I knew ‘Lady Aberdeen’ – a sweet soul! - and Doreen and I have dined
in her spacious home with all its finesse and trimmings. But the lady to
whom I refer is not titled; yet she is – in every sense – ‘a true lady’
who does more for the cause of animal liberation than anyone I've ever
met. No one knows the hours she spends before her computer - only the
Good Shepherd Himself; and possibly her retired and no doubt weary
husband. But the little 1 have done for our gallant cause, with a good
deal of publicity, is quite small to what she has done in a true Christ
like style, as the Bible says,: 'letting not her left hand know what her
right hand is doing". I feel that when her time comes to leave this life
-and she is much younger than myself! - that her pathway in to Glory
will be lined on each side with those animals she's helped to save.
Such cultured, modest and unassuming epitomes of compassion appear
too good for this earthly life. They pass through our lives as ships in
the night, but the aroma of their goodness lingers long. Dear reader, be
not unmindful of them; for the lady I knew in Aberdeen - who,
incidentally is quite incapacitated - is not alone. There are others
like her - You may well be amongst them!. Humble souls walking daily
with their God; often feeling that their lives count for little! Yet
their unpublicised actions speak louder than voluminous words. Here is
one from the Wirral (adjoining Merseyside) who has just phoned me
This lady is distraught over the death of her beloved dog. Whenever
she goes in to a supermarket and sees the dog biscuits she breaks in to
tears. 1 conducted the funeral of her pet, Susie. It was just over a
month ago and, indeed, she is still in her ‘garden of Gethsemane’! Some
animal lovers know the sheer hell she must be going through, while other
well-intentioned folk are amazed at her reaction to ''the mere death of
a pet'.
Well, I empathised as best as 1 could. I prayed inwardly for God to
give me the most helpful words to utter. But then, she intervened to
tell me how her own specialist, a top Consultant, had let her in to a
secret. When his own beloved dog died he was so distraught that he put
his mouth to his pet’s mouth and, for quite some time practised mouth to
mouth resuscitation, and all that it involved.
Well, non animal lovers might have remarked: 'how utterly horrible
and disgusting!' But I only know that I thank God for the story I'd just
been told. I've just followed it by prayer and gratitude for such caring
and compassionate folk. Indeed, towards such medical specialists as he I
hold the greatest admiration.
What a wonderful, noble thing compassion is! These are surely the
folk who will one day walk the courts of the New Jerusalem come down
from heaven! Yes where the voices of children and the happy sounds of
animals are heard in the streets. Indeed, it's inclined to make one
'homesick for heaven'. So let us 'take heart'. Let us ‘fight the good
fight’ while it is day. Yes, as I've said it before, it’s an honour and
a privilege to have enlisted in this righteous army for God. Let us all
take heart!
Animal Padre's
