New Little Buddy and a Bible Study

So I'm driving home from school today, and I'm not 5 minutes from home when I come to a SCREECHING halt: there, in the middle of the street, is this tiny, moving furball. I'm not about to start my week by running over a DOG! I narrowly avoid said pooch, pull over to the side of the road, and make sure I haven't given the poor thing a heart attack. (Heaven knows, it gave ME an irregular heart rhythm.)

The pup jumps INTO my vehicle, and now I'm sitting along the side of the road with a strange dog in my car. Awesome. I check for tags (there are 2) only to find that the phone number is for a city in California (not helpful). No name, no local address, just a number. Other than gender (it was a girl pup), I had nothing.

I called the non-emergency phone number of the Castle Rock Police Department, only to be transferred a million times to a voice mail telling me that Animal Control isn't even ON duty on Mondays, and that I could leave a message. Super helpful. Called information to get the Buddy Center/Dumb Friends League phone number, only to have to push a million buttons just to connect to yet another message telling me to just bring the stray dog into the Center. Got it.

SO, not wanting to release the dog back into the wild, I take my new friend - who is sitting happily in the air-conditioned front seat of my newly vacuumed car - over to the Buddy Center. She's happy the entire way, and aside from sneezing all over my counsel, quite polite. I bring her inside, sign over my firstborn in paperwork, and leave her in good hands. I'm confident they will find her local owner...and make THEM sign a million pieces of paper that state they will be a better dog owner and ensure her safety from now on.

Just a typical Monday in the life of Brenda.

New Bible Study coming up! God's Standard or Gold Standard: Studies in Proverbs. Here's an excerpt from Peter Mayer's Website: Pastor Ron Glusenkamp, Singer/ Songwriter Peter Mayer, and the Book of Faith team at Augsburg Fortress have collaborated on creating three studies based on the book of Proverbs. These three songs have been written to accompany the Revised Common Lectionary scripture readings covered by these studies. The songs encourage deeper meditation and worshipful reflection on the Proverbs passages. For more information check out www.bookoffaith.org.

A congregational member has agreed to host the study, and we begin this coming Sunday! Be sure to check out the music that goes with the study - Peter has it on his website. I was introduced to him via the Lenten Blogs/podcasts that Pastor Ron created earlier this year. Peter is actually the lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffet. How cool is that?! He's great buds with Pastor Ron, and the two of them are teaming up this week at the huge ELCA Churchwide Assembly over in Minneapolis. What I wouldn't give to be in THAT audience!

Have you noticed I just adore my church and the people found within!? SUPER blessed!