Our mini-Australian shepherd, Ruby, gave birth to four puppies just over a week ago. Up until that point, her life was what some might call the life of a dog princess. She’s been a baby to our three girls, she’s been dressed up in all kinds of clothes, and she’s an inside dog…need I say more? Of course, she loves every minute of it, as indicated by her whining excitement every time we come home.
Her life’s joy is to run back and forth and almost trip our daughters as they run around and play outside.
And so, we didn’t know how she would respond when she became pregnant.
It was 2:07am on Sunday, January 30th, when the first red merle came into this world. Immediately, Ruby’s instincts kicked in. In a matter of seconds, her little puppy was clean, squirming around, and nuzzling for nourishment. The next puppy followed shortly thereafter, and Ruby’s response was identical to the first.
At that point, Jennifer and I decided to turn in and get some shut-eye. We woke up to two more puppies.
Incredible.
Our fear that Ruby wouldn’t know what to do in giving birth and that she might disregard her puppies out of her love for our daughters ended that morning.
She had no training in giving birth, she wasn’t equipped to clean and ready her puppies for nursing, but she acted in her God-given instinct and we can’t help but stand amazed. In fact, what was most surprising and comical was how (as seen in the picture above) Ruby kept running back and forth and bringing our daughter’s stuffed animals in with her puppies. We’d hear her little nails briskly click across the floor toward the girls’ bedroom, and then see Ruby trotting back to her nesting box with a new stuffed animal proudly in her mouth to bring to her litter.
Unreal.
It’s no wonder the apostle Paul declares in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made…”
How has God’s creative nature filled you with wonder you this week?
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.”
Psalm 19:1-2
— February 9, 2022