I had a cat once.
His name was Charlie and he was gray and white. He lived with us while he was a kitten. Well for a short time. I was about 10 I guess. I was afraid of Charlie's purring and my parents didn't really like him sleeping in our beds. Eventually, he was put in the bathroom at night with his litter boz and a night light.
You know, I don't ever remember changing that litter box. That must have been my parents' job. Probably fell mostly to Mom.
Charlie could be a bit naughty. He visited the neighbor's a few times amd got their gerbil out of its cage. Fortunately, we were able to rescue the little critter and friendly relations remained intact.
Charlie also put up with a lot. In addition to being confined at night, there was paw trampling and rough handling by a toddler. Finally he ran away. At least that's what we were told. I always suspected he might have been given away. Probably wrong, though. My parents always denied it.
After he left, I looked for Charlie for a long time. I kept finding gray and white kittens, even years afterwards only to find out they were someone elses.
I never got another cat. Or a dog. I had had turtles and fish, but I think Charlie was my last childhood pet. Maybe that's why I kept looking. I liked having a pet. When it wasn't scaring me with its friendliness anyway.
I suppose most things in life are like that. We take the bitter with the sweet, the good with the bad. We learn and grow through each experience and keep going. Perhaps, we look back too much and not forward enough. Or, sometimes it's the other way around. And maybe we are scared away by genuinely friendly gestures. Quite a lot to learn from the memory of a gray kitten.
At any rate, that's my pet story. Anyone else have one?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Now we see but a poor reflection, as in a mirror, but then face to face.
My son and I just memorized this verse as part of the "Love Chapter" and it has stuck with me.
Partly, maybe, because the CYC theme for 2011 is "Face to Face" although it is based on a different scripture. Partly, because it is often used to remind people that we know less than God but some day we will have the answers to all our "whys".
The next part of the verse, "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." also struck me. First because I am fully known. I used to have a poster as a teenager that read "A friend is someone who knows all about you but loves you anyway." God knows us fully and yet he loves more than we can ever understand or imagine. Amazing. Absolutely, utterly amazing.
Also, because some day we shall know God fully. This is awe-inducing. We will fully know God. Fully. It is impossible to fathom this and yet it will be so. There are no words for how utterly astonishing that is. I can't even begin to explain. I had never realized it before we were reading it the other day. I guess it is true that we can see new things even in the most familiar passages.
So a challenge for the start of Lent:
Read a familiar passage. See what new things you can see.
May it prove to be surprising, stunning, fascinating for you.
God bless.
Partly, maybe, because the CYC theme for 2011 is "Face to Face" although it is based on a different scripture. Partly, because it is often used to remind people that we know less than God but some day we will have the answers to all our "whys".
The next part of the verse, "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." also struck me. First because I am fully known. I used to have a poster as a teenager that read "A friend is someone who knows all about you but loves you anyway." God knows us fully and yet he loves more than we can ever understand or imagine. Amazing. Absolutely, utterly amazing.
Also, because some day we shall know God fully. This is awe-inducing. We will fully know God. Fully. It is impossible to fathom this and yet it will be so. There are no words for how utterly astonishing that is. I can't even begin to explain. I had never realized it before we were reading it the other day. I guess it is true that we can see new things even in the most familiar passages.
So a challenge for the start of Lent:
Read a familiar passage. See what new things you can see.
May it prove to be surprising, stunning, fascinating for you.
God bless.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Living like we are dying.
The Thing About Life is that One Day You'll be Dead ~David Sheilds
This book caught my eye when I was at the bookstore last week. I have no idea what the book is about or even whether it is fiction or nonfiction, but the title got me thinking.
Actually it's hard, when you are a caregiver for a loved one on Hospice, not to think about death and all that goes with it. To remember that you are mortal and your time here will end. And God has been throwing me a few hints on the side, too, I think. I was listening to a different radio station recently because they had been having a radio-thon fundraiser for Children's Hospital, Boston. This song by Carrie Underwood came on at one point:
"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going.
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home."
As a Christian, I know this isn't my final place. God will call me to Him eventually. Part of what I need to do here is learn what He wants me to learn and allow Him to change me so that I am fit for Heaven. ("Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there." has been stuck in my head for a few days.)
The next day, this Tim McGraw song came on, about a man explaining what he did when he learned of a terminal diagnosis:
An' he said: "I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."
An' he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,
"To live like you were dyin'."
How would I change if I got news like that about myself?
One piece of advice I have heard given to young people trying to figure out what to do with their lives is, "Write your obituary. Figure out what you want it to say. That will help you set your goals." It may sound morbid, but I bet it could help center people's thinking and get them to focus on what's important. Maybe I'll try it.
Finally God has brought to mind Psalm 90:12
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
One commentator explains that having a heart of wisdom, in this passage, means thinking like God thinks. Oh, to be able to do that at least a little. How much better my life would be!
Perhaps, numbering my days and living like I were dying would be a beginning.
How about you?
This book caught my eye when I was at the bookstore last week. I have no idea what the book is about or even whether it is fiction or nonfiction, but the title got me thinking.
Actually it's hard, when you are a caregiver for a loved one on Hospice, not to think about death and all that goes with it. To remember that you are mortal and your time here will end. And God has been throwing me a few hints on the side, too, I think. I was listening to a different radio station recently because they had been having a radio-thon fundraiser for Children's Hospital, Boston. This song by Carrie Underwood came on at one point:
"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going.
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home."
As a Christian, I know this isn't my final place. God will call me to Him eventually. Part of what I need to do here is learn what He wants me to learn and allow Him to change me so that I am fit for Heaven. ("Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there." has been stuck in my head for a few days.)
The next day, this Tim McGraw song came on, about a man explaining what he did when he learned of a terminal diagnosis:
An' he said: "I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."
An' he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,
"To live like you were dyin'."
How would I change if I got news like that about myself?
One piece of advice I have heard given to young people trying to figure out what to do with their lives is, "Write your obituary. Figure out what you want it to say. That will help you set your goals." It may sound morbid, but I bet it could help center people's thinking and get them to focus on what's important. Maybe I'll try it.
Finally God has brought to mind Psalm 90:12
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
One commentator explains that having a heart of wisdom, in this passage, means thinking like God thinks. Oh, to be able to do that at least a little. How much better my life would be!
Perhaps, numbering my days and living like I were dying would be a beginning.
How about you?
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