Tag Archives: kittens

Pastoral Ponderings—Play!

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Pastoral Ponderings—Play!

Have you ever noticed how close the words “play” and “pray” are?  Only one letter—but close in concept as well.  In play we have a good time, usually with others, usually with communication and laughter.  And isn’t that the same—or SHOULDN’T that be the same with our prayer—only we’re having a good time, communicating, even laughing with God.

It’s pretty clear in the Bible that God created humanity to have others to play and laugh with.  All that was created was to be blessings, and to bless humans in countless ways.  And if you’ve ever wondered about God’s sense of humor—just look at how funny it is when men and women try to understand and relate with each other!  And it’s not just people—you’ve likely noticed that animals of all types play too—and the more developed the animal is, the more they play!  There’s even a whole field of study in science called “the science of play,” studying how important it is both in human and in animal development.

When in our creation stories, God seems to be careful and intentional in the many facets of creation, you can bet your britches that God was intentional in inventing play and laughter too!  Problem is that as we “mature,” we see play as being less important, maybe even childish, so very many of us actually forget how to play!  And if we forget how to play—how to have a good time with others and with God, look at what happens to what we call prayer!  All too often, we seem to be of the opinion that when it gets to be time to pray, it must be time to “get serious”—meaning no more smiles, laughter or fun.  It’s usually a lot better for our human relationships when we enjoy our time together, when we smile and laugh together—where do we get the idea that God’s not interested in smiles and laughter?

Try an experiment this week—find more ways to play, smile and laugh with our human connections, AND with our prayer—our God-connections, and see what happens to our prayer lives.  I bet you’ll notice some positive change, AND more of a sense of closeness with God.  Whether it takes a child, a cat, a stranger or someone you’ve known forever, remind yourself what it’s like to play with abandon, and what that kind of play does both to may you feel better, but also to help you better connect with God.

Remember the old adage—the family that PLAYS together, stays together!  Keep on playing!   — Pastor Jim

 

Pastoral Ponderings—Perspective

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Pastoral Ponderings—Perspective

I don’t usually sit on the floor.  I don’t often get to gaze into the sparkling eyes of the cutest little kitten in the world, nor get to see the world from that kitten’s upside down perspective!  I rolled Boots (what an original name!) onto his back, and he just stayed there, transfixed, as if hypnotized, so I couldn’t resist snapping a few pics and sharing!

We can’t help but see the world from some distinct perspective- whether from a silly upside down place on the floor from the wonderous eyes of a kitten, or from the eyes of a jaded old warrior—and what we see differs with the perspective from which we see.  I’m always giving Darling Wife a hard time for not seeing what’s right there—the half gallon of whipping cream “hiding” in plain sight behind the small jar of mayonnaise was the latest!  But she gives it right back when it’s my turn—“where are my keys?”  “Look in your other hand!”  Might even sound familiar.

We see what we’re looking for, not what’s actually there.  If we’re looking for ugliness in the world, there’s plenty to see all around us.  When we’re looking for beauty and wonder around us (as we might find in a kitten’s sparkling upside down eyes), there’s ample to fill our souls and more.

When was the last time you were in prison? Not a pretty place is it.  And that was likely a modern American prison.  Can you imagine being in an ancient prison of the notorious Roman Empire?  Yet it was from such a place that these famous words were penned– “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

If from that kind of place, one can encourage others to see the good in whatever the situation, can’t we in our dark places, or in places where those around us are eagerly pointing and yammering about all the terrible things around us, keep our perspective one the borrows the sparkle of an upside down face of grace like that of Jesus’ (or Boots the kitten’s for that matter)?

Looking for the sparkle of life—Pastor Jim

Pastoral Ponderings—Kittens!

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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