As you may know by now, Nanci and I love dogs. They are God’s creation, and many of us enjoy them and other pets. Nanci looks regularly at the website Dog of the Day and often emails me a link to the day’s dog. This one, about the dog named Friday, made us smile. The following is the August 27 entry. If you’re a dog lover, the story is worth reading. Remember, God placed animals under the care of the first man and woman, and on the New Earth, in his redeemed creation, I expect we’ll enjoy and care for them more than ever.

A puppy showed up on the parking lot of our school (Houston, Texas) early one Friday morning in September 2009. She was maybe seven weeks old, huddled up under a parked car. Our science teacher took her into the science lab and kept her for the day, hoping that the owner would come looking for her. No one came. Ms. Louise brought the puppy back the next day thinking that, surely, the owners would have flyers up around the school neighborhood, and she could return the dog to its rightful masters. No flyers.

She named the puppy Friday and continued to bring the dog to school. Eventually the principal found out about the dog and looked the other way. Within a week the principal had named Friday the school mascot.

The kids (grades pre-3 through 8th grade) fell in love with the puppy. Homework got turned in so that the students would be eligible to play with Friday; test grades got better so that the students could take Friday for a walk.

Last year she came in every morning ready to learn. She sat in the school office (in a chair) waiting to greet parents, students, and faculty.

The scarf photo was used at school on a poster that says "Friday brought a scarf for St. Blaise Day. Did you?" We as a school collected new and gently used neck scarves for the needy. Friday led the way!

This past summer Friday was in obedience classes for three weeks. She can sit, stay, place, heel, and more. She is great with a frisbee, too. At present she comes to school a couple of days a week to check on her kids. It's difficult to tell who is more excited about Friday coming to school: she or the kids!

She has given our school a new "leash on life."