A note from Pastor Travis 10/21/21

Dear FUMC Family and Friends,

When our children were little, we got them a dog, Missy. She was a wonderful and gentle dog, the perfect pet for young children. She was a great pet for Sandra and me too. She was smart, loving, and easy going. She was a dog who loved her routine. From the time she was a small puppy, she would always go to sleep for the evening at 8:00. Occasionally she would wake up, and if we weren’t in the room with her, she would drag her bed to wherever we were and go back to sleep. She was a sweet, well-behaved dog who rarely barked. We would give her one snack a day, and that was fine with her. It was plenty and she was satisfied. She was content with life and the love she received from us.

However, everything changed when she was about 13 and we bought a new brand of snacks. She became obsessed with them and began to beg for them day and night. As soon as she got her 1 snack for the day, she would gobble it down and start begging for another. When we didn’t give her an additional snack, she would jump up and down and bark. She no longer went to bed at 8:00. Rather, she would spend the whole evening begging for more snacks. She was no longer our content little dog. Her main thought was getting more snacks. The pursuit of snacks had become her world.

Really, dogs are not very different from people. There are so many people who are obsessed with having more. They are always looking to buy the latest gadget, the newest product, the up-and-coming trend, and the biggest and best of everything. They quickly become disenchanted with what they have in pursuit of the next thing. People are easily cast aside or used as a means to their goals. We must admit, even those of us who aren’t at that extreme find an inkling of this desire in us too.

When people become preoccupied with getting more or having the newest thing, they begin to ignore the blessings that they already have and devalue the gifts and people in their lives. Their spirits become restless and their lives lose meaning. When this happens, the joy in life and the gifts in life are lost.

However, God has blessed us richly. When we recognize and celebrate the blessings in life, then our souls find peace and contentment. We discover the gifts of life and life takes on more meaning. This leads to better relationships and healthier spirits.

This Sunday, we will begin our fall Stewardship Program. Our theme is “Blessings.” We will celebrate the many blessings of our lives and give thanks to God for them. We will consider the true purpose of our gifts and blessings. Are they for our enjoyment alone, or are they an opportunity to spread God’s love to others? Can others be blessed by our blessings? How does God want us to use them?

Eventually, Missy stopped begging for her snacks, and resumed her old routine. As a result, she was a much more content dog. I am glad that was just a phase. However, occasionally, I still think of that time, and it serves as a good reminder to me to appreciate all the ways God has blessed me and to use my blessings to bless others. 

Peace and Grace,

Pastor Travis