Cats, dogs and goldfish.

 The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety. –Felix Mendelssohn

 

It is impossible to go through life without having favorites. I am most definitely a cat person. I appreciate the way my cat Howard settles down next to my leg, rests his chin on my shin and purrs. It is almost as if he is willing any sadness or pain to leave my body.

But as for protecting us? Not so much. A burglar could come in and pretty much do whatever he desires, and Howard would most likely join Tucker under the bed, terrified. (Move over, boys. Me, too!) A dog, however, could bark and raise a ruckus. And when you’re sad, a dog can look deep in your eyes and seemingly understand it all. (If only they could be litter box trained. . . .)

And if we didn’t have room for even a cat, or if we were allergic to furry critters, goldfish or even birds are viable options as companions. Not my first choice, or even second or third, but many folks prefer them over other, cuddlier pets.

Point is: our loving God has given us this amazing Creation to live in that has something for everyone, in many, many ways. Even within our own species, variety reigns supreme. There are literally no two people who are the same—and that’s okay.

We can be very different from one another, can even disagree, and still get along. In fact, we absolutely must find ways to find the beauty in diversity, in Creation, among humanity—and even within our own soul. We are each a perfect expression of Divine Love.


Monday When you go shopping, take a moment to glance at the many varieties of apples. Do you have a favorite? Try a new variety today. Jeremiah 1:4-10

Tuesday Even in winter, so many varieties of trees are easily distinguished. How many can you identify? (How do you tell them apart without leaves?) Psalm 71:1-6

Wednesday Think about your own body. What do you have that no other person has? Luke 4:21-23

Thursday How about music? Are you a classics lover—or Elvis and rock-n-roll? Both? Why? Luke 4:24-30

Friday So you’re stranded on a desert island . . . and a big crate floats up. What’s in it? What one thing do you absolutely desire in life? Why? 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Saturday As you pray for yourself today, give thanks for even those parts of you that you don’t like. Give your self-criticism over to God. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Sunday Celebrate in worship as you feel drawn. Sing loudly or meditate in silence. 1 Corinthians 13:9-13

 

The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness." --Therese of Lisieux

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stepping back. . . .

Image
Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and with a calm spirit.  Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever,  even if your whole world seems upset.  –St. Francis de Sales This week, I invite you to simply sit in a quiet space with words of hope and promise, and to remember, as Julian of Norwich knew, that all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well . It has been a long, difficult season. Advent and the coming of the Christ is just around the corner. Peace and comfort to your spirit. Monday   “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” Matthew 11:28-30 Tuesday  “Is this not the kind of fast I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6-9 Wednesday  “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the
Read more

It's that time again. . . .

When the seasons shift, even the subtle beginning, the scent of a promised changed, I feel something stir inside me. Hopefulness? Gratitude? Openness?  Whatever it is,  it’s welcome. –Kristin Armstrong No matter what part of the world you call home, this time of year brings big changes. While my friends Down Under are watching sings of new growth emerge from the earth as temperatures rise, here in Ohio, the leaves are turning from green to gold and orange, red and brown. The winds have taken on a chill; clouds hang heavy, like soggy cotton, reminding us that soon and very soon, we are going to see the snow . Always different, yet somehow, the same. We depend on God’s eternal ways, and trust that again this year, winter will follow autumn, just like it should. So why is it, as we anticipate and appreciate changes like these, when it comes to so many things in life we pull up short, wrinkle our noses and say No! No change! I like things just the way they are! It’s t
Read more

Starting again

“This, then, is how you should pray:" --Matthew 6:9a I have been really sensing lately that there is another blog inside me, one focused on prayer.  Oh, I know-- those elephants are all about prayer. Heck, they  are  prayer. And I will continue there, as well. But what I've been feeling is that people-- maybe you--  have always been told, "You should pray," or "Pray about that." But maybe you feel your prayers aren't "good enough," or that it's just too hard, too embarrassing, too [fill in the blank] to pray. Maybe it feels like no one really talks about how  to pray-- except, of course, for Jesus, in Matthew 6 and a couple parallel passages where we are given what's come to be known as The Lord's Prayer. And it is a great prayer. And there are other great prayers, and other ways to pray that do not involve rote. So "my plan" here is to share, hopefully on a weekly or semi-regular basis, a lot of
Read more