Milo Pets Lessons About God's Love

Have you ever had a dog or cat to love? Have you ever known the true meaning of “man’s best friend”? Have you ever gone running to a furry friend when the rest of the world seems to have turned its back on you that day?

At Milo it may seem that we are denied that privilege, since we can’t bring our pets to live with us in the dorm. Imagine the zoo it would create! However, I have not noticed the absence of my animals as much because there are pets on campus. I can still pet a cat on my lap, play catch with a dog, chase goats down at the river, and listen to a bird chatter away while perched on my head.

Like people, they all have their own characteristics and attitudes to get to know. Hitler, the cat named for her famous black mustache, is the queen of the girls' dorm with quite an independent spirit.

Nicki, the boys' dean’s three-legged dog, faithfully guards the boys’ dorm. The dean, Kirk Haley, and his wife Lynda also have a blind cat whose sweet spirit wins everyone over. The Haleys have accumulated different strays and misfits over the years that they nurse back to health. Emery Mitchell, the boys’ dorm cat, was found by Milo students a couple years back on a community service day. The stranded cat was immediately brought to our campus home to be fed and spoiled.

All of these animals, despite their physical problems, have been accepted and loved wholeheartedly. In the same way, I have felt the love and acceptance at Milo. None of us are flawless. We all have our own personalities and attitudes that are not always pleasant to be around. Yet at Milo, where we are with each other every moment and see everyone’s good and bad days, we learn to look past the imperfections in each other, just as God looks past our sins and accepts us as we are. He looks at each of us and sees the gold inside. What a great God we serve!