Anything Else is Irrelephant

Ranging in weight from three to six tons, elephants are the largest land mammals on earth. Despite their massive size, they are gentle and loving creatures, forming families and greeting each other affectionally. With high levels of intelligence, they have been known to complete extraordinary tasks, including skillfully painting, demonstrating a great ability to remember past events, and even appearing to grieve for a dead companion. They are beautifully complex creatures and my favorite of any animal.

You know those aspects of life that warm your heart? Elle Woods defines them as 'warm fuzzies' in the movie, 'Legally Blonde', and Susane Colasanti calls them 'pink bubble moments' in her novel, 'When it Happens'. It's when a child speaks his or her mind in honesty or that sunrise that puts you in a good mood for the rest of the day. It's the little things that are appreciated for their big effects. That's what elephants are to me, whether it be moments spent ooo-ing and ah-ing over adorable baby calf photos, an actual interaction with one, or if it's a sighting of a family in their natural habitat on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. All things elephants bring such sunshine to my day. They're just so great! I love elephants. I collect elephant figurines from each country that I visit, and one of my favorite pastimes is to research elephant facts online. You know what, though? As much as elephants make me smile, they still are fleeting. What's really relevant in this world? What is lasting? What is truly life-changing? How about this: the gospel of Jesus Christ. The ultimate love story of a Savior who came to this world for you and me and every person before, during, and after His life, giving up everything so that we, His chosen people, may be saved. It's the beautiful call for us to live our lives as songs for the One that we as Christians believe hung on a cross for us so that we can have life, in all meanings of the word. This is truth. This is lasting. This is what matters. Anything else is irrelephant.

Looking for some warm fuzzies on this chilly (how great is this weather-bring out the flannel!) October day? Here's a gallery of elephant photos for you to check out. They might just become your favorite animal, too!