Broad Ripple is a place that loves its pets. On any given day, one can witness the amazing relationships between people and their pets as they stroll the Monon or play at the Bark Park. Everyone who has a pet can tell interesting, funny, and loving stories about their animals. Notice I didn't say everyone who "owns" a pet, because the truth of the matter is that in most cases it is the pets that own us.

Whenever my wife eats anything, Zani our German shepherd will just sit and stare at her. Eventually some morsel of my wife's food finds its way into Zani's mouth. We take Zani for a walk just about every evening, and although Zani may be on the leash, the only one "heeling" is my wife.

The Bible has numerous animal references and many legends have been passed down about the animals of the Bible. One such story is about the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. On Good Friday as Jesus hung on the cross, the donkey was trying to find a way to help Jesus, but he kept getting pushed back by the crowd. On Calvary, as Jesus died, the shadow of the cross fell across the donkey's back. Donkeys have bore the sign of the cross on their backs ever since.

This is a great story because it shows how much animals mean to us. We equate them with our history. Studies of historical figures often include stories about the animals that they shared their lives with. Egyptians favored cats, western men and women loved their horses, and today we have a wide variety of pets including gerbils, hamsters, snakes, spiders, cats, and dogs.

On October 5th, 2008 at 1 p.m. there will be a pet blessing at Broad Ripple United Methodist Church. The blessing of the animals will take place in the parking lot. There will be treats for the pets as well as the owners. Have your pets bring you along as they receive a special blessing for all the good that they bring to our lives.