Prayer for a Deer

Unfortunately, last night the children saw someone hit a deer with a car and kill it. When Natalie went to bed she asked me if we could pray for the deer. So we prayed that God had taken the deer to heaven, that He would take good care of all the other deer and help other drivers to be safe on the road and to pay attention. I was so upset -- the driver didn't even stop. There was glass all over the road, the deer was thrown down the hill and died very quickly. It must have been some impact... how could anyone not stop? I was behind a driver who hit a deer last year and the same thing, they just kept going. I stopped and the deer was there in the road in front of me trying to walk with only three legs, confused and disoriented. I went to the closest church and called the police since the deer was wandering about in the road and it presented a hazard. The police came and shot it and left it in a field where it proceeded to decompose over the course of the next year. I felt so guilty every time I passed the corpse because I felt like I personally had killed the deer. Of course, I didn't. I don't know if deer go to heaven or not but I hope this one does. It really wasn't his fault that the car hit him and, mercifully, he was soon out of his misery.

Today the Valentine's Fairy brought us snow! Natalie pointed out that last year she had brought toys and games but, as we all know, the fairy is working with a somewhat smaller budget this year. :-) Actually I fell asleep feeling terribly guilty that I had nothing to give the children this year for V. Day but when we woke up to snowfall and a two hour school delay it was a real blessing. Natalie gets a long weekend vacation so I am really excited about having her all day Friday and Monday.

By the way, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is the classic V. Day story but I also really love You and Me which is a current favorite in this house and a wonderful love story suitable for any adult and child to read together.