Image courtesy of Tina Phillips/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The Cat’s Meow
My mind this morning is fixated on the love shared between person and pet(s). Perhaps it is because my best friend just lost a beloved four-legged from among the many she has saved and is saving with her rescue mission. Whatever the cause, the bond between people and animals kept being brought to my attention this morning as I worked on finding a bible reading and prayer for my church’s Facebook page and again when I randomly opened a couple of meditation books this morning.
First, in Proverbs 12:10 (NLT), I encountered this message: “The godly are concerned for the well being of their animals, but even the kindness of the wicked is cruel.” Next, the meditation written about this verse ended with a prayer by Ashley Kappel: “Thank You, Lord, for friends and family, both human and those of the fur-covered variety. Experiencing their love allows us a glimpse into the abundance that awaits us in heaven. [Amen.]” (Editors, Guideposts, 2012-10-01. Daily Guideposts 2013 (Kindle Locations 5104-5106). Guideposts Books. Kindle Edition).
Next, my Higher Power sent me to a mediation in a 2008 volume of Daily Guideposts to a meditation written by Rick Hamlin (pp. 262-263) in which he describes how his cat kept demanding his attention one day by constantly meowing. He checked her food and water, and it was found to be adequate. He followed his cat all around his house. The cat kept meowing. In desperation, he finally set down on his kitchen floor and just cuddled with and loved his cat. Both were happy at that point. The author of the mediation saw this situation as a metaphor for how we can wander restless, wanting something, looking for something, and feeling anxious until we allow ourselves to stop, relax, and feel God’s love.
I found this simple metaphor very comforting after being embroiled in countless theological discussions of what is God, where is God, how does God manifest, what do theologians say, what do the experts say, what do different religions and authors say, etc. I have less and less patience for such discussions at times—perhaps because I had to suffer through years of similar discussions while I earned my doctorate and later countless faculty meetings where hardly anything was ever said succinctly.
I am surrounded by and filled with God’s love. When I let myself be still and connect with this love my “free-floating” anxiety ceases to exist. I know I am one with the one eternal truth—God’s love. Once I connect with this love, I am relaxed and energized. This allows me to “be active” in God’s love by compassionately sharing it with others. Thank you, God for making this possible.
Please comment and share your thoughts about how the pets in your life connect you with God’s love. May God bless and keep you.
Living One Day at a Time 
Oh, so very very true about the unsullied, guileless love of animals. However, I do not at all understand what you are referring to in your comment about faculty meetings. Perhaps you can expound at some length on this during our next encounter.
I love your sense of humor!
I’m glad God gave us the animals especially the ones who become our pets. They are gifts to us. They teach us about enjoying life, and they help us through difficult times. They can be a pleasure after a difficult time in our lives. They are used as therapy animals for people who are ill and who need guidance, i.e. guide dogs for the blind or epileptics, And recently a family with a new kitten helped their mother by allowing the kitten to keep her company while she recovered from her surgeries.