Greetings brethren and happy Sabbath. Just a reminder services will be at 10:30 AM in all three congregations tomorrow.

Dog sitting

I have the privilege of dog sitting this week. Although we had a dog before, we never really had her in the puppy stage. Let me just say, if you’ve never been a part of training a puppy, it’s an adventure!

It’s akin to having a two year old. You can’t leave them alone for a second and they get into everything!

Youthful exuberance

Inevitably, our guest got into a little trouble. He likes to hide under a particular table in our house. Unfortunately, the table doesn’t have very sturdy legs and during one of his romps, the table went over, along with the potted plant that was sitting on it.

It wasn’t any huge mess, but there was some dirt to be cleaned up. While my wife dutifully cleaned it up, Fido (real name withheld to protect the not-so-innocent) and I sat at a safe difference while the vacuum cleaner howled. 

Bringing joy

Animals and small children have several things in common. They need training, they can be rambunctious, and they often make big messes. After the mess was cleaned up, our canine guest was romping, playing and doing all sorts of puppy like things, including bringing joy to our hearts. 

I have to wonder if that’s how God feels watching us as we grow in taking on His character. The next time you fall short, consider the joy you bring God when you repent and move forward, striving to overcome your ‘puppy stage.’