Saddly we say goodbye to little Henrietta today... an accident brought about an early end for her. A grandmother's heart was rended by the tearful words of little 3 year old Davey..."My kitty dead, grandma!" Davey and I talked about maybe having a little prayer service for her later today. He will be here for pregnancy checks of the cows this afternoon. Davey being home alone, while the other two are at school... had gotten very attached to the little female kitten.
Lord, we know that animals are not on the same plane as we are, but they are life and their sweet looks and loving ways pull at our heart strings. Help little Dave and his family to take away from this the reminder that life is to be cherished and is a special gift to be honored and protected... yet trusting when it comes to an early end that, although we don't understand and it hurts for a while, that you are in control of all life. Not a sparrow falls to the ground and you know about it! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
She gave them some weeks of joy, yet there is also the responsibility of caring for them and that is not always sweetness and light.
Today is the feast day of one of Simon's patron saints - St Simon the Zealot - one of the twelve apostles, who walked the earth with Christ as one that answered the call of Christ to join him! Much explanation today of how the apostles needed to have that zeal for their faith in Christ... especially after his death and fueled by the Holy Spirit sent to them, so that they could carry forth the Gospel to the ends of the earth! WE are all asked, as followers of Christ to join with them! The Zeal is that flame within!
"The Word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him in whom we must render an account." Hebrews4: 12-13 That about sums it up... and the Truth is what we rally around and carry forth into our lives with great ZEAL!
"O that today you would listen to his voice!" Psalm 95 "Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For is anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in the mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does." James 1: 22-25 May the fire/zeal within us cause us to hold the Truth always close to us, and may it reflect in all we do or say! 
They have plenty of other kitties to help them find comfort... Lord, we ask to learn from our pain in life, and the loss of a dear pet is always a sad time. Our thoughts question why, and yet we must go foward knowing that there is a plan, and that there are many ways of being comforted. Time is the healer, as well as the other loving people and animals in our lives. May we go forth embracing the true meaning of LIFE and LOVE, and sharing that TRUTH with great ZEAL that comes from our LOVE of YOU and your WORD! May small lessons of loss remind us that we are yours and that life here is short, and we long to be united with you in eternal life of belonging to you... body, mind and spirit! Jesus, we shout at the top of our lungs... "Jesus is Lord, and LIFE is with HIM!" Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb
"Now, zeal is one of the elementary religious qualifications; that is, one of those which are essential in the very notion of a religious man. A man cannot be said to be in earnest in religion, till he magnifies his God and Savior; til he so far consecrates and exalts the thought of him in his heart, as an object of praise and adoration, and rejoicing, as to be pained and grieved at dishonor shown to him, and eager to avenge him. In a word, a religious temper is one of loyalty towards God... To be loyal is not merely to obey; but to obey with promptitude, energy, dutifulness, disinterested devotion, disregard for consequences. And such is zeal, except that it is ever attended with the reverential feeling which is due from a creature and sinner towards his Maker, and towards him alone. It is the main principle in all relgious service to love God above all things; now, zeal is to love him above all men, above our dearest and most intimate friends."
Blessed John Henry Newman (1890) May we all join the army of God, and fight the good and righteous battle of Good against Evil! Happy feast day sweet Simon Patrick Lanoue!
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