Realizing What We Have (While We Still Have It)

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe..."   --- Hebrews 12:28

******

So last Thursday. 

Happy Cat began limping and wasn't interested in eating which is huge for he's, well, er, piggish. And after all we've experienced cat-wise since last year, what. a. test!

Of course, the vet was on vacation for the holiday. sigh. 

After praying and setting Happy beside me on the red couch (off his foot) I, again and again, kept bringing my mind back to a positive place, one miles from worry. 

I mean, if one is going to pray with real faith, ought she turn herself into a stressed-out emotional wreck?  Probably not. 

Around midnight, I realized too often I take my all-is-well days for granted. When everyone is healthy and (relatively) happy, I don't appreciate it nearly deeply enough.

Oh, how remarkable are the sweet days God gives us!

The next morning, Happy still limped, but ate an early breakfast. Naomi researched online and spoke with a local woman at an animal hospital, and came home with some natural stuff for pain and stiffness.

Fast forward: by yesterday, Tuesday, Happy was his usual good ol' boy self. 

But we kept the vet appointment, mostly for a check-up on his too-red gums. Naomi drove him in for us and etc., etc., all will be fine with Happy's mouth in time, what with powders and potions.

And the limp is mostly gone. Whew.

One good thing came of all this: I told God (back on Thursday) if He'd heal Happy, I'd place folded index cards around the house saying, "Be gleefully grateful."

Because I should be. After all God's done for me and my little family, are you kidding? Daily I should be doing praise cartwheels. (Well, if I wasn't 65 years old. er hem.) But the gratitude should be flowing higher, mightier.

Our September, for days, has behaved as she should, very autumnally-cool, and while I'm celebrating the return of my normal true self, I'll follow-through with those reminder index cards.

And--I hope--forever remain thankfully, deeply, joyfully, gleefully grateful for this life God has given me--

--these pleasant, steady, golden days, even in the midst of a world which appears to have tilted off its axis. (Yet how good to know the God who can right it all again.)

Especially during tough times I remind myself to choose my words carefully. To speak what I want to have happen, not what I'd certainly hate to see take place.

You know, the power of Life and Death being in the tongue, and all.  (Proverbs 18:21.)

******

Do you remember the Spencer For Hire tv series? Waaay back then, in the 80's, I recall turning up the opening theme music as loud as Tom would allow. heh. What a treat last week finding that music on Youtube here and to listen over and over and ----

And oh my.... this woman's sincere, heart-felt video about Swedish Death Cleaning. The best! Tom and I both came away so convicted to, for Naomi's sake, let go of every needless, stupid thing in our entire house.

And although this is (yes, another) tiny house video, what really stood out to me was the first few minutes. Her description of the lovely community she'd built and the way she went ahead and set it up even though folks told her it was impossible--you know I appreciated that part, also.

******

Books I Finished Reading In August:

Heloise's Housekeeping Hints by Heloise

Hems and Homicide by Elizabeth Penney

The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal Depression by Erma Bombeck

An Enemy Called Average by John Mason

The Mystery of the Pilgrim Trading Post by Anne Molloy

Thread and Dead by Elizabeth Penney

Oh, and currently I'm reading Put Out To Pasture by Amanda Flower and wow. What a perfect autumnal cozy mystery. Highly recommended (the first pages read a bit choppy, but smooths out soon).

******

And here's a movie Tom and I stumbled across and were surprised at how enjoyable it was:  Lost and Found

******

"Bank Of America called the Police on a 93 yr old man, who wanted to make a money withdrawal with an expired identification. Bank refused! Officer Robert Josett took the man to the DMV, helped him get his identification renewed, then took him back to the bank to get his money."

--Kevin W.

And always remember this! ----

Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** 

 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15