August 16th

We have a very silly dog named Mentor. She wants to be with us, to the point where she gets underfoot and trips us. She bounces all over guests when they arrive, which is a very welcoming sign for her, but kind of scary for new folks that don’t know her. She knows better than to beg, but whenever we eat, her nose finds itself conveniently close to anything edible. When she sleeps, she freaks us out with open eyes and legs pointed in every direction but one that looks comfortable. And, of course, she is always desperately in need of attention, so much so that it is more of a turn off for me than it is an endearing trait.
Goofy as she is, Mentor is nevertheless a pretty bright girl, with skills that would put the average mutt to shame. She’s also very energetic, which means that I can push her as hard as I want when walk her, knowing l that I will be exhausted way before she starts breathing hard. She’s also a great companion, even if she’s rather needy. All this goes to say that I actually don’t mind having her around. I’m not sure that I would go so far to say that I adore her, but I certainly don’t dislike her in any way.
Mentor, on the other hand, adores me and the whole family. Whenever we return home she greets us with the greatest welcome imaginable. She’s always ready to follow when called, always up to a walk, especially with me, and more than willing to just hang around us, something that is made all the better when it involves lying in bed.
Now, I’m not really a pet person, but I find Mentor to be the perfect starting point for describing what God calls for in our relationship with Him. Think about it. The intelligence gap is just about as great (if not greater) the need is even more absolute, and our dependency on our creator goes well beyond just having a merciful provider.
While a dog, like Mentor, just needs attention and the occasional strenuous walk, we need much more from God. Not only do we require all that the earth has to offer, we also need that spiritual support, nurture and feeding that God alone can provide. Above all, we constantly need forgiveness and mercy for all the ways we mess up the good thing God has given us. Without that, we are nothing, a fact demonstrated by countless lives seeking fulfillment but not finding it.
A dog’s life is pretty sweet and a nice addition to our lives. Unfortunately we can never know each other like we might know a fellow human being. The limitation of our relationship with any animal is that we are two very different species. Our relationship with God, on the other hand, is one that we can enjoy in a close and personal way that Mentor could never enjoy with me because we humans are made in God’s own image. Furthermore, God made us not to be pets, but as His children. As such we are not just a happy addition to God’s life, but a much beloved part of it. We might not be equals in the relationship but that doesn’t keep either one of us from enjoying and benefitting from it in a wonderful, holy way. At least that’s the way I see it.

August 9th

To monetize or not to monetize, that is the question. At least that’s one of the questions asked for on the website that hosts my blog. And, just in case you didn’t realize I was blogging, or what a Blog is, it’s an online version of these Pensive Pastors you enjoy reading every week. Anyway, I have the option of monetizing my Blog, if I want to. To monetize, in case you’re wondering, means to make money by having advertising included along with my assorted thoughts.
To make the deal sweeter, the hosts promise that the ads will reflect the content of my writings. Thus, one would expect a lot of Christian and faith related material appearing alongside my faith-based thoughts. It’s not a bad idea, really. All I have to do is nothing, other than subscribe to the service, and as long as readers click on the advertisers and visit their websites, I can earn a little extra cash.
On the other hand, I’m not really in ministry to make cash. In fact, our Presbyterian system here in Canada looks at my income as a stipend. A stipend is basically a living allowance, rather than payment. In other words, if anybody ever thought I might be in it for the money, the very system I work under puts that thought to rest.
It also denies my personal response to the offer made by my Blog host. I just don’t want to be seen as profiting from my readers, any more than I want to do so. I share my thoughts freely, just as you have the choice to read them or not.
This isn't a matter of financial martyrdom or anything like that. I’m not throwing my Pensive Pastors to the wind willy-nilly. They are offered as a gift for those interested in a little personal inspiration or guidance. They are also presented in response to the particular ways God has blessed me. So, just as God has given me a unique set of gifts freely and willingly, I freely and willingly offer them to you.
Ultimately, that’s what I think God has in mind for all of us. You might have noticed that there is no paycheck coming at the end of our lives. God doesn’t even send us partial payments while we’re on this earth. As a matter of fact there is every indication that God never intended for us to either be paid or to pay for any service He offers, or we offer in His name. The world, as conceived and created by God, doesn’t operate on a cash system. Sure, the way we’ve worked things out means that the use of money is pretty much inevitable, but that is strictly a human convention.
Yes, I could profit from these things you read on a regular basis, but I would rather not, thank-you very much. I would rather offer them to you as long as I’m able and you’re interested, in the same spirit God gave me the gift of gab and you the interest and desire to read what I have to say. If, along the way, we bless one another in some way, that’s great. On the other hand, if all I ever gain from these thoughts is a way to honour my creator, that’s good enough for me. At least that’s the way I see it.