Last weekend Karen and I spent the weekend at Geneva-on-the-Lake. We had a 
wonderful time. We were joined by many family members and friends. Three of our guests were my niece Anna, her husband Blake, and our beautiful little 3-year-old great niece, Maria. I would like to share this story of how the goodness of people was so evident the day Baby Munchie, the stuffed animal went missing.
Maria has a stuffed dog she named Baby Munchie. Baby Munchie has been a big part of Maria’s life for over a year. She sleeps with it. She takes it to daycare and her teachers know it by name. Baby Munchie has been to Disney World, camping in PA, and to many other places around the country with Maria. She wheels it around in a pretend stroller and takes care of it like a baby.
On the day of our picnic Baby Munchie was lost on the playground. Eyewitnesses told us that an overzealous golden retriever snatched Baby Munchie. The whole family was choked up to tears because we knew how much that little stuffed animal meant to little Maria. Maria’s dad started walking on foot asking people if they saw the little stuffed animal.
After about an hour a multitude of good people from all over the campground started a dog hunt and little Baby Munchie was found! It was amazing how a whole community of people realized the importance of things like this in a little child’s life and go out of their way to make sure it was returned safe and sound.
I believe this story offers us a great lesson of stewardship. Sometimes we look for big ways to offer our time, talent, and treasure back to God. The story of the lost stuffed animal, “Baby Munchie” is so simple but made a big difference in little Maria’s life.
Love, Deacon John