunday evening at 6 outside. We will bless our pets or stuffed animals and the humans will share in communion. Please RSVP to help us have everything ready for you when you arrive. Bring folding chairs, bug spray, and water. As per diocesan guidelines, even outside we must wear masks and keep at least a 6 foot distance. I can’t wait to see you all there!
We love you and God loves you.