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Hello St. John’s Family,
A little over 2 years ago, we came home with a puppy. How our daughter - a high school junior at the time (and thus is no longer here to assist with said puppy) - pulled that one off is another story, but nevertheless, Tate joined our household. We quickly discovered Tate is a ball of immense energy. She’s very sweet… and very adept at finding mischief, especially if she’s bored.
For instance, Tate must always be first. If she and our other dog Finn want to go outside, she’ll race to the door and plow over anything in her path, including the door. When walking, she must be in the lead. If not, she’ll race, angle, and nip at the back of the dog in front of her to get to the front. She also must ensure the whole neighborhood is aware when someone enters the parking lot, and doesn’t take kindly to animals who wander through the yard. When left alone in the house, Tate has a habit of finding any cardboard and shredding it. Thankfully, though, her habit of finding, uprooting, and scattering the soil of any houseplant in reach is diminishing as she grows out of the puppy stage. We’ve often said that “Tate… is a very busy girl!”
Daily walks at Northampton Twp. Park are not sufficient to exhaust Tate’s energy. She now goes to “Doggy Day Care” a few times each week to help burn off some energy. While picking up Tate and Finn at the end of each visit, they will fly up the path, with Tate nipping and nudging Finn the entire way. She’ll then hurl herself into the chain-link fence – tail wagging – eager to see us. Getting her leash on is almost impossible. One afternoon, my wife heard a worker slip up, uttering under her breath the nickname they have for Tate: “Tatan.” Substitute an “S” for the first T… you get the picture.
Yet, when we return home after being out, Tate is always there to greet us with her tail wagging furiously and a favorite toy affectionately named Snuggle Puppy in her mouth. She’s always carrying Snuggle Puppy – the one toy from her earliest days that survived. She’ll drop Snuggle Puppy at our feet and eagerly await affirmation for a job well done. Recently, my wife had the idea to bring Snuggle Puppy along when picking up the dogs from daycare. If one of the workers gave it to Tate before sending them up the path to the gate, perhaps she wouldn’t be such a handful. The young worker looked at my wife like she was crazy… yet it worked! Tate carried her favorite toy the whole way, leaving Finn alone and remaining somewhat calm while being leashed. That process is now part of our routine.
Tate’s mom was rescued while pregnant, so we don’t know her full lineage, but we do know she’s part Australian Shepherd. She’s a herder, watching over, leading, and guiding those under her care, while protecting the young offspring – like Snuggle Puppy. Those traits are deeply embedded in her DNA; it’s all she knows, and her behavior is driven by those instincts. She has a job to do, wants to do that job well, and is very restless if she isn’t doing the tasks that have so much meaning for her. Just like each one of us.
Over 1500 years ago, St. Augustine observed how “our heart is restless until it rests in you (God).” Much like Tate, we have a purpose. We are formed to be in relationship with God. We have a role and gifts that God embedded in the deepest part of our being. When we are aligned with God and living out that role with faithfulness, we experience peace. When that’s not the case, we experience restlessness and a longing for something more. If you’ve felt restless; like something’s missing or out of place, know that God is near. God longs to see us – God’s children – seeking to live out our calling and purpose, and God is always ready to guide us to that place.
This Sunday, our sermon series Plans for My People: God’s Faithfulness in Uncertain Times will conclude as we explore the grief and uncertainty that followed the defeat and exile of the Jewish people in Babylon. In the middle of the mess, God revealed plans for a future with hope through the prophet Jeremiah. Our message will focus on Jeremiah 29:1-13; I hope you’ll check that out and join us in worship on Sunday-
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Brad
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