Pastoral Ponderings—Kittens!
The barn cat had kittens yesterday! It’s exciting to see the little furry things squirming around—even though we tried to avoid them! We had planned to get the barn cat fixed right away—but it was weeks before she allowed us to get close enough to touch her, and by then it was too late, so now we’re excited to have four squirming little furballs to worry about!
Karol grew up with cats, but never kittens. I grew up with cats and likely a dozen or more litters of kittens over the years, so am a bit more familiar with their furry cuteness. But you should have seen the awe and wonder on Karol’s face when she first met their newborn fluff!
It is the wonder of God’s gift of new life that I see reflected on her face, well-seasoned with the birth of new hope, with a sprinkling of giggles and giddiness at the prospect of kitten silliness. O that we could experience that joy more often! But why not, when all around, most every day, we see signs of such hope and joy, if only we have eyes to see.
But why don’t we see it? Why don’t we have eyes to see, or better yet, what does it take to be gifted with those eyes to see? I see a great clue in one of my current favorite Bible verses, Philippians 4: 8,9—written while the author was in prison in ancient Rome, mind you—NOT a pleasant nor hopeful situation to be in—
“8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
You’ve probably noticed that you see what you look for, and you generally don’t see what you’re not looking for. What are you looking for today? — Pastor Jim