Close to where I live, stands a lighthouse on a group of rocks known as Race Rocks. This lighthouse steers mariners clear of the 8-10 knot (9-12 mph) tide that flows between it and the south coast of Vancouver Island. There are a number of sad tales of ships and lives lost in this treacherous passage of water.

In 1865, lighthouse keeper George Davies and family had for some time been looking forward to a visit from Rosina Davies' brother, sister-in-law, and three friends. On the day of their intended visit, the Davies scanned the nearby shore in anticipation of sighting the boat that would bring family and friends to break the solitude of the lighthouse keeper's family. Sure enough, the visitors did appear as planned, rowing towards their destination, Race Rocks.

When the boat was but 20 feet from its intended landing spot, it came upon a whirlpool and capsized, throwing it's five passengers into the cold, salt water. At the edge of the water, George Davies was helpless. A surveyor was using the keeper's boat and George had been left with neither rope nor life buoy with which to mount a rescue. Quickly, all five were swept away to their deaths. All that was left floating on the surface were some presents that the visitors were bringing with them that tragic day - Christmas Day, 1865.

What a sad story. What a sad picture. We might say, "May nothing like that ever happen again" but the truth is it happens . . .

Each night before I go to bed, a part of my evening ritual is to check to see if our dog needs her water bowl topped up. Though routine and mundane in nature, it is a spiritual experience for me because when watering our canine I often think of how blessed I am to live in a country, and a house, where a lowly dog drinks good old H2O that is clear, clean, and disease free. I know that it is not so for many humans in this world.

North American pets, having it so well, have inspired me and my family to sponsor a hungry and underprivileged child through the child sponsorship ministry called Compassion (see the banner of the top of this page). Sponsored children receive nourishment, education, and hope for the future through Jesus. Our participation in this is a question of priorities and trying to hold important in life what God holds important in this life.

The Bible says a bit about the care of animals. My favorite verse on that topic is Proverbs 12:10, ?A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.? However, as much as I like that Scripture verse, the key teaching text for where the energies of believers should be focused in charity is James 1:27, ?Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.? From how I look at it, if one becomes . . .