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Today's guest post is by my dear friend, inspiring mentor, and in general one of the most amazing persons I have been blessed to know.
"Tiny Flecks" is directly tied to the wisdom Kathleen shared with me in my short time as an undergraduate student and the influence she continues to have on my heart. Kathleen has written a number of books, devotionals, and collections of poetry. She served as the Chaplain for my alma mater. She works now as a fabulous freelance retreat minister. Kathleen also preaches at community churches. She was a witness and shared her message at Mr. Bean and I's wedding. And has officially become a part of our family and always will be.
Really, it is hard for me to put into words how much she means to me. She continues to feed my soul with her insight and friendship and I am honored to have her guest posting today. When thinking about this week's topic and the overarching theme of "Tiny Flecks" I knew that I had to share Kathleen with all of you.
Really, it is hard for me to put into words how much she means to me. She continues to feed my soul with her insight and friendship and I am honored to have her guest posting today. When thinking about this week's topic and the overarching theme of "Tiny Flecks" I knew that I had to share Kathleen with all of you.
In the spirit of sharing...one of you lucky readers will win one of my favorite devotionals of all time! It happens to be Kathleen's book Reverence And Revelry.
"A day in the life..." of Kathleen
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"A day in the life..." of Kathleen
I live with Sophia and Jack. Sophia is 11; Jack is 6. Every day they teach me about life and living well. Here are a few examples of their wisdom: Get up early and purr your praises to the Creator of Life; you can nap later. Eat a good breakfast. Daily hair brushing is as important as bathing. Play!!! Life is a big game filled with wonder and delight. Explore everything! Always take time, every single day, to watch the sparrows. Meditate, preferably in sunlight. Be who you are!
Friends have said that visiting our household is like dropping in on St. Francis of Assisi. Daily I put out apples, suet, bird seed, and fresh water for the outdoor critters. One friend has dubbed these creatures my “lucky wild pets.”
As you may have surmised, Sophia and Jack are cats. We truly do have a lot to learn from the creatures with whom we share our planet. One of their most important lessons is “take time to dream!” A number of years ago, two other feline friends (Dylan and Roy) inspired this poem:
Friends have said that visiting our household is like dropping in on St. Francis of Assisi. Daily I put out apples, suet, bird seed, and fresh water for the outdoor critters. One friend has dubbed these creatures my “lucky wild pets.”
As you may have surmised, Sophia and Jack are cats. We truly do have a lot to learn from the creatures with whom we share our planet. One of their most important lessons is “take time to dream!” A number of years ago, two other feline friends (Dylan and Roy) inspired this poem:
CHASING DREAMS
Sunbeams pour through cats
of blue and yellow glass
that hang against the window,
spilling lightdrops
on my kitchen floor
for solid cats of flesh and fur
to chase, but never catch—
pretty dreams made of air.
But pouncing cats don’t care.
They know the game
and are content to play,
letting play be their reward.
They understand spilled sunbeams;
they know what dreams are for.
of blue and yellow glass
that hang against the window,
spilling lightdrops
on my kitchen floor
for solid cats of flesh and fur
to chase, but never catch—
pretty dreams made of air.
But pouncing cats don’t care.
They know the game
and are content to play,
letting play be their reward.
They understand spilled sunbeams;
they know what dreams are for.
May we all have the courage to follow our dreams, to listen to our hearts, and be who we were created to be!
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What Animals Have Been Tiny Flecks in Your Life?
Maybe its the cherished family dog from your childhood, the cat that kept you company in your first apartment away from home. The squirrels that make you laugh. The robin that gives you hope that spring is near. Maybe its that goldfish that still, amazingly, hasn't died! Leave a comment about an animal that has shown you the blessings of life around you. Leave your answer with an email address in the comments below. Entries must submitted by Friday at midnight and winners will be chosen at random and posted on Saturday. The winner will receive Kathleen's inspirational book!
Best of luck!
We got T.R. when I was 8. "T.R." stood for the runt, he looked like a black lab with a whole lot of traveling salesman thrown in. When we went to check out the litter of pups I looked away from the lazy sleeping ones to see a tiny 6-week old puppy running in lightning fast circles around the yard not stopping for the 10 minutes we were there. The owners were worried no one would take him because he was so hyper all the time, but for a family with 4 kids it was love at 1st site.
TR was put down in 2002 after a battle with colon-cancer,
he remains the best and craziest dog we ever had. He always ran away and he never grew larger than the size of a 3-month old lab but he was ours and he was wonderful.
I still remember going to the the German Shepherd breeder with my dad when I was about 6, the day we picked out Schultzie. I played with all of the puppies, running around with all of them and having them all lick my face as I giggled.
My mom was not thrilled about getting a puppy when I had a younger brother and sister at home, both still in diapers, my brother still an infant. But before long, Shultz was an irreplacable part of our family. She would lay by us when we were sick, protected us fiercely, and would never have hurt any of us, even when we were still little and liked to play rough. The day we had to put her down my senior year of high school, I really felt like I had lost a member of the family. Even weeks later, one of us would bring her up and we would start to cry.
No matter how many pets I have had or will have since Schultzie, she was my first pet, and the one I think I will always have the fondest memories of. She grew up with me, protected me, and was just a wonderful, wonderful pet and I still miss her to this day.
Hawkeye.
Our bizarre little apartment duck was probably one of the coolest insights to a part of the world that was completely new to me. I was continually amazed by that quirky little bird.
Chris
Spike, the sleek black cat I got after my aunt died was the most loving animal I've ver known. He was a great friend to the other cat I had at the time, Clara, and after she died he was like a daddy to the kittens I adopted. He died6 years ago, after I learned he had cancer. He truly embodied faithful love.