I Never Realized     The arrival of a new rhinoceros at the Los Angeles Zoo turned out to be one of the  most meaningful spiritual events in my life.  Let me tell you about it.     One of the goals of a modern zoo is reproduction, especially of rare animals.  The goal could not be realized with our black rhino collection because we owned only one male, Arthur.  Arthur - King Arthur - was a young, robust, jaunty, teperamental male.  But  he needed a lady.  We came through in a big way by our purchase of Lady Twinkle  Toes, a dark, elusive beauty who pulsated with rhino charm.     She arrived at the zoo in a crate so large it could not be driven to the back of the exhibit because of the high bridges and tunnels that were a part of the back-road system.  So the decision was made to lift the crate into the front of the exhibit with a large crane that stood waiting for her arrival.  When she did arrive, it was clear she was very upset.  On the same day, she had been taken from the cargo hold of a  ship in her crate, lifted onto a truck, and driven forty miles over the Los Angeles freeway system to the zoo.  The variety of smells, sounds, and shadows had taken  their toll on an animal that is extremely subject to fear and anxiety.  She was feeling progressively more trapped by the crate and she wanted out.  NOW!     We knew this because she was frequently ramming the door of her massive crate so  hard that we heard cracking and noticed aolintering around the hinges.  The order was shouted to hurry it up with the steel cables.  There was a frenzy of activity as the cables were bolted together and attached to the giant hook at the end of the  crane's cable.  "Lift away!"  The crate began to rise admist hoorahs and the diesel roar that thundered from the crane.  Billows of smoke belched forth froman engine  that obviously needed more mainenance.  Inside the crate Lady Twinkle Toes had long since reached her stress imit.  She was possessed by terror, and in her mind her  life was on the line.  Her very survival was in question.  Seventeen feet in the air, the crate began to rock violently.  Four-by-fours bowed, cracked, and fell to the ground as the door began to disintegrate before our eyes.  The crane operator swung the crate into position as quickly as possible while the rhino, with incredible strength, blasted the last vestiges of the door off its hinges.     We were terrified.  If she attempted to jump from that height, sh would be crushed and killed by her own weight.  Rhinos see very poorly, and she stared downward  without the focus or intelligence to interpret her circumstances.  She was trembling with fright and her eyes were filled with tears.  Ten feet, eight feet, six feet, four  feet.  Still four feet above the ground, Lady Twinkle Toes opted for freedom.  She fell with a sickening thud and we waited, with bated breath and cleched teeth, hoping she would be bale to get up.  She snorted and struggled successfully to a standing position.  Her body was trembling violently with colossal fear, the kind that produces rage.  She noticed a large boulder that through tear-filled eyes looked like a man or another animal.  She charged it mightly.  When she hit it, it moved slightly and she fell to her knees.  Staggering again to her feet, she noticed another boulder and charged it.  Again the impact brought her to her knees.  This time she got up a  little more slowly.  Then the most amazing thing happened....her whole body began to glisten red in the morning sun.  She seemed to be perspiring great drops of blood from every pour in her body.     I turned to the veterinarian and exclaimed, "Doctor, what's going on?  I have never seen anything like this before!" "This animal has reached a maximum of stress," he said.  "Rhinos, hippos and elephants under this kind of stress can burst cappillarie all over their bodies.  She can't take much more stress.  She's in  great danger."     We were all glad when she stopped her awesome displays of fear and rage and began to calm down.  As I considered this marvel, the words of another doctor, the beloved physician Luke, echoed in my mind.     Luke: 22 v44   And being in agony he - Jesus - prayed more earnestly, and hsi sweat became like grat drops of blood falling down upon the ground.     I thought, "Lord, I never realized.  I never dreamed that You knew about stress in  this way.  How trapped You must have felt.  How alone.  You really can understand how I feel."     The Lord left us with two truths in this incident.  It is good to reach out to friends during times of great stress; but when they don't come through, God is always sufficient.  He will get us through.  Jesus is into stress management.  We raed in     Matthew 11: 28-30;     Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rets for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.     Are you stressed?  Take it to the Counselor first. Jesus understands.     Author ~ Gary Richmond     All graphics © 2001  By Until Then Graphics       All right reserved.                   All other copyrights belong to their respective holders.                      This background set made and copyrighted by Until Then Graphics.                       It was made especially for "View From A Zoo - Daily Reflections",                               so please do not take any of the graphics or set.                                 Thank you for respecting the copyright laws. Photo courtesy of : Broderbund