When It's Over

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort..."   --- 2 Corinthians 1:3

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One thing dreadful about cats? Healthwise they can go downhill lightning quick. In only days they can fail.

And beginning just hours after my last post, that's what happened to Daniel the Cat. This weekend, Tom and I spent extra hours with Daniel, lying beside him on the carpet, holding his hand, because intuitively we knew--

---Monday would be his final day. And it was. The good-bye's in the vet's office would have been impossibly tragic if we'd not felt assured this was right for our suffering baby.

For 40+ years we've loved our various cats, but Daniel? He was unlike them all. So unique, happiness-inducing and nearly-human: that was our sweet boy.

After Lennon, I'd vowed to never again lose my heart to a cat, but with Daniel, gah. I couldn't help myself. No one could.

What a gift, what an honor, and I do thank God for, over the years, stopping me while cleaning, cooking, dusting, to look at Daniel, to treasure him because these days would not last forever.

Nothing upon this Earth is eternal, only in Heaven will we find forever things and only in Heaven will we be reunited with our indescribable, best-for-last cat, Daniel.

Any prayers would be appreciated. Both Tom and I are grateful for Daniel memories, but oh, in these current moments, they bring us suddenly to tears.

                                         Daniel the Cat. 2010 - 2023

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I never do things like this, below. It's not typically me. 

But, yesterday while lying on the red couch recovering from the shock, I thought, "I need to squeeze to my heart something that looks like Daniel."

So I stepped upstairs and, using a gift card, bought this pillow:

Reading the reviews, lots of folks found it comforting and something with which to honor their departed friend.

Others mentioned how realistic it looks and wow. This fellow shared a photo which yes, does make one look twice:

In times like these, I believe God uses all sorts of individualized ways to heal our broken hearts--and for me--this will be one of a special few.

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Will Tom and I ever live with another cat on planet Earth? Uh, no. We'd already discussed this a couple years ago. Besides no other cat being comparible to Daniel, our hearts just can no longer handle these shattering good-byes.

So it's the end of yet one more era for us. No more cats. Ever.

We are though, considering locating a virtual cat. Tom also stated he'll probably watch more funny cat videos than he already does.  シ 

But truly, I don't recall seeing Tom this sad over any other loss.

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A special thanks to all at Facebook who sent their condolences and really, any extra prayers would be appreciated. Thank-you.

Daily may we stop, glance around, and joyfully appreciate all God placed into our lives.

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

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 "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

Celebrating

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."   ... Psalm 136:1

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Hooray! The bad season is over. Done. Phhht. (Knock on wood.) ツ

In such seasons, we've lessons to learn, ones which can improve our future reactions, like, decrease our worry (or crankiness), remind us to remain calm in the storm, etc.. Did I learn all mine? I hope so.

Moving on-- 

You know how someone can speak a sentence that arrives like a lightning bolt from God? Well, weeks ago Joyce Meyer stated something like this--

"Unforgiveness--probably more than anything else--opens the most doors to unhappiness."

What came to my mind? The way I had, low-key-way-ish, still not released my disappointment at our inability to buy just one more house for me to decorate this side of Heaven. We'll probably grow old here at Hobbit Cottage and well, er, uh, I'd not totally loosened my resentment at the many reasons why.

Thought I had! But no. Gulp.

Strange how negative thoughts can be living far, far down in our depths, yet they still, bam! Can rise, affecting our thinking at odd times--especially--if we're wanting what God does not want for us. 

Anyway, I've repented and released all the negative stuff which I could and you know? For years, my mind said, "If you decorated around here for 2 weeks, you'd be finished, done. You'd have zilch left to do. So sad!" Yet now, after dropping that bad simmering stuff, the creative ideas overwhelm me. And the happiness, as well.

May these simple thoughts help someone today.

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Anger can turn our dreams all cloudy.

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This is (was, as of June) my 4th year of decluttering 10+ items weekly at home. It's been like a long, slow good-bye with many 3 steps forward, 2 steps back, but yes! Two-thousand items are gone and this, below, has proven true:

Quicker ways of decluttering exist, of course! 

But what matters is--when God asks you to get your house in order(as He asked me)--you work with Grace, for she makes any task personally doable and as pleasant as possible. 

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Years ago I told you that I place favorite magazine pages into plastic sleeves, then into 3-ring binders. Lovely decorated rooms, gardens, essays, even my own poems, etc.

Well, somehow one of those binders disappeared and with it, the fun 'An Idea A Day Summer Calendar' pages from a 1980's McCalls magazine. For our nearly 12 years at Hobbit Cottage I'd missed checking those summery ideas as I used to for decades.

And of course, the precise issue date of the McCalls issue escaped me.

But then! While gardening last week (and again missing that calendar) I suddenly thought, "You know, Cheryl Tiegs was on the cover. You could go to Ebay and find it that way."

Good gracious. Immediately it popped up. Imagine that! (heh). And oh happy day: those calendar pages with sweet summer ideas are again mine.

Another lovely thing? The 'I Beat The Odds' article which is why I bought the magazine in 1984. It was written about a young woman, Cindy, who attended my dad's church in Auburn, CA. Diagnosed with leukemia at 14, she went on to, in her 20's, have a baby son, even though doctors warned her the chemo would make pregnancy unlikely.

(The article said she talked with her pastor and prayed but what really happened? The entire church prayed for her, while a teen, for months and even, one night, annointed her with oil, something rare for a Baptist church, at least back then.)

Anyway, armed with her married name, I discovered her at Facebook. Forty years later she looks lovely, is still married and even has a daughter, as well.

Plus, (there's more?) I'd totally forgotten the article about the book, 'Wishcraft' (by Barbara Sher), which in ways, changed my life. I told you about it here, how it's aimed at helping folks find what they love to do, (dare I say, their God-given gifts?). 

Way back then, I checked-out the book from the library, but appreciated the article much more because it got to the point. Quickly. 

Oh, how I love it when people make their point swiftly, especially when they are me. heh.  ツ

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And the story about Cindy reminds me that my sister's daughter-in-law, Kat, has bravely warred against cancer for most of her adult life. What an inspiration to all and this past weekend she and her husband renewed their vows at a beautiful outdoor ceremony.

We're so thrilled they were able to do that.

Here they are with my mom on the left and my sister on the right. Happy sigh (and all good wishes and prayers).

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

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 "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

Oh, The Plans of Mice and Debra :)

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength..."   --- Isaiah 30:15

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Daniel the Cat stopped eating much and Life became all, "let's see if he'll eat this or this or --." Then our computer router went wonky-lost-its-mind and I asked Tom, "So when does our good season begin? Eight weeks of this bad one is making me nuts."

After much research and dietary changes,Tom's gout cleared up after 10 days. For a week he felt fine, then yesterday morning when I stepped downstairs he grumbled, "My foot hurts again."

Gah.

Plus, it's *&%$#@ summer so I'm feeling 95, weak, all trying-to-survive-ish and --

No, that's enough. 

My Complaining List is long, but oh, how important (I lecture myself) to name what's going right, rather than sinking below the teary waters of Self-Pity (man, what an enemy he is).

Yet I'd made all these plans! Much decluttering and porch reading and making our house--if not elegant--well, self-cleaning, roomier and spa-like.

But times, seasons, like these arrive to remind us that, basically, we don't have much control over Life. Some, yes, especially when it's our own self-control in reacting to the bummer stuff.

Yet sometimes God desires we replace our supposed-control with faith, instead. A trusting that He will work things out, in time.

If we do our part,

then rest while

He does His.

In calmness,

no worry allowed.

And that's the test.

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While trying to choose creativity over complaining, I made this, below, inside our old entertainment center. Cleared away tons of clutter, hung the picture then the battery-operated sconces and brought down favorite old books. (Forgive the glare, lighting, etc. I used my antique iPad to take the photo.)

I love the vintage surprise awaiting behind the doors. How encouraging to make a change, even though it took 3 days and a younger Debra would've done it in a half hour. heh.

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Books I read in June:

Woodswoman 3

Big Doc's Girl

The Hidden Pearls

Mystery of the Empty House

You Can Start All Over

The Clue in the Cobweb

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Only my friends who love rampant creativity (and don't mind a bunch of stuff) will enjoy this young couples' small apartment  . Personally, I loved this.

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And here are some movies I can recommend. Well, mostly recommend  ツ

The Open Road

Leap Year

Flower Shop Mystery

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

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 "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