David Rische

I was reminded recently while listening to a podcast that the holiday season brings in a wide variety of emotions and experiences.

For some people it is family, friends, meals, gifts, joy, worship services, peace, and time off from their jobs.

For some people it is loneliness, missing loved ones, no money for gifts, stress, pressure, strife, hunger, and time off searching for a job.

And for others – it is some kind of mixture of the two lists mentioned.

With the birth of Jesus as the foundation of Christmas – how can we enter into or continue a lifestyle that seeks to rescue people who face the above listed struggles?

Author Max Lucado has done a brilliant job capturing the essence of sacrificing for our fellow-man in his book Cure for the Common Life. Christmas focuses on the birth of Jesus to save the world. This section elaborates on the life of Jesus as a model for how to serve the world:

God’s cure for the common life includes a strong dose of servanthood. Timely reminder: As you celebrate your unique design, be careful. Don’t so focus on what you love to do that you neglect what needs to be done.
    A 3:00 a.m. diaper change fits in very few sweet spots . . . Visiting your sick neighbor might not come naturally to you. Still, the sick need to be encouraged, garages need sweeping, and diapers need changing
     The world needs servants. People like Jesus, who “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28 NKJV). He chose remote Nazareth over center-stage Jerusalem, his dad’s carpentry shop over a marble-columned palace, and three decades of anonymity over a life of popularity.
     Jesus came to serve. He selected prayer over sleep, the wilderness over the Jordan, irascible apostles over obedient angels. I’d have gone with the angels. Given the choice, I would have built my apostle team out of cherubim and seraphim or Gabriel and Michael, eyewitnesses of Red Sea rescues and Mount Carmel falling fires. I’d choose the angels.
     Not Jesus. He picked the people. Peter, Andrew, John, and Matthew. When they feared the storm, he stilled it. When they had no coin for taxes, he supplied it. And when they had no wine for the wedding or food for the multitude, he made both.
     He came to serve.

Great insight from a great author. So . .  what small, unannounced, behind the scenes, and humbling actions do we need to take in 2017 to keep the momentum of Christmas going??? May this be our greatest year of making a difference! 🙂

During this season when we focus on gratitude – it is easy to spend the rest of the year keeping a close watch on what we don’t have:

I wish I had more money.

I wish my car were nicer.

I wish I was going on a cruise like my friends get to. 

I wish things would stop breaking down.

I sure could use one of those Nintendo Classic Systems . . .

Let’s face it, the list is endless. Then there are more serious “wishes”:

I wish he/she were still alive.

I wish I still had a job.

I wish I didn’t have this disease.

I wish I could make things right with that person.

I wish I didn’t feel sad all the time.

Keep going.

I wish I had clean water.

I wish I didn’t go to bed hungry every night.

I wish I knew how to read.

I wish I lived in a place where I didn’t have to worry about my safety.

I wish I knew who my dad is.

You get the idea. We’re all guilty of falling into the trap of focusing, perhaps even craving and obsessing over what we don’t have. We spend mental energy, time, and money acquiring that “thing” that will finally make us happy. We finally get “it”! Yay – now I’m happy and fulfilled!!! Ah . . . it feels good to finally get _______. . . . But wait . . . what’s that I see??? I don’t have a ________. I want one (or however many)! I need one! Got to have one! Okay – what price do I have to pay to get it???

Admit it, we’re all caught in the cycle.

Thousands of years ago, the apostle Paul wrote a remedy for us to bring us back to the basics: “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.” . . . If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.”(1 Timothy 6: 6,8)

So . . . we need two things to reach the stage of contentment Paul describes:

1. Godliness (an active, thriving relationship with God).
2. Food and covering (the basics of life – food, shelter, and a means to get to work).

That prescription helps simplify life. Years ago I heard a preacher say that he wakes up every morning, looks at his ten fingers, and immediately thanks God for ten things to start his day. Try it!

1. Thank You for electricity
2. Thank You for plumbing
3. Thank You for my family
4. Thank You I have a job
5. Thank You I have rights and freedom . . . .

Contentment and Thankfulness go hand in hand. The more we focus on those two practices, the more happiness, hope, and peace we will have inside. It is my wish that you have a fantastic and blessed Thanksgiving!

However, I sure would like to add to my list of 10 things one of those Nintendo Classic Game systems . . .  🙂

I was recently having a casual conversation with my 15-year-old after picking him up from work one evening. He politely asked, “What have you been doing tonight?” I sheepishly confessed that I spent the last hour or so binge watching Monkee videos on YouTube. His reply was, “Who are The Monkees?” I was perplexed, how could he not know about The Monkees? What are they not teaching our children in schools these days? 🙂 I immediately showed him the video of the introduction to their show – and he had no interest whatsoever.

Which made me reflect – why were they such a big deal when I was young? I had never seen anything like their TV show – a fast-moving combination of comedy, drama, and music videos. In 4th grade, I wanted to change the spelling of my name from David to Davy – but I couldn’t afford the legal fees. And this was my first introduction to rock and roll music besides the only album I owned – Donny and Marie’s Greatest Hits. Since 2016 is the 50 year anniversary of their conception, I decided to investigate the story of Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, and of course, Davy Jones. Here’s a brief discovery what I learned behind the music after reading Monkee Business by Eric Lefcowitz.

The Good

*A highly visionary production and management team took 4 relatively unknowns from an open casting call, and made the group a world-wide sensation.

*Despite the perception, they were not rivals with the Beatles. Both groups had mutual respect for one another, and they occasionally would hang out.

*At one point, The Monkees albums were outselling The Beatles and Rolling Stones combined.

*Stars that had a connection with them early in their careers: Jimi Hendrix, Jack Nicolson, Carole King, Neil Diamond – even Seinfeld & Leno appeared as young comedians on a variety show Michael later produced.

*The team created revolutionary concepts for entertainment that still are seen today:

• Strengthening of the Boy Band concept and mega-marketing of merchandise.
• The foundation behind a variety TV show (comedy, drama, and music).
• Music videos with lip syncing, multiple camera angles, and concert footage. In fact – Michael came up with the idea of a 24 hour music network later known as MTV.
• The Monkees experimented with concert lighting – including the radical idea of shining the lights out into the crowd.
• They planted the seeds for reality TV – frequently their shows would end with unedited interviews with the band members.
• They made reunion tours cool, and also it became hip for parents and kids to attend the same concert – not for supervision, but for entertainment.

The Bad

*A dispute went on for years: The Monkees wanted to be a real band and play their own instruments (Peter & Michael were actual musicians) – but the producers, writers, and managers wanted them to be a fictional band using their own voices, but studio professionals to provide background vocals, write songs, and play the instruments.

*The group fired legendary producer Don Kirshner who helped them have multiple hit singles and Billboard topping albums. They rejected the song “Sugar Sugar”, which later became a hit for The Archies.

*They fell into the basic patterns of self-destruction that haunt the majority of young people who suddenly come upon wealth and fame without being grounded: bad contracts, strong egos, dishonesty, money on bad investments and pleasure, lawsuits, non-stop squabbles over money, and airing grievances about each other with the press. Sadly, they didn’t consider themselves close friends after all those years – mostly business partners.

*The group admitted to being “high” during the filming of some the TV show episodes.

*Their squeaky clean image was basically an image – most of the group conformed to the peer pressure of the 60’s of drugs, alcohol, wild parties, and groupies. At one point Peter had squandered millions of dollars and was living with his daughter as an alcoholic in a shelter for $25 a week. He also had a brief stint in prison for drug possession.

*After the break up – Micky struggled with substance abuse and lethargy. Michael tried to distance himself from the group and was non-committal every time a reunion tour occurred. Davy at one point claimed that “The Monkees ruined his acting career.” He unexpectedly died of a heart attack at the age of 67.

The Conclusion

I had this group on a pedestal when I was a kid and must admit – I was disappointed hearing about all their shortcomings after reading this book. Somehow I had an image in my mind that they were immune from corruption.

However, I’m reminded of the lesson I keep learning no matter what age I am – don’t put my hope in people – put it in God. All have fallen short of His glory:  Me, musicians, sports stars, religious leaders, Hollywood legends, blue and white-collar workers, and even politicians 🙂  “It is better to take refuge in the Lord – Than to trust in man.” (Psalm 118:8)

No one can deny, The Monkees had quite a run for 50 years. Their memories will remain forever etched in their fans hearts. Please leave a comment below or on FB regarding who your favorite Monkee is, and number one song you think they sing. Me? Davy, of course. And “Daydream Believer” for top song.

We had the opportunity to travel to Rome this month in celebration of our 25th Wedding Anniversary. The trip far exceeded our expectations. What amazed us both was how much history and culture we learned about this incredible city. When casually walking, we would turn a corner – and discover some ancient statue, building, or landmark. Here is a small sample from my brain condensed into a Top Ten List:

1) Michelangelo was primarily a sculptor – he did not want to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling. In fact, he had never used fresco paints before. The pope at the time used threats against Mich’s country and family to convince him to do it.

2) Based on what multiple tour guides told us:  In 300 AD, you would be killed for being a Christian. In 400 AD, you would be killed for not being a Christian.

3) Again, according to our guide, the Romans take incredible pride in the freshness and quality of their food. We were served a delicious cheese mixture that goes bad after one day. They claim only true Parmesan cheese can be purchased in their country.

4) Eating dinner is a long, multi-course, drawn out event. The waiter won’t bring you your check unless you ask them. A typical dinner start time is between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm.

5) Our driver told us there are over 500 churches just in the city of Rome. The Vatican has more art, land, wealth, and authority than I ever imagined.

6) The gladiators were mostly prisoners and slaves. Some of the battles in the Colosseum were just a show, but most of them were battles to the death. A gladiator had to win 40 victories to earn his freedom. Then, he would become a celebrity, join the military, or take on the position of Gladiator Trainer.

7) The Romans prefer either distilled water or wine to drink with their lunch and dinners. I can’t tell you how many times I bought distilled by mistake because I couldn’t read the package – I even gave it the shake test unsuccessfully.

8) So many of the restaurants are small – that’s because they use to be homes that have been passed down from generation to generation. If you are brave enough to rent a space in downtown Rome – rent is usually 30,000 to 40,000 euros a month. Several of the locals complained about the large amount of taxes they had to pay.

9) In spite of the beauty, history, and splendor of Rome – the city has its share of poverty, scammers, graffiti, and homeless.

10) If you ever visit there, I highly recommend Rick Steves’ pocket travel books and free videos on his website. Do a search on Trip Advisor for “The Top Ten” of whatever you are looking for. Find a hotel that is in the heart of the city, and pay for quality “Skip The Line Tours.” So in closing . . . . Saluti!!! (“Cheers” in Italian) 🙂

School is starting – and all of a sudden our schedules are jam-packed:
Sports, select sports, band, private lessons, dance, cheer, homework, martial arts, academic clubs, groups just for fun, jobs – did I leave anything out? Kids, parents, grandparents, relatives, friends (did I leave anyone out?) are all running around at a frenzied pace trying to make practices, performances, competitions, tournaments, and deadlines. Both young people and adults seem to be caught on this hamster wheel of endless activity.

There is a short passage called “The Spirit of the Age” from the book Walking With God by John Eldredge that I believe sheds an amazing light on this topic:

I don’t live. I get things done. My life is entirely task oriented. I wake and pray, because if I don’t pray, I get taken out by warfare. It’s not leisurely prayer; it’s purposeful prayer. I head to the office and start replying to emails. Projects that began with a good idea are now breathing down my neck because there are deadlines to these things, and what began as a creative outburst is now just Get It Done. I come home exhausted, fried . . . Sometimes I’ll try to get a run in – but did you notice the phrase “get a run it?” Another get it done. Even though I do enjoy running, it has become hard to fit it in. Task, not living.

     Every age has a certain spirit or mood or climate to it. Ours is busyness. We’re all running like lemmings from sunup to way past sundown. What’s with all the energy drinks? . . . Not to mention the coffee houses on every corner. Why do we need all this caffeine? And why do so many of us now need sleep aids to rest at night? Our grandparents didn’t. We thought the age of technology would make life simpler, easier. It has got us by the throat. We need to operate at the speed of computers. Seriously, I’m irritated that my e-mail takes four seconds to boot up now, when it used to take ten. I realize I’m not the first to put this down on paper. People have been making this observation for a long time. We are running around like ants do when you kick in their hill, like rats on a wheel, like Carroll’s Mad Hatter.

And for some reason, we either believe we can’t stop or we don’t want to. . . . Like the prodigal son, we are not going to do a thing about this until we wake one day to realize we are sick of it and we want a different life (pg. 115 – 116). 

I don’t know how to fix it, I’m caught up in it myself. However, there seems to be a subtle shift toward many of us wanting to simplify our lives. That might explain the success of shows like Tiny Houses, or the growing membership ranks of the Minimalist movement.

In reflection, it seems hope for the future being better – is connected with things from the past that were a regular part of our lifestyles. Try one or all of these to slow down just a bit:

1. Take a walk, jog, or bike ride.
2. Intentionally turn of electronic devices for a few hours.
3. Engage in stories and discussion around a table or in lawn chairs.
4. Sit under shelter and watch a rainstorm (when it finally happens).
5. Try sitting still in silence by yourself for 5, 10, or 15 minutes – feels impossible!
6. Play a classic board game – it’s amazing how competitive spirits and smack talking show up.
7. Replace TV and the Internet with reading a hardback or paperback book.

These suggestions won’t fix everything, but it is a start to moving toward a potential new spirit of the next age . . . Simplicity . . .  🙂

“But you’re gonna have to serve somebody,
Yes, indeed you’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody….”            Bob Dylan

The term “servant leader” has been around for quite awhile. I’ve used it to describe myself during interviews. I hear job applicants use it all the time to characterize themselves. Some of you might think – “This doesn’t apply to me, I’m not a leader.” It is always beneficial to keep John Maxwell’s definition of leadership tucked in the back of our minds: “Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.” So if you influence just one other person on planet Earth, you are a leader. Leaders are not just bosses, government officials, pastors, and CEOs.

The custodian influences whether a facility is germ free, clean, and safe.

The single parent influences the future of her children while performing a multitude of roles.

The teenager behind the fast food counter influences whether customers will leave with a positive impression of a restaurant.

The volunteers in the church nursery influence whether a baby feels love and comfort while their parents are away.

You get the idea.

In fact, a study reported in the book Bold states that 80% of the jobs in the United States are connected to the service industry. So the odds are fairly high you serve somebody.

The tricky part also is that we are being watched by people we don’t even realize – so we can be influencing in a positive or a negative way and be totally clueless about it.

So what does it mean to be a servant leader? Do a search on Amazon and you will see there is a vast supply of books on the subject. Actually, one of them has been on my nightstand for over a year that remains partially read. Here are some highlights from leaders I respect:

St. Louis Cardinal’s Manager Mike Matheny has written a book called The Matheny Manifesto. Along with various other topics, he tackles servant leadership. In fact, he spent several years studying the subject. He believes strongly in leading by example as a positive role model, to keep growing in character, and to visualize in your mind an upside down organizational hierarchy chart.

Dan Rockwell states in a recent Twitter post about servant leadership: “Leading is serving, nothing more, nothing else, nothing less. . . Servants serve, but servant-leaders enable others to serve. That makes all the difference.” (@Leadership Freak July 17, 2016)  

Dave Ramsey’s definition from the book Entreleadership. “Once I understood that I am serving my team by leading them, just like I am serving my children by parenting them, I relaxed. I might serve a team member by reprimanding him or even by allowing him to work somewhere else . . . I am serving them (my team) by teaching and mentoring them. I am serving them to their good and the good of the organization.” (pg. 17)

Here’s the David Rische summarization:

Show up on time, do your job and do it well, and act like a professional.

That simple formula would eliminate at least 90% of the problems in the workplace.

So in conclusion – remember that you are a leader (hopefully the servant type), you have tremendous influence wherever you are, and you are being watched.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Growing up as a teenager, I never understood the lyrics of the classic song “Summertime Blues” by The Who: “There Ain’t No Cure For The Summertime Blues . . . ”
It was right up there with this gem from Styx: “I’ve Got Too Much Time On My Hands . . .”
I’ve always struggled with the opposite – not enough time on my hands, and not needing to be cured from the Summertime Blues because there was too much to do. From childhood through adulthood – I have always loved summer (except the extreme heat and humidity). As a kid, it was the pinnacle of freedom, creativity, seeing relatives, exploration, and taking vacations. As an adult, here are three areas of purpose that I’m reminded of every time summer arrives:

1. Reflect – Summer allows the space and margin to finally look back on the last several months and analyze what went right and wrong. I fortunately belong to an organization that embraces the philosophy of “Continuous Improvement.” That mindset keeps you in the rhythm of always wanting to get a little bit better in every area of your life. What went well? What was a disaster? How can I learn and grow from my successes and failures? What was good that I could possibly make great? Have I taken any risks recently? Where did I waste a lot of time? What have I wanted to read but haven’t had time for? What will I do differently when I go back to work, with my family, at my church or in my community?
2. Recharge (or Refresh) Ah . . . having some time off. Whether it is a vacation or staycation, a chance to get away from the computer screen, endless emails, the cubicle, the hamster wheel of problems, and entrenched routines. I use to be very agenda and event-driven on vacations (Chevy Chase Jr.). Fortunately,  my wife through the years has taught me the value of sitting on the beach – and just staring at the incoming waves for hours. Incredibly therapeutic! Summer could be a opportunity to try a new hobby, start a garden, a new sport, or develop a skill. How about going on vacation to somewhere new instead of the tried and true?
3. Reconnect – Summer is the perfect time to visit family members that you haven’t seen for a while. Or spend quality time with family or friends that busyness has prevented you from. Possibly a chance to stop in on someone you know is lonely. Have that lunch or dinner with your friend need to catch up with.
   There is also one key relationship that we seem to draw closer to, or drift farther away from during the summer. Our relationship with God. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the trips, “me time”, new adventures, sleeping in, sports, earning cash, etc. – and ignore the most important Person in our lives that we need to connect with. I’m a very “bottom line” type of individual – just give me the facts. Recently, I read this section in the book Moving Mountains by John Eldredge that pretty much gives the bottom line of our purpose no matter what season of the year (or life) we are in:

“The goal of human existence is union with God, an absolute union of heart, soul, mind, and strength, the union Jesus knew with his Father: “I and the Father are
one” (John 10:30)” pg. 223

Now there’s a lofty goal to pursue this summer! What greater adventure exists than knowing The Creator of the Universe wants to have a relationship with us?

I wanted to end with the lyrics to a song that perfectly wrapped up this blog in a serious and classy way. Unfortunately, the song that continues to be stuck in my head is “School’s Out For The Summer” by Alice Cooper 😦      Any suggestions? 🙂

Due to a busy schedule, writer’s block, and exhaustion – David Rische asked his dog, Macy Rische to be a guest blogger. She is the reason for his busy schedule, writer’s block, and exhaustion.

Hi! I’m Macy Rische. This is a picture of me with the two younger humans that live in my house. Here is my story of how I ended up there.

It all started about a month ago. My sisters, mom and I played, ate, and slept happily every day. Then something strange happened that rocked my world. Unknown humans showed up one day, and took each of my sisters!

That night I cried for several hours. I didn’t even get a chance to tell them goodbye, and I feel like I’ll never get to see them again. My stomach hurt – was there something wrong with me? Why was no one taking me? So, as I was laying alone in a small pen, I finally drifted off to sleep. Then something wild happened. In a dream, I had a vision that God was telling me He had hand-picked a special group of humans for me. They were fighting sadness because they lost a dog to cancer – and really needed someone special to bring back their happiness. I found out later that the dog’s name was Sadie – and she was another sister I had!  Just a side note, that’s why I believe God sends us to people – we bring joy, love, and friendship. Not quite sure the purpose those things called cats have – but I’ll have to write my theories about that another time.

Here is a picture of me in action – that is why it is blurry. I’m very high energy. But then tiredness hits – and I fall asleep in the strangest places. You know what else hits? Me having to go to the bathroom. My humans don’t understand sometimes when I gotta go – I GOTTA GO! They get mad when I go on that surface they call the carpet. I think they want me to go to the bathroom outside all the time. But I’m a puppy, and still trying to figure out how the whole system works.

This is the “cute” pose I take whenever I get in trouble. My teeth are KILLING ME! Plus, I am hungry all the time. So I chew anything and anyone that comes into my path. Plus, I get in spats with another dog in the house named Brownie. Overall, I really like her – but she is kind of grumpy and set in her ways. When the humans leave us (which makes me incredibly sad), she provides companionship – almost like my sisters use to. 

Well, those are the highlights of my tale. As you can see in this picture, the big human is exhausted – and his head makes a great pillow. If he lets me write again – I would like to share my theory on how to end the squirrel population once and for all. 🙂 

Spring can be overwhelming. I’m still trying to make up for that lost hour of sleep. And I don’t know whether to begin purging the clutter from my garage, closet, or attic – so instead I watch reruns from The Office.

I was determined to discover a way to make spring cleaning and getting organized more user-friendly. After an extensive search, I found two great propositions in two excellent books. The first is Switch by Chip and Dan Heath, the second is from Essentialism by Greg McKeown

#1 – A Fast-Paced Time Management System

Chip and Dan Heath address the feeling of dread when we want to undertake any  project that will require extensive time and energy. The majority of us envision how the effort will result in a “perfect” house, garage, closet, etc. The work involved to achieve that state of perfection is overwhelming – so we don’t even start. Makes sense. Here is their advice:

“Get a kitchen timer and set it for 5 minutes. Then go to the worst room in your house – the one you’d never let a guest see – and, as the timer ticks down, start clearing a path, and when the timer buzzes, you can stop with a clear conscience. Doesn’t sound as bad, does it?” (Switch pg. 130)

One of two things can then occur:

*You have a sense of accomplishment, and can continue using the timer technique in the days to come until the project is complete.

*More than likely – the blood is flowing, your energy is vibrant, and you feed off of the progress you’re making – and you keep on going until significant progress or closure is made in your endeavor.

#2 – Uncluttering the Clutter

Let’s face it, we’re all holding on to stuff we need to get rid of. I need to face the reality that I’m not going to drop down 4 pant sizes and be able to fit into my Dockers that I wore in college. The Miami Vice white jacket from the 80’s probably won’t be coming back in style any time soon (plus the matching pants). And finally, the Little Caesars employee shirt with my name embroidered on it – I’m probably safe getting rid of it, and opening up that slot up to another article of clothing.

Again – an overwhelming task when we mentally think of taking it on. So where do we start?

I’m going to paraphrase from Essentialism (by the way, one of the best books I’ve ever read on prioritizing your life) regarding the steps to take to clean out an area. I’ll use Greg McKeown’s example of truly purging a closet:

1. Create 3 piles – Keep, Give Away, Throw Away
2. Physically handle each item and realistically evaluate will you ever wear it again? Use the two-year rule: “Have I worn this within the last two years?”
3. If you’re struggling with keeping it or not, ask the question: “How much money would I spend on this item right now?”
4. When finished, take immediate action with your piles.

I hope this helps. Like everything else in life – the challenge is getting started, and persevering until the end 🙂

On August 1st, 2015 – our kids were “deceived” into driving out to East Texas to pick up a new family member, a Golden Retriever we named Sadie. That day was filled with joy, laughter, and love for this innocent animal. On September 27th, 2015 – I created a very rough draft blog titled “Sadie and Me.” It was intended to be whimsical look at the joys of a new puppy – the dog falling asleep on my chest and snoring, puppy breath, discovering life, bringing happiness, and not being able to stay mad at her when she ruined something because she was so darn cute.
I also was going to write about the challenges of a new puppy – 2 am and 4 am wake up calls, EVERYTHING and everyone’s fingers becomes a chew toy, having more energy than everyone in the house combined, and how she would occasionally leave piles of “stuff” secretly throughout the household that I was magnetically attracted to and would step in.

Unfortunately, on January 27th, 2016 – a fluke, cancerous tumor took the life of Sadie. That incident completely changed what I wanted to write about.

Despite only having her in our home for 6 months, I learned a lot of life lessons from interacting with this amazing creature. Here are my top four takeaways:

1.Sadie loved everyone. Most dogs have their “favorite” person in the house. Sadie was best friends with whoever would throw her the ball, chase her, or wrestle with her. She would greet us every morning with her slobbery kisses that instantly started our mornings off in a good mood. And she would cry with joy when each of us came home everyday from work and school.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you . . .” (John 13:34).

2. Sadie had unending curiosity. She was always “getting into stuff” – but it came from her inquisitive heart. She explored every inch of our backyard, taste-tested every piece of wooden furniture and also rocks, taste-tested any food she could reach on the counters, and victoriously disabled every stuffed animal she discovered in the kid’s closets. The first time Sadie encountered rain, she was leaping in our yard trying to catch each drop in her mouth. She knew the process that curiosity leads to trying something previously unexplored, which leads to new experiences, which lead to new knowledge.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

3. Sadie loved to play hard. I already mentioned how she “danced” in the rain. She loved the rain so much, she would go outside and lay down in the yard during a storm. Dirt and mud were giant sandboxes to her, messiness wasn’t even an afterthought. “Fetch” quickly became “Keep Away” or “Tug of War” – the only time she would quit, was if she sensed us getting tired. Anytime we tried to catch her, she put on “football moves” that would be envied by any Heisman candidate.

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men . . .” (Colossians 3:23).

4) Sadie taught me that life is short. As mentioned in the beginning, she was taken from us way too soon. Questions and emotions flooded our minds, I asked the unanswerable question: “Why?” Anger and confusion trying to understand why a creature that expressed love and joy freshly every single day was taken from us. Guilt: “Did we do something wrong?” Or more guilt: “I shouldn’t feel this way, there are people going through much greater loss than this.”

A wise friend shared with me, “No one gets to hold the ‘Sadness Card’ all the time. It is normal to feel deep sorrow at any kind of loss of life that we had invested in. Our feelings are valid because we loved and were loved during our time with Sadie. As painful as it sounds now, we can love an animal again like we did with her.”

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14)

When reflecting upon her short life, I am forced to ask myself some tough questions:

What am I investing my time, talents, and money towards?

What type of legacy am I leaving during the day-to-day grind of things?

Am I involved in a lifelong pursuit of something bigger than myself? 

Commentator Bill O’Reilly has written that we will be remembered basically for two things:  “During our lives, what wrongs did we right – and how did we make people feel?” Author Bob Goff mentioned in an interview, “Picture the six people you want standing around your bedside when your time comes – go invest in those people right now!”

The story doesn’t end here. If everything works out as planned, we should be getting a new family member in about two months. It will be Sadie’s sister! Hopefully then I can write a whimsical blog about the challenges of owning a new puppy 🙂

“And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold I am making all things new'” (Revelation 21:5)