A Word from Pastor Nathan

Dear Friends:

In August 2008, I closed on my first-ever house. The primary motivation for a home purchase was adopting a dog. Days after closing, I went to the Humane Society of East Texas to find a new BFF (best friend forever).

Sadie, as I’d later name her, was confined in an isolated pen at the back of the shelter, and she wanted nothing to do with me. To be fair, there were a number of distractions, primarily squirrels. I knew she was the one, though the feeling was not reciprocal. The jury was out for her. Would she adopt me as her human? This process took time, and by time, I mean treats.

Sadie moved with me to Canyon the summer before we settled in Fort Worth in August 2011. There, a second adoption took place: Sadie welcomed Chad as her second parent, though the jury was still out for him. This process took time, and by time, I mean nudges of affection from Sadie and shared outdoor journeys.

In Fort Worth, Sadie discovered possums that would scurry atop our six-foot privacy fence. Her keen sense of hearing alerted her to the backyard intruder, and her bark, at 2 a.m., could raise the dead. Her favorite riding spot in the car was the trunk (her choice, not mine). She despised water, dreamed vividly, couldn’t fetch to save her life, and passed the foulest gas. In Ohio, she braved slippery sidewalks, played in snowdrifts, and chased ducks and rabbits with abandon. Adapting to Ohio took time, and by time, I mean limited mobility, arthritis, and hip dysplasia.

Chad and I said goodbye to Sadie on Saturday on our back porch. We are grieving; we miss her. When we get up in the night, we instinctively warn ourselves to step over her. When I come home from the office, I expect her to slowly emerge from the bedroom. Grief takes time, and by time I mean sharing memories, photos, and stories, like this article.

Do you think dogs are in heaven? (Don’t ask about cats; the jury is still out.) The redemption God promises is not reserved for humanity alone; redemption is cosmic, universal, and inclusive. Good and trustworthy theologians have said it is so. Maybe Sadie will finally learn to fetch and swim. This will take time, and by time I mean…well, time is no thing in eternity.

Peace,