God Bless Our Fur Babies

One of the first things people usually learn about me is that I’m sort of obsessed with my cat, Phoebe. (Yes– named after the FRIENDS character because… #obviously) My husband & I got her January 2, 2011: a little over a month after we got married. We’re both huge animal lovers & were actually planning to get a puppy. But then the associate showed us this timid little tortoise colored kitty & there was no going back. They found her abandoned because her old owners moved & just left her there in the cold at 7 months old. The shop had been looking for a new family to adopt her but everyone wanted to get a new baby kitten, not one almost a year old, so she had been overlooked hundreds of times. When I held Phoebe for the first time, she started purring, nuzzled into my arm, & my husband said: “We’re getting a cat instead, aren’t we?”

A lot of people don’t really get why I’m so taken with her & say she’s “just a cat.” But if you have pets, you understand. They have personalities! They have quirks & birthmarks & preferences. They can tell when you’re sick & they can sense your fear. Pets channel your excitement & are always happy to see you! So this notion that pets are “just animals” is ludicrous to me. In Job 12:10 the Bible says “In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind,” (NIV). The verse speaks of the wisdom of animals & tells us to ask them & the birds in the sky & the fish, for they will tell us what the Lord has done!

My husband works a lot & I spend a lot of time alone at home, so Phoebe’s presence comforts me each & every day. I never really feel lonely because she follows me around the house. She gives off a calming presence that is essential for my anxiety-ridden mind. My mom grew up on a farm & nursed every creature back to health that crossed her path.  So naturally, growing up we had pets of all kinds: cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, goats. They taught my sister & I nurturing, responsibility, compassion, accountability & too many other life lessons to count.

So for this page, I took some instant photos of my pets: Phoebe & our family dog, Jack, who lives at my parents’ house.  Plus I included the Illustrated Faith Blessings by Mail postcard that says: “Because I can’t be with you physically, I’ve given you loyal friends. -God” I think there is SO much truth to that! God uses every creature, no matter how small! I trimmed the postcard down to a better size to fit into my bible & used washi tape to secure it into the crease of the Bible’s spine. I journaled on the back of the card thanking the Lord for my little fur babies that do nothing but bring me joy & comfort me!

<3 Elaine

Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Whatever is Lovely Treasures & Text 12×12 sticker sheet | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Animals Paper Pieces | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Blessings By Mail Animals Postcards | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd “His Love” stickers | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd “Label It” stickers | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Cute Clips in “Eve’s Mix” | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Enamel Hearts in “Apple of My Eye, Olive You Mix, & Mrs. Blueberry” | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Date it Stamp | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Bible Mat | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd pen | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Shanna’s Favorites Paint Set, colors 11 & 49 | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Paint It paint cards | Bella Blvd Color Chaos Treasures & Text 12×12 sticker sheet | Bella Blvd Summer Squeeze patterned paper in “Wildflower” | Master’s Touch Acrylic Paint in “Viridi” | Stephanie Ackerman Documented Faith clear stickers in “Faith Word Strips” | Studio 112 green tile alphas by K & Co. | Staz-On ink in Jet Black | heart washi tape