Animals, Animals

My children used to sing the following lyrics in their children’s church and at home. Once you hear it, you never forget it!!

"Animals, animals, Jesus made the animals,
Great big animals, little tiny animals
Animals, animals, Jesus made the animals,
Here is an animal that I know."

Animals have always played an important part in my life. I am fascinated by the vast variety of animals. Growing up we always had pets. We owned dogs, cats, a variety of birds, fish, hamsters, snakes, chickens, goats, geese, ducks, cows and horses. Like most parents, mine taught us how to be responsible for our pets by bathing, cleaning up after them, feeding and watering them. I not only love my own pets, I love everyone's pets. Dogs know I am a lover of their species and quite often walk up to me wagging their tails for a welcoming pet and a treat if I have one.

I was trying to reflect at what age our family acquired our first pet. I'm thinking it was when I around 10 years old. I don't remember having pets in our apartments or first home in Lomita. It wasn't until we moved into our second house there. To this day, I still have one pet left. My beautiful dachshund/terrier Chorizo and he will be my last pet I will own, because of my advancing age. I don't want to leave my children with the responsibility of taking care of another pet once I am called home. The thought of that has made me very sad, but then I remember I have a whole slew of grand puppies!!!

My children and I have had pets for years as well. We had a parakeet that lived for 18 years. I had a dachshund for 17 years and 9 months. Currently, Chorizo just turned 17 years old. Of course, there were the animals who met their fate too soon. When we lived in Perris, we had a coyote issue. My Queenie (dachshund) managed to fight off the coyote that unfortunately took her buddy Oscar. We learned to keep our dogs indoors after that incident. I had another chihuahua for eight years that disappeared after a wind storm blew down our fences. I'm hoping he was rescued rather than becoming coyote food. I called out his name for months after he disappeared. Even after he disappeared our parakeet would say his name daily.

One of my pets who I had owned for several years ended up being rehomed when my sister was in charge of him when our family went on vacation. When we walked through the door, my sister had a fully groomed beautiful Cuervo in her arms. As I went to take him, her eyes welled up with tears. She looked and asked if she could have him. She had attached herself to him. My sister has the most beautiful eyes you could ever look at and when they are pleading, it is hard to resist her. So, Cuervo ended up being her dog and she took care of him through his senior years and spent hundreds of dollars to keep him alive as he aged and had major health problems. It was meant to be. He was loved immensely until his last breath.

My grown children who have families of their own now, also own dogs. I have three Frenchies and a Chihuahua as grand puppies now. I've also said goodbye to two beautiful boxers who were my grand puppies as well. I used to travel to take care of the boxers when my boys went on vacations. Those big puppies used to sleep with me at night and I felt so protected. Those two brought me years of entertainment. The male boxer had a personality and would talk when he had an opinion. The female boxer had the sweetest disposition. When they passed due to old age and ailments, it tore my heart out.

After owning my Queenie for 17 years and 9 months, she developed cancer and started to have seizures that hurt her. I had to make a decision to put her down. That was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. My heart tore out as I held her to pass her through over her rainbow bridge. She was a friend who went through much of my drama with me. I'm sure she had my tears in her DNA as she was always near me when I was very sad and going through stuff. I used to sob in her fur. It is my hope that all dogs will go to heaven and I will see her again.

Also, I can't help think that God must have an amazing sense of humor with some of the animals he has created. I've always loved going to the zoo and observing different animals. I've always enjoyed watching planet earth on the television. Animals are fascinating.

In the Bible we know God created the animals. There are a lot of scriptures that mention animals. Jesus announced his ministry by entering Jerusalem on a donkey. Revelation speaks of Jesus returning at the end of time on a white horse. So, I'd like to think pets will be there too!!

In fact in Isaiah 11:6-9, the verses speak of animals in heaven -- "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra's den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."