From the Study...

Dear Friends,

We can learn a lot from our pets. We had our summer week at Edisto Beach a couple of weeks ago and one of the things I enjoy doing in the morning before the day has a chance to heat up is take a walk along the bike path from the house to the marina. This time I decided to take Julie, Fran’s four-year-old mini-labradoodle, along for the walk since she has settled down a bit and does much better on the leash than she did in her puppy days. We had a good walk to the marina. At one turn in the path we came upon a buck in velvet, who stood there looking at us while Julie and I stood there just as motionless looking back, before he took a couple of steps and disappeared into the thicket. We passed several other walkers and a few bikers before we got to our destination where we took a few minutes to check on the boat before heading back to the house. It was already pretty warm and very muggy, so I got Julie a little water before we set off on the return trip. We got about a third of the way back before I noticed Julie slowing down. Then, she sat down. I pulled on the leash, but she wouldn’t budge. Clearly, she was hot and tired and decided she had gone far enough … so she sat down. No amount of leash tugging was going to make her reconsider her decision. It was break time … right now. I carried her most of the way back to the house. We can learn a lot from our pets!

It has been a very long two years and four months since COVID came along and changed life for all of us. At first it was like some kind of a break forced on us that nobody wanted to take. When we started to get out again, it was with restrictions nobody really wanted to follow. Now that we are learning how to live with this bug, many are feeling they need to make up for lost time. Through it all the level of public exhaustion has gone up as our Calvinist/Protestant work ethic is urging us to keep the old nose to the grindstone. We need to let Jesus set the example here. When he was tired and his soul was in need of a rest, he took one. Jesus went to quiet places often … sometimes taking his companions with him, sometimes in solitary retreat. He didn’t wait until there was a lull in the workload, either. He knew many were seeking him, and sometimes they would find him. We need to pay attention to Jesus’ example and make time for a rest when we need it. I pray you have had/will have that chance this summer. It’s time.

Grace and peace,

Mike