Window Cat

We’ve had a fairly cool, non-rainy spring so far with a few blessed days of gorgeous weather.  On one recent rainy day after visiting the post office, we drove and saw this cat sitting on the second story of a house on the window sill, outside.  Looked like it would be saying “Will you just please let me in! Don’t you know it is cold and rainy out here?” 

 

I was amazed that it wasn’t under the porch or on a first level, but rather clear up on the second level.  For all the books I read as a child about a kitten getting stuck in a tree and the firemen rescuing it – in all my life I’ve NEVER seen a cat in a tree not able to get down.  We lived on a farm – had cats and kittens in bunches......they didn’t crawl up to the second level of our house either.

 

So this cat made me go “huh?” And of course grab my camera for a picture.

 

Maybe lately I’m feeling like that cat – sitting on a too tall window, feeling the pressure of the wind and rain of life – just wanting to be inside safe, loved and unharmed.  At lunch today my friend and I both felt like life sometimes is just harder than it should be for some folks...and maybe at times for us.   Or is mankind becoming more fragile? We aren’t pioneers and mankind has all this technology (blessing or curse that it is).  I think we have less compassion as a society, also less responsibility and less freedom. 

 

I don’t like to be Negative Nelly....so I haven’t been posting as much....trying to find my way back to the joys of everyday living in simpler things.  I’ve been watching “Hoarding” and getting freaked out so much as I made Steve take a vacation day with me to clean the garage!  Don’t laugh.  We worked hard....then we had a lunch date and ran errands before picking up the parenting hat again....was a good day, despite exhaustion! 

 

So – back to my cat on the window sill.  Her cries unheard.  No one answered her plea so she sat there.  I didn’t stick around to see how long she chose to stay there or how she got up there in the first place and back down.  Did her owner save her?  Did she just crawl back the way she came?  Does she do this regularly or was this a one time event?  Maybe like the cat, we have people around us crying too – are we listening?  Do we stop to help open a window or just go our way?  Sometimes I struggle to help the struggling in my world, I’m overwhelmed and can’t help when I want to – so I ignore the cries instead to keep my sanity in all the pain and wrong.  Sometimes no matter how much we help some people, they still need and need and need...never growing out of their enabling situations. Those bother me.  I think I’m rambling....so I’ll leave you with this scripture that I've been thinking about and how it applies to my life.

 

Proverbs 21:13
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

To Hug or Not to Hug....That is the question?

At coffee break at work we were talking about different people with regards to hugs.  Some people are huggie people, and some people don’t like to be hugged.  This reminded me that I need to be more sensitive to that too.  I CAN be a huggy person with people I know, plus I’m an extrovert....so for the poor un-assuming introvert who hates being hugged – watch out!    I’ve a niece who doesn’t  like to be “hugged” by people, even acquaintances – now people she knows well or cute guys – sure!  But the family friend she doesn’t relate to – back off!  She doesn’t want a hug.  Some people should just wear a sign “Hi, don’t hug me!”  Now I don’t go up to strangers and just hug them or everyone I know, but there are times I hug my friends.  Two of them every week! (Yes Dawn and Lisa – that is you)

 

I touch my children with loving touches to the hair, face and yes, hug them regularly.  Sometimes I just say “I need a hug” and the volunteers just pour forth in our house!  From this I've noticed they too on rough days are getting better at saying back to me "Mom, I need a hug." We are a huggie family and yes, have one girl still in “Huggies” from Wal-Mart!  Seems if Steve and I embrace, it doesn’t take long and the twosome hug becomes a group hug with those little huggers sneaking in between our legs and trying to pry us apart to be included in the “hug.”  It comes with the “I love you’s” (see prior post) too, same kind of logic.  We need it all to be healthy humans. 

 

Neglected babies don’t develop “right” emotionally and their psyche is all wrong if they are laid in a crib and not held, touched – that nurturing is needed to develop into a loving, compassionate person and for parts of the brain to develop "right.”  All my children came to me lacking a good start of these healthy touches in one way or another at different ages and there are marked differences as a result.  As we get older, sometimes we don’t take enough time to give a loving hand on the shoulder, hug or touch that connects us.  In the fear driven world we live in, teachers can’t hug children at school, and yes, we need to know “good touch, bad touch” stuff, but it seems as though we don’t have enough good compassionate touch in our lives.  TV, video games, texting – all alienate us from touch so much it worries me for our youth of today.

 

The word “hug” isn’t in the bible.  It is embrace instead.  Or clasp.  So – here is a virtual HUG to anyone who needs it – tell someone today that you love them and give them a hug!  Believe me – you need it too!

 

Ecclesiastes 3:4-6 NIV

 ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
       a time to mourn and a time to dance,

 ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
       a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

 ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
       a time to keep and a time to throw away


PS:  Today is Happy Adoption Day #9 for the boys - we celebrated around the business of life but acknowledged this special day telling the kiddos we're getting tickets to the State Fair show of MERCYME!  Pray we get them before they sell out, they go on sale May 8th.

Tobias Turned Twelve

 Ok – his birthday came/went and it felt like we celebrated a week of it~! Falling shortly after Easter, he was showered with love and gifts.

His cake represents his current favorite thing to do – play Wii. He had a sleepover with two of his buddies that involved Wii, Wii and more Wii – oh, they did play outside to beautiful weather, watched a movie and a half.....hit the sack, whispered later than they should – oh to be young and silly!

Breakfast was at Tobias’s request at The Firehouse Café – an old firehouse turned homey restaurant with fresh good pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc. He wore a fire hat and got his picture taken then ate a brownie with ice cream....yes, this was breakfast! Sunday special people (Don & Donna) took Tobias out for a special lunch after church. They spoil our kids – we’re OK with that!


So....Tobias, I didn’t mean to post this so late – you are loved and I am excited to see you grow and mature into the wonderful 12 year old you are today! Your name is a Greek version of the Hebrew biblical name “Tobijah” which meaning is “God is good.”

Wishing you many, many more happy birthdays as we all celebrate God giving you life 12 years ago as a tiny 4.40 baby that stayed 17 days in the hospital fighting to live with a special plan for you that is still unfolding!


You are a blessing...XXXXOOOO Love Mom and Dad

A Path Remembered

Sophia leaves stuff everywhere.  Here she “visited” me in the bathroom, the path follows all around the house.  Given 16 years of marriage B.C. (Before Children) I know I’ll have a time of neatness and organization again…so when I catch my breath in exasperation at the messiness everywhere, I simply remind myself that there will be a day that I’ll wish for these very toys scattered all over, reminding me of the vibrant youthfulness that walked those paths.  So as I look at this abandoned pacifier and princess wand….it just makes me smile and ponder more.

What will we leave behind?  Our time here on earth with worldly possessions is over in a blink. What all do we leave behind us and what does it say about us?  Some day Jesus will come again to call us all home, maybe it will look like this…..just “stuff” left behind…and I pray I’m not the one looking at the stuff, but celebrating in heaven with loved ones gone before and those around me that love the Lord as well.  So for now my job is to do my best – raise my children in the Lord and pray they’ll be with me when he calls us all home.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18

¹⁴We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Peace be with you!

Happy Easter. 

As we studied God's word today, it jumped out at me how Jesus greeted his disciples with "peace be with you." Calming their fears. He says this twice to the disciples and once later to Thomas.

Lately there are a lot of clothing items, necklaces, bags - all kinds of merchandise that have "Peace" on it. Courtney has sweats with it on, multiple T-shirts, a necklace, bracelet.....it seems to be a message that people connect with lately more than just a 70's remake. In this wild world we live in - we need to strive for peace. I don't let the kids buy things with skulls n cross bones, etc - but I do like the "Peace" message. I like this phrase Jesus uses and it challenges me to find more peace in my life.

John 20:19 ~ ...Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"

John 20:21 ~ Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you!....

John 20:26 ~ ...Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"

From our motly crew to you - Peace be with you this week and always.

(Sophia has her shoes on backwards and Anthony is wearing her hat!  Sheesh!)

Monkey See ~ Monkey Do!

Monkey see ~ Monkey do

OK - I'm too cool - not gonna do that - you guys are weird!

Inevitably when one kid makes a face, the others all jump in. 

If we’d all just “Monkey See – Monkey Do” our Christian walk – just think what an influence we could have! It reminds me that as a Christian walking my walk, people are watching to see what I “do” versus what I “say.” 

Philippians 3:16-18  ¹⁶Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
 ¹⁷Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. ¹⁸For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.