--- title: A Chipmunk Emergency description: "So, when your visiting daughter runs to her veterinarian dad and says, “Dad, Come Quick! It’s a chipmunk emergency... Its caught under the netting!,\" he will come even when that very same chipmunk is eating all the sunflower seeds he’s been planting." image: https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/hubfs/Picture10.jpg --- [![Center for Abundant Aging](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/wp-content/uploads/uch-logo-200x84.png "Center for Abundant Aging")](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center) [Back to United Church Homes](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. - [Educational Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/clinical-pastoral-education-cpe/) - [Quellhorst Endowment Fund](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/quellhorst-scholars/) - [High School Community Service Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/high-school-community-service-opportunities/) - [Internships-Undergraduate and Graduate](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/internships-undergraduate-and-graduate/) - [Research Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/research-opportunities/) - Engagement with Congregations - [Resources for Worship and Reflection](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/resources-for-worship-and-reflection/) - [Age-Friendly Congregations](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/age-friendly-congregations/) - [Church Resources](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/church-resources/) - [About the Center](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Meet Rev. Beth Long-Higgins](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/meet-rev-beth-long-higgins/) - [Advisory Committee](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/advisory-committee/) - [Press Releases](https://www.abundantaging.org/category/press-releases/) - [Contact the Center](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/contact/) # A Chipmunk Emergency By [Lisa B. Thomas](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/lisa-thomas)  •  April 21, 2022 ![](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/hubfs/Picture10.jpg) *My name is Lisa Thomas and I am the newest blogger on the block. I’m so excited to be a part of this blogging team, and when Beth asked me to write for the week after Easter, I knew exactly what I wanted to share. It’s a story of resurrection… of a sort. Enjoy!* So, when your visiting daughter runs to her veterinarian dad and says, “Dad, Come Quick! It’s a chipmunk emergency... Its caught under the netting!," he will come even when that very same chipmunk is eating all the sunflower seeds he’s been planting. And he will hold the frantic and frightened little creature wearing leather gloves so that the struggling chipmunk only bites a mouthful of leather and not a mouthful of flesh. Your daughter will begin to carefully cut the netting that is binding its fragile feet. However, as your daughter continues to painstakingly cut the toothpick-like leg free, the stress is simply too much for the little thing, and it goes limp; its blank eyes staring. You’ve seen that look before on Grey’s Anatomy so you know it’s moving towards the Light. But your husband will not give up! He starts teeny tiny little chipmunk compressions thinking, “This chipmunk will not die on my watch! Breathe, you little sunflower stealer, breathe!!!” And against all odds, the little chipmunk turns away from the Light and starts breathing. It blinks and quick as a flash, darts away. Your husband is triumphant! This is his small rodent Lazarus moment!  The next day your husband rises aglow and at peace. He has saved one of God’s creatures! He smiles and walks outside but within a few minutes, returns, agitated. “What is it?” I ask. He replies, “Darn it! The little stinker ate the sunflower seeds I just planted!” Which goes to show that having a near-death experience doesn’t necessarily make one less irritating. - - - - [RETURN TO BLOG](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/) ## About the Author ### Lisa B. Thomas Lisa is a retired registered nurse. Most of her career was spent as a parish nurse to several churches as well as parish nurse to the United Church of Christ National Office in Cleveland. She currently lives with her husband John in Westlake and has two grown children. [View all articles by Lisa B. Thomas](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/lisa-thomas) [![Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/wp-content/uploads/UCH_RFPCAA_Horiz_4c-1-1.png "Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging")](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/the-center-for-abundant-aging/) #### Educational Opportunities - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/clinical-pastoral-education-cpe/) - [Quellhorst Endowment Fund](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/quellhorst-scholars/) - [High School Community Service Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/high-school-community-service-opportunities/) - [Internship-Undergraduate and Graduate](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/internships-undergraduate-and-graduate/) - [Research Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/research-opportunities/) #### Engagement with Congregations - [Resources for Worship and Reflection](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/resources-for-worship-and-reflection/) - [Age-Friendly Congregations](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/age-friendly-congregations/) - [Church Resources](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/church-resources/) #### About the Center - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Meet Rev. 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