The Slightly Disgruntled St. Jude

Dear St. Jude,

Today is Day 22 of this novena. Sometime overnight Candles 9 and 10 gave their final light, so this morning I lit 11 and 12. I have a wide selection to choose from now:  12 Sacred Heart of Jesus, 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe, and 24 that show your name and likeness. This morning I chose you for both candles.

Two reasons motivated my choice, and I can't say you'll be happy about either. First you were more accessible. Jesus and Our Lady were upstairs on high shelves, and you were right there in the kitchen under the sink. I was running late to work, so I picked you out of convenience. That's not very flattering, is it? (Please note, however, that I got TWO (2) cases of your candles and only one each of the others, so I hope you know that I hold you in high esteem. I guess I shouldn't be playing favorites where any of you are concerned, though. If y'all are truly saintly, I hope you're not overly touchy about these things and "who's on first". It just wouldn't seem right.)

My second reason was that I feel really discouraged, particularly about Ranger; and you are the patron saint of lost causes. Every night I have trouble sleeping because Ranger is in #%*&^ (forgive my language) Burleson, Texas, in some kennel where they hold the attitude that they'd better damned (sorry) well get their money or he'll get sent back to a kill shelter, and I feel really helpless in helping him. Why the hell (sorry) hasn't he been vetted with even basic vaccinations? Have they even bothered to test him for heartworms and get him on preventative if he's HW negative? Or is he getting heartworms or being consumed by them as I type? WTF is going on there? When P.A.L. pulled him from the shelter, they were supposed to have him neutered within 30 days or be subject to a fine; but apparently that hasn't happened either.

And now I see on Facebook that P.A.L. where Ranger is being boarded (for over 3 months now without any serious adopters checking him out) is asking people to donate funds to buy a big fan to keep the dogs cool because theirs broke. So they want it both ways--pay to board the dogs and pay to provide P.A.L. the tools to run their kennel. And what is Ranger enduring? First Mr. Uber-High-Energy Ranger can't get enough exercise because he's in a kennel; so he's going a little stir-crazy. Now, in addition, the fan's broken, and the temperature is over 100 degrees, or basically akin to the bowels of hell. Our boy must be having a little difficulty feelin' the love about now.

St. Jude, if this doesn't give all appearances of a lost cause, I don't know what does.

The picture of you on those novena candles looks like you've been working really hard and are maybe just a little grumpy. I can sure understand that. Just dealing with thousands, if not millions, of these lost-cause kind of situations would be enough to set the teeth of even the saintly on edge. However, as my own sainted daddy used to say, "You hired out to be tough, didn't you?" It is your job, and I would be most appreciative if you would pay some special attention to this one petition along with all your others. Please get Ranger to a better place where he gets the proper vetting, attention, love, and room to run off that energy.

Much obliged.
xo
Liz