Tag: cats

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American Idol And Other Stuff

Oh its Friday, and that means that brains are tired, bodies are tired and the weekend waits with wonderful weather ahead!  Just as some of those sports writers produce “clean our their notebooks” articles from time to time, today is a serious of random hanging thoughts as well.

  • If case you were worried, the mystery cat was discovered Tuesday night, cornered in our bushes by one of our cats.  He was then spotted on our porch later Tuesday and Wednesday morning.  Since then he has not been seen or heard again!
  • The ice cream sandwich yesterday was great.  I think the box in the freezer will get me through the weekend.  I hope you enjoyed some as well!
  • I am not much of a American Idol fan.  In fact when it comes to reality TV, I am more of a Dancing with the Stars kind of guy ( did I just type that?).  However, last night I did watch and felt quite a connection.  First is was in Nashville, where I spend 4 years getting learned.  Second, a great friend of mine ( and fellow daily buffeter) made an appearance celebrating with her Hollywood bound niece. And finally, the last winner of the night was from the little town in which I reside!  It was like Old Home Days on American Idol last night!
  • Speaking of American Idol, I guess they must air different cities to different areas of the country?  I watched Nashville last night, but my good friend in Michigan twitted about this story from the Chicago tryouts last night.  It’s a pretty good story of love and dedication.  I will share it from the blog that he shared, a professor at Abilene Christian U, it’s worth the few minutes to watch.

Have a great day out there and remember to model Christ, for instance:

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4 (New International Version, ©2010)

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Lo Is A Funny Way To Start A Sentence

This morning as the rain fell, I was awaken by the cries and meows of a cat. Cries that seems to be desperate. Being the owner of two felines, I thought it best to see if the retorter was one of mine. So I began a fruitless search. I opened every door in the house to see if he was trapped in a room. I opened every outside door, and even took a little stroll in the rain looking for the kitties to no avail. Finally, I returned to the garage where I has previous discovered one of the cats up on his perch and upon opening the door again the undiscovered kitty showed himself – unharmed.

Who knows which cat was making noise before the crack of down this morning, but while I was searching around, I thought about someother searching that goes on in our lives ( you didn’t see that one coming did you!) Sometimes, we are out searching around, when the thing we are searching for is standing right at the door.

 20lo, I have stood at the door, and I knock; if any one may hear my voice, and may open the door, I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20, Young’s Literal Translation)

What is crazy about our search for spiriutaly safety is that the savior stands at the door, and waits, and he is not hard to find. Definitely not as hard to find a exclusive kitty.

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-9 (New International Version, ©2010)

If you are searching today, just remember the promise that you will find Him.

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The Prodigal Kitty

Almost every morning when I awake I look at on my back porch I find one of our cats sitting in the corner of the porch sleeping.  It’s usually Todd, the cat that likes us.  But today it was Bruce, the traitor.  We call him that because he spends more time at the neighbor’s house, in the neighbor’s garage and eating the neighbor’s food then doing the same on our side of the street.  The “crazy cat lady” across the street has him under her spell.  So it brought me great joy to see him willingly sleeping on our porch this morning.  The prodigal had come home.

So I sat on the edge of the bed willing myself to get up, looking at Bruce and thinking about our own lives.  I wonder if the joy I felt this morning is similar to the joy that God feels when we willingly give ourselves to him.  And I wonder if the jealously and anger I feel when I see Bruce partaking of the temptation that the crazy cat lady has to offer doesn’t some how parallel to the jealously and anger the God must feel when we decide to strike out on our own and indulge ourselves in our own ways.

For me this had been a bright spot in a morning filled with anxiety as I try to figure out how to accomplish 48 hours worth of activities in 8 hours.  Maybe I should learn something from Bruce, and stretch out on God’s back porch, let him handle the stress and bask in the light of his joy.

8Come near to God and he will come near to you.  James 4:8

Have a great Holiday weekend.  Stay close to our God and Savior.

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Crazy Cats

Usually our cats are outside cats.  They may come in for the occasional walk through the house with the special treat being a drink from the toilet, but for the most part they start outside exercising their dominion over the yard, the grass, and the small rodents and rabbits.  However, during these extremely cold nights the past few weeks they have been coming in side more often.

One of these guys – “Bruce” as we call him, seems to not be very appreciative of this.  He comes in, eats, drinks, runs to the basement door, meows and runs down stairs.  If you pet him, or pick him up, he is noticeable tense and always ready to be placed back down on the ground.    We had another kitty, “Dennis”, a few years ago that was exactly like that.  When we brought him home as a kitten, he immediately started hissing at us.  I think in the time we “owned” Dennis, I can count all the times I held him on both hands.  And most of those were carefully crafted sneak up attacks while he was asleep, so that I could check him over for ticks, scratches, etc.  Dennis, always come around for food and shelter, but immediately high tailed it when it came to social activities – until he was sick, well, even then he tried to run, but he was so sick he could not.  Despite Dennis’ apparent usage of us, it was still a sad day when we had to put him down.  Little Bruce is not as extreme as Dennis, but he is still not one who really cares for much time with his owner.

The shame about this is that in contrast to our other cats over time – esp “Stanley” and our other current cat “Todd”.  Both of these cats would meet me at the end of the driveway when I returned from a run.  They beg for attention, they jump up in your lap, they sneak around and although they are outside kitties, they still find ways to end up in your bed at night.  The contrast is really amazing.

So, with these cold nights, and watching the interacts of Todd and Dennis around the house, I can’t help but make a comparative analysis to how we our with God.    We find ourselves like Dennis, always around for food and shelter, sometimes begrudgingly around in times of trouble, but for the most part independent.  However, when we are that way, we miss out of the best parts.  We miss out on sleeping in the bed with the Master.  We miss out on the closeness and comfort and peace that He provides.

Don’t do it all alone, reach out for God.  Meet him at the driveway, find ways to draw close to him, and then watch what happens…

8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8 (New International Version)

 7-10So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. (James 4:8, The Message)