Prepare Ye

from the December 2014/January 2015 Messenger What is with all of this white stuff on the ground? My Big Guy takes me out one day so I can, you know, and all of the leaves and grass are covered by this white stuff! I guess it’s a different time of the year. My Big Guy has been listening to some different music – Carol something, and he said something about putting a tree inside. I think that is a GREAT idea. He’s also said something about someone being with us. I think the name is Emmanuelle, but I’m not sure. I was chewing on a big bone. As long as they stay away from my bones, give me lots of love and forgive me when I mess up, I guess this guy can be with us. Licks & Love, Ananias the Bulldogge Ani, I think you’ll like God with us. – Pbc

from the November 2014 Messenger My Big Guy told me that I’m half a year old. So I guess that means I’m grown up and need to be responsible and get a job. Some afternoons, My Big Guy has me come to his office with him to help him with what he needs to do. Mostly, I have been helping him with his prayers, or meditation. It might look like I’m sleeping under his desk. It might sound like I’m snoring, but I’m really thinking about what I’m thankful for, and what I’m sorry for. I am thankful that My Big Guy has given me a home and puts lots of yummy food in my bowl. He takes me outside when I tell him I need to go, and for some reason picks up my poo. I’m sorry that I sometimes make a mess when I get excited, and that I get too focused on what I’m doing and don’t pay attention to My Big Guy. When I feel lonely, I tend to chew on stuff to relieve my tension. Sometimes, I chew on stuff I shouldn’t. My Big Guy wrote an article about prayer and I like it. Between my article and hi

from the October 2014 Messenger The Big Guy often tells me about the stuff he is reading when he isn’t playing “Throw” or giving me well-deserved treats or belly rubs. He says he is finding two themes in these tasty books. One is that God has blessed us so we can be a blessing to others. I’m blessed by being an awesome bulldogge so the Big Guy can be blessed. The other is that we are all broken, and only God can make us whole again. This one I don’t understand. If I’m broken, why did the Big Guy take me to go get fixed? Licks & Love, Ananias the Bulldogge Ananias had his “boy” surgery last week, as well as surgery to correct a minor eye problem.

from the September 2014 Messenger My Big Guy has spent a lot of time reading and writing about discipline. I know about that because I am a graduate of discipline. I graduated from Puppy College with a discipline degree. But even though I am now an expert, I still have to practice these disciplines. Sometimes My Big Guy calls me when I’m laying down and chewing on a really good bone. Even though I want to stay where I am, I know that I should go to him when he calls me. Discipline isn’t any good if you only do it once in a while. Practice makes perfect, and sometimes gets you yummy treats, too. Licks & Love, Ananias the Bulldogge Ananias graduated from basic puppy class, not college, but don’t tell him.  - Pbc

from the July 2014 Messenger Hi. I think my name is Ananias. That’s what the Big Guy keeps saying to try to get my attention. Since I’m living at the Parsonage, I guess I have to write an article for the newsletter. I’m a 10 week old Olde English Bulldogge and I’m trying to do what the Big Guy wants, but sometimes I get distracted and mess up. I don’t listen. I don’t do what I should. I still haven’t figured out where I can and can’t go to the bathroom. When I mess up, I know the Big Guy is upset with me, and I hang my head in shame. But I also know that he loves me and will care for me. That’s the way it is with God too. God loves us even when we mess up, or make a mess. Licks and Love, Ananias

from the August 2014 Messenger The guy that you call Pastor Brian (I think that means food bringer) went away for a while. I missed him. I heard him say he was taking classes to think “outside of the box.” I don’t know where that is, exactly, but I enjoy getting out of my box. Things are different when I’m outside, and sometimes they are scary. It’s not like the safety I feel in our house. But when I’m outside, I get to meet new people and sniff new things and go new places. Going outside of the box isn’t that bad. Licks and Love, Ananias

As one of my Lenten disciplines, I've decided to start blogging again. So we will see if I can do 40 posts. To start off nice and easy, here is the text of my Ash Wednesday sermon. It uses John 10.1-28 (from the Narrative Lectionary) and Psalm 23 as its basis.    This lesson comes right after the lesson we heard on Sunday, where Jesus healed the blind man. In fact, the people whom Jesus is addressing in this lesson are the man who had been born blind, but who can now see, and the Pharisees, who drove him out of the Temple. He is continuing his conversation with the Pharisees, who think that they are acting in God’s will. Jesus tries to explain to them that we are saved through God’s love on God’s terms, not on our own. So he tries to explain this using an analogy of a sheep’s pen and a shepherd. He first refers to himself as the gate through which the sheep enter their fold. It is through Christ that we come to the Creator. He is also the gatekeeper;