Nov/18/2015: I just realized I never published this on my blog. Sorry it is out of order.
///
I regret, as I sit here in my study, at 7:52 a.m. on the first day of October 2015, that I did not say first thing: "Lord, thank You for this day--an opportunity to remember Kara and count the blessings of her. Thank You for the opportunity to live a better day today because of her and I want to live well for her." As silly as it might sound, I want her to be proud of what my life becomes as I live life anew for her memory and to make sure not one day of her life with us over the last year not to be in vain.
It's interesting. I cannot believe that I am thinking along those lines now. Never mind writing it (journaling it) and sharing these thoughts out loud and with others.
However, the more I think about it... Why is it silly to live a life of blessing, where I can count a trillion because of her alone? Why is it odd to be extra attentive to count my blessings of her and because of her? Shouldn't we all have something or someone in our lives that blesses us so much that we cannot help but live a life of thanksgiving and gratitude... a life of blessing?
It does not matter who or what brings this life transformation. What matters is that it does. Living a life of gratitude and giving thanks... a life of blessing... Isn't this how we are supposed to live and why? And, what better life could we live?
And, all of this comes from a cat.
From our Kara Beara. Little Bit. Lady Kara. Baby Girl. Girlie.
All of this comes from "just a cat."
I roll my eyes. Whoever says that she was "just a cat" has no idea what they are talking about. Anyone who has owned a critter, and has invested everything possible in that companion, knows good and well Kara was not "just a cat." Only a fool would ever claim she, or any of them, are.
Kara was a companion. A loyal companion and friend at that.
Furthermore, Kara loved for the first time in her life--and she was loved.
Our cancer kitty was the biggest love bug and I could tell how much she appreciated everything we did for her. The lifelong feral cat became a loving and loved family member and she knew it. She knew how good she had it. She lived a life of thanks, where she basked in her love for us and our love for her. Her mannerisms showed this.
She was happy.
Content.
Grateful.
Kara remembered the life she had in the wild and realized how good her life was.
Isn't this the way we are supposed to live? Isn't this how we are to live a life of faith?
Kara lived a blessed life and she counted them. My husband and I will try to do the same because of her.
It's truly a blessed life we live.
This month... this year... this decade... this life... I will be purposeful about living a life of blessing because of her.
This morning I woke up and failed to give thanks for her and this new day where I can remember our Little Dove. I regret that. I will try to not do the same tomorrow. But, I realize I may mess up and fail to do so again. Therefore, once I remember, which I pray is in the morning that day, I will make sure to remember her and count as many blessings as possible. I will live that day with thanksgiving and gratitude.
Showing posts with label Cat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cat. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Thursday, October 15, 2015
The Blessings of a Feral Cancer Cat
19 DAYS AND COUNTING
I cannot believe it's been nineteen days since Kara went Home. Nineteen days since we made the decision to put her to sleep before she suffered. I cannot help but feel at times she was stolen from us. We just didn't have her long enough.
Then, I try to look at things with reason and logic. We had her seven months longer than we were supposed to, according to the veterinarian. So, oh, how we are thankful for that.
And, if you knew Kara, you would know one day with her was larger than life and full of love. We had her one year and six days. Could we be more blessed?
She knew a life she never had prior... and she had it for over a year. She knew love for the first time. She learned how to be loved and how to love extravagantly. Again... what blessings!
I should count the blessings we had with her and since. I shouldn't want her back. I should be grateful for what we had with her and how we can live fuller lives because of her.
But, oh, how I miss her. The problem is there is so much to miss. Kara girl looked like the size of a kitten, but her heart and spirit were larger than Alaska.
Rather than be sad, I try to count my blessings.
THE CLAW
Yesterday I ripped off the bandage and did something B and I were not ready to do, but knew we had to... it was hard, but a blessing was found. Kara hung out mainly in our bedroom and in our guest bedroom, and sometimes in my study. So, yesterday, I decided to clean the sheets on the guest bed.
Sinan, our other cat, came to give me a hand... I mean a paw. I'm not sure if he came to stop me or to hang out with me. He sniffed for her in all her favorite spots as I put my hand there and tried not to sob. His head fell forward and his shoulders slumped as we both looked and remembered. Then, as I pulled back the sheet to strip it from the bed and I gasped. I didn't expect it. I felt pure joy and anguish rush through my system at once in response. There was a claw there.
I took it as a hug from the Lord.
I reached for it and added it to the baggy we have of a whisker and some of her fur we have found. Silly, I know. Some would say it's ridiculous. But, they are physical reminders of a cat who was here... a blessing from the Lord... and I want to count those blessings as much as I can as often as I can and those physical reminders help me to do so. Silly? Probably. But, if it deepens my faith and helps me appreciate my blessings, I would rather be silly and do silly things. It's worth it.
A hug indeed.
THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THESE BLOG POSTS
I write each blog post throughout the day, a day to a couple of weeks before they post. And when I write them, I write them in segments. I write a section and then go do something else for a while (like reading the holy book and prayer, never mind housekeeping) and then come back to it. I do not write it all in one setting. Consequently, if you sense a change in my feelings or thoughts as you read, it's because an hour or more might pass between each segment or section.
THE PLANS FOR BOOKS 1 AND 2: A BOOK OF FAITH AND AN INTERACTIVE DEVOTIONAL MEMOIR AND PET JOURNAL
Book 1: I am writing the first book in the Moments with Kara series as a book of faith, and will even talk about the Lord and prayer, and may even quote some Old Testament verses from time to time. But, I want to keep this generic enough anyone can read it and get a lot out of it, regardless of what one believes. I want faith in general and life to be the focus and the blessings and lessons received from Kara the feral cancer cat.
Book 2: This will be a Christian focused book. It will be more of a devotional memoir of sorts, where you will interact with the book.
I hope this helps you know my heart and where I am/we are headed and to know my present focus.
COUNTING MY BLESSINGS DURING THIS SEASON OF THANKS
As I mentioned yesterday, I have tried the last couple of years to live a life of thanks, not just a holiday or season of thanksgiving. However, in October through the end of the year, I try to step it up a notch or two and count even more blessings. After all, every moment, in every situation, and in days of sun or days of rain (my way of saying good times and challenging times), it is important that o be thankful and show gratitude. Every moment is blessed.
Every moment has its blessing. All. Without fail.
The catch is are we going to just let our blessings pass us by, or will we choose to look for them and count them?
Just the thought of missing a blessing makes me sad. I don't ever want to miss one blessing.
A blessing is when the Lord shows us favor.
It's when He throws us a bone, so to speak. Or, is a hug from Him to us. It's how He shows us love and teaches us about Himself. He loves us unconditionally and without limit. Hence, He blesses us. And every moment is blessed. He wants to show us constantly how much He loves us.
Kara is/was a very large blessing. She was for us and we were for her. She showed how blessed she knew she was. She purred almost non-stop. Even when her lungs were filled with cancer... Even as she died in B's arms and as she rubbed her face and head all over my hands... She died purring. She died showing love and counting her blessings in her own cat way.
This is why it is so important for me to count my blessings... always... and especially until the end of the year as I try to count far more each day than I usually do.
Will you join me and count our blessings this day?
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Sinan's Dream
Sinan just dreamt of Kara.
He whined in his sleep.
I woke him up.
He looked all around and sniffed for her... He then whined again as he looked right at me.
"I know, buddy... She isn't here... I miss her, too."
He whined in his sleep.
I woke him up.
He looked all around and sniffed for her... He then whined again as he looked right at me.
"I know, buddy... She isn't here... I miss her, too."
Sunday, October 11, 2015
The Most Important Thing About Kara
What is the most important thing I need to, and want to, share about Kara? Her story? About her being in our lives?
What is the most important thing about Kara?
What is the most important thing that should be told about Kara?
She lived.
That's the answer, I think. Is anything else more important about her than that?
I just don't have think so.
What is the most important thing about Kara?
What is the most important thing that should be told about Kara?
She lived.
That's the answer, I think. Is anything else more important about her than that?
I just don't have think so.
This Blog is My Writing Notebook
There should blog is my writing notebook. It is what I'm using to write Kara's story and I will use this to journal and get my thoughts down on the page. This is where I will get it all down on the page and I hope to make my mistakes here. I also hope to make it count.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
No "Bambi" but Cancer Kitty is Alright
Looking back, it rather amazes me that I wasn't a major wreck every day of the last year. You see... It's a good thing we didn't have kids. If we did, I cannot handle watching the movie "Bambi" or even "Dumbo." After all, they make me too emotional. As a matter of fact, I have never watched or read "Old Yeller" or "Where the Red Fern Grows." And, don't even get me started on watching the movie "Warhorse."
When I was three years old, my parents took me to see one of the "Love Bug" movies and when Herbie got sawed in half, I became so hysterical they almost had to take me out of the theater for the scene I caused.
Thank the Lord I have never accidentally run over a critter, or you might need to tranquilize me (slight exaggeration, but not much).
So, I am not emotionally mature enough to handle tragedy with animals.
Normally.
Cancer kitty changed everything for me.
It didn't matter if I could handle it or not, for Kara, I had to. I know how animals pick up on our emotions, and I wasn't about to scare her or upset her. The last thing she ever needed was additional stress.
I was able to remain strong and determined to walk with Kara through her cancers and didn't hesitate to do so. She was worth it and even after everything, I would do it all again and again. She deserved no less and it was easy to support her. She was so special and precious, such a blessing, we were not about to let her down in any way.
I think a lot of prayer helped me stand strong with and for Kara, as I remained by her side.
When I was three years old, my parents took me to see one of the "Love Bug" movies and when Herbie got sawed in half, I became so hysterical they almost had to take me out of the theater for the scene I caused.
Thank the Lord I have never accidentally run over a critter, or you might need to tranquilize me (slight exaggeration, but not much).
So, I am not emotionally mature enough to handle tragedy with animals.
Normally.
Cancer kitty changed everything for me.
It didn't matter if I could handle it or not, for Kara, I had to. I know how animals pick up on our emotions, and I wasn't about to scare her or upset her. The last thing she ever needed was additional stress.
I was able to remain strong and determined to walk with Kara through her cancers and didn't hesitate to do so. She was worth it and even after everything, I would do it all again and again. She deserved no less and it was easy to support her. She was so special and precious, such a blessing, we were not about to let her down in any way.
I think a lot of prayer helped me stand strong with and for Kara, as I remained by her side.
Kara's Last Day on 09/26/2015
On Saturday, September 26, 2015, my husband and I woke and went to breakfast at The Egg and I. I had an omelette with avacado, grilled chicken, swiss cheese, and diced tomatoes. Then, we went to the Farmer's Market (where I tried and bought my first Asian Pear--eight of them actually along with five peaches, coffee, kettle corn, banana bread, pumpkin bread, multigrain bread, and kettle corn). From there, we headed to the house to finish working on the roof of the shed. We had to finish putting up shingles.
At one point, we went inside for a break and went upstairs to check on Kara and say hi. She had labored breathing and wheezed. It was different than what she did since Tuesday. Her wheezing and labored breathing would calm whenever I let her and prayed over her. It just wasn't that easy on Saturday.
So, we called our veterinarian, Dr. G. out in Broomfield, Colorado (a suburb of Denver and an hour and a half from where we live) to see if we should bring Kara in and Dr. G. wasn't in the office. They asked if we wanted her to be called and we said yes.
We waited.
Nothing.
I called the office and they were closed!
So, I sent her an email just in case and we called the urgent care near our home in Cheyenne... We gave them her symptoms and they said to go in to the vet on Monday. We already set up an appointment Monday for Kara to be seen for blood work to see if her thyroid medicine was working, so we were not about to see that vet. Kara was in distress and they wanted her to wait two and a half days to be seen. We will never use that vet. Never, ever.
How did they know it wasn't an emergency and that she wasn't suffering?
Kara was doing better, so we hoped Dr. G. would still call or that Kara could wait until Monday.
So, we went back to work on the shed. We got more shingles put up when the phone rang. I rushed down the ladder to my cell and it was Dr. G. She apologized for not being available. She had eye surgery that day! So, she asked us what was going on and I told her how Kara had labored breathing, wheeled off and on, wasn't eating very well, and hadn't had a bowel movement for a few days. She told me her breath was a concern and asked if we tried an urgent care in Cheyenne and we told her what happened. She was shocked and said that with Kara's breathing issues, Kara needed to be seen right away and asked how far we lived from CSU. I said an hour or so. She told me to call them and go.
So, as I did that, Bob put our stuff away outside and started preparing the car for Kara... litter box, her throw blanket off our bed for the seat, and her carrier. I grabbed her and her bed, held her like a taco in her bed and carried her to the car, which hubby was in and was waiting. I was quite thankful she didn't get upset when I picked her up, as she had the tendency to do.
I sat in back with her. Her litter box was behind Bob, she and her bed were in the middle of our backseat, and I sat to the right and pet her.
We hadn't had time to give her the anti-nausea medicine, so the poor thing jumped up and she headed a couple of steps to her box and started heaving. She hadn't had much to eat, so it was mainly foamy bile at her mouth I was able to brush off with a white towel I brought with us for such a situation.
WRITE MORE
At one point, we went inside for a break and went upstairs to check on Kara and say hi. She had labored breathing and wheezed. It was different than what she did since Tuesday. Her wheezing and labored breathing would calm whenever I let her and prayed over her. It just wasn't that easy on Saturday.
So, we called our veterinarian, Dr. G. out in Broomfield, Colorado (a suburb of Denver and an hour and a half from where we live) to see if we should bring Kara in and Dr. G. wasn't in the office. They asked if we wanted her to be called and we said yes.
We waited.
Nothing.
I called the office and they were closed!
So, I sent her an email just in case and we called the urgent care near our home in Cheyenne... We gave them her symptoms and they said to go in to the vet on Monday. We already set up an appointment Monday for Kara to be seen for blood work to see if her thyroid medicine was working, so we were not about to see that vet. Kara was in distress and they wanted her to wait two and a half days to be seen. We will never use that vet. Never, ever.
How did they know it wasn't an emergency and that she wasn't suffering?
Kara was doing better, so we hoped Dr. G. would still call or that Kara could wait until Monday.
So, we went back to work on the shed. We got more shingles put up when the phone rang. I rushed down the ladder to my cell and it was Dr. G. She apologized for not being available. She had eye surgery that day! So, she asked us what was going on and I told her how Kara had labored breathing, wheeled off and on, wasn't eating very well, and hadn't had a bowel movement for a few days. She told me her breath was a concern and asked if we tried an urgent care in Cheyenne and we told her what happened. She was shocked and said that with Kara's breathing issues, Kara needed to be seen right away and asked how far we lived from CSU. I said an hour or so. She told me to call them and go.
So, as I did that, Bob put our stuff away outside and started preparing the car for Kara... litter box, her throw blanket off our bed for the seat, and her carrier. I grabbed her and her bed, held her like a taco in her bed and carried her to the car, which hubby was in and was waiting. I was quite thankful she didn't get upset when I picked her up, as she had the tendency to do.
I sat in back with her. Her litter box was behind Bob, she and her bed were in the middle of our backseat, and I sat to the right and pet her.
We hadn't had time to give her the anti-nausea medicine, so the poor thing jumped up and she headed a couple of steps to her box and started heaving. She hadn't had much to eat, so it was mainly foamy bile at her mouth I was able to brush off with a white towel I brought with us for such a situation.
WRITE MORE
Adoption {09/28/2014}
WRITE MORE
From: Stacy D.
Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 12:37 PM
Subject: Adoption
To: X
Adoption
2014-09-28 16:06:28, Sunday
My husband, B, nor I realized it at the time, but we were adopted one week ago today. A feral kitten appeared in our just opened garage and won B's heart when he found it. Then, he introduced the kitten and me. It was the most adorable and loving little one.
Monday through Wednesday, the kitten made repeat visits (probably because of the food and water we set out Sunday afternoon for the malnourished little one). Over that time, I figured out it was a girl, she was deaf, and was clawless on her front paws. Never mind how she was malnourished. There was no way she would survive on her own. She couldn't defend herself and how would she catch food? Never mind how winter is approaching. Therefore, as of her Thursday appearance, she has found a permanent home with us, but is in a temporary home in our garage as we socialize her so we can take her to the vet for a check-up and shots.
Her name is Kara (Kare-uh). It means "friend" in Turkish.
She no longer has to sleep with her head up in the air, alert for danger. As of this afternoon, she no longer pigs out immediately on the wet food we set down for her. She does not know hunger any more. Her little tummy is plump, but her sides are still hollow or concave. They are slightly filling out, but it is slow in coming. She is safe and protected and she knows it. Her life has drastically changed.
Every time B and I see her, she is more social and experiments with us to see what she can do to us and with us. She tries different ways to show affection. The kitten has several favorite sleeping places in our garage: dog/cat bed, on top of a paper bag, on the steps, and on a comfy patio chair with thick cushion.
It's truly amazing.
Kara is wild. Feral. A little beast.
Who is also the biggest lover.
By the way, it's quite interesting trying to figure out how to interact with and socialize with a deaf cat who sleeps a lot. How do you approach her? I've learned to pet her and make sure to leave my hand right there for her to smell. The second she knows it me, or B, she perks up, meows, and gets to her feet/paws. Or, is she wakes before we get to her, or if she is already awake, she meows and rushes over to us.
She has learned a whole new life in the last four days.
Kara has gone from feral and homeless to lover and home. Hungry to full. Wild to gentle. Alone to having a family (B, beagle, cat, and two turtles).
The building of a relationship between between B, Kara, and I has been a special and sacred one.
///
Written: 2014-09-29 12:38:49, Monday
B and I keep doing everything we can do to tell her, through our actions, how we are trustworthy, faithful, and loving. She's responded to every gesture we've made, except for one. She does not like to be picked up. She hisses most of the time when we do.
Consequently, we wonder if she might be bruised on the inside (from either hurting herself or soemthing/someone hurting her) or if Kara had something dramatic happen to her when she was carried. Therefore, we're slowly trying to recondition her. I started off picking her up off of the ground about half an inch and for just a couple of seconds. Now, I can hold her to about three inches off the ground and for about ten seconds. I make sure to pet her and love on her after she allows me to do so--and she gets all excited to receive my affection. Hence, it's a win-win. I jsut wish she could hear me as I tell her, "Good girl." But, I'm sure she senses it.
I wish she could tell me her story. She does in her own Kara, sweet thing, and girlie way. But, I wish she could speak to me and tell me all about it. Like, who dumped her? When? Who had her declawed? (I personally think this is inhumane. It impacts their every movement the rest of their lives. They are defenseless and cannot walk, jump, climb, like they could. It takes all of three minutes to trim their claws and is quite easy actually.)
Other questions I want to ask her: How old is she? What type of cat is she? Why doesn't she like being carried? What does she want from me/us?
I also wish I could tell her how she was loved and never had to worry about anything again. she'll always have shelter, food, water, and love. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am for whatever she experienced in her past.
Kara talks to us every single time we walk into her haven, the garage. She has the sweetest wildish meow and she tells us how excited she is to have company. She trots over to us and immediately starts to purr. Who knew that someone so small could make so much noise? What an absolute delight!
We can make fast movements and she doesn't flinch. She trust us.
I think she has a very laidback, happy-go-lucky, charming, sweet, gentle, loving, easygoing personality. She's as cool as a cucumber. It's wonderful for us--and for her. But, it makes me even more glad she adoped us because this tenderness wouldn't bode well for her in the wild. Thank God she found us--and we found her.
I cannot help but wonder the story of whoever dumped her. They clearly wanted to love her (she's fixed and declawed). Did they move? Did they figure out she was deaf and didn't know how to handle her?
How could they put her in the wild--so defenseless?
She didn't get out. If that was it, I learned last week how many times she returns, if it's a good home. Also, with how malnourished she is/was, she wasn't fed or taken care of by anyone.
I count our blessings she is so loving and has been from the second B met her. Feral cats and kittens usually aren't that way.
It also amazes me how she doesn't doordart or want to leave the garage. Nor does she try to walk away from us when we visit her in the garage. She knows she has it good where she is and likes us. (Praise God.)
B and I did not want another cat right now. (Let me stress that. We did NOT want another cat right now.) It's too soon. Five animals? That's just plain nuts. We are not a zoo or an animal sanctuary.
Yet, Kara adopted us. She is wild. Feral. But, she loves us and trust us. She had no reason to trust us or love us from the onset, but she did.
Kara is a reminder to me of my faith and how I am with God.
{Note: It's 214 p.m. as I sit in the garage on our patio chair and Kara is curled up in a tiny ball, on her paper bag, with her head down, whiskers back, sleeping. She has her guard completely down as we hang.}
The feral cat reminds me how I am wild, too. I am a sinner. I run around and try to do things on my own. I act independent.
{Kara just got up and ran to me for affection. Purred. Then, went back to sit on her bag.}
I act wild and have several deficiencies which could kill me (spiritually). The reality of my situation is I am totally dependent on God. I need Him in order to survive. I need to keep my eyes forever on Him because I cannot always hear Him.
Yes. I have a lot to learn from Kara about faith.
So, who adopted whom?
WRITE MORE
From: Stacy D.
Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 12:37 PM
Subject: Adoption
To: X
Adoption
2014-09-28 16:06:28, Sunday
My husband, B, nor I realized it at the time, but we were adopted one week ago today. A feral kitten appeared in our just opened garage and won B's heart when he found it. Then, he introduced the kitten and me. It was the most adorable and loving little one.
Monday through Wednesday, the kitten made repeat visits (probably because of the food and water we set out Sunday afternoon for the malnourished little one). Over that time, I figured out it was a girl, she was deaf, and was clawless on her front paws. Never mind how she was malnourished. There was no way she would survive on her own. She couldn't defend herself and how would she catch food? Never mind how winter is approaching. Therefore, as of her Thursday appearance, she has found a permanent home with us, but is in a temporary home in our garage as we socialize her so we can take her to the vet for a check-up and shots.
Her name is Kara (Kare-uh). It means "friend" in Turkish.
She no longer has to sleep with her head up in the air, alert for danger. As of this afternoon, she no longer pigs out immediately on the wet food we set down for her. She does not know hunger any more. Her little tummy is plump, but her sides are still hollow or concave. They are slightly filling out, but it is slow in coming. She is safe and protected and she knows it. Her life has drastically changed.
Every time B and I see her, she is more social and experiments with us to see what she can do to us and with us. She tries different ways to show affection. The kitten has several favorite sleeping places in our garage: dog/cat bed, on top of a paper bag, on the steps, and on a comfy patio chair with thick cushion.
It's truly amazing.
Kara is wild. Feral. A little beast.
Who is also the biggest lover.
By the way, it's quite interesting trying to figure out how to interact with and socialize with a deaf cat who sleeps a lot. How do you approach her? I've learned to pet her and make sure to leave my hand right there for her to smell. The second she knows it me, or B, she perks up, meows, and gets to her feet/paws. Or, is she wakes before we get to her, or if she is already awake, she meows and rushes over to us.
She has learned a whole new life in the last four days.
Kara has gone from feral and homeless to lover and home. Hungry to full. Wild to gentle. Alone to having a family (B, beagle, cat, and two turtles).
The building of a relationship between between B, Kara, and I has been a special and sacred one.
///
Written: 2014-09-29 12:38:49, Monday
B and I keep doing everything we can do to tell her, through our actions, how we are trustworthy, faithful, and loving. She's responded to every gesture we've made, except for one. She does not like to be picked up. She hisses most of the time when we do.
Consequently, we wonder if she might be bruised on the inside (from either hurting herself or soemthing/someone hurting her) or if Kara had something dramatic happen to her when she was carried. Therefore, we're slowly trying to recondition her. I started off picking her up off of the ground about half an inch and for just a couple of seconds. Now, I can hold her to about three inches off the ground and for about ten seconds. I make sure to pet her and love on her after she allows me to do so--and she gets all excited to receive my affection. Hence, it's a win-win. I jsut wish she could hear me as I tell her, "Good girl." But, I'm sure she senses it.
I wish she could tell me her story. She does in her own Kara, sweet thing, and girlie way. But, I wish she could speak to me and tell me all about it. Like, who dumped her? When? Who had her declawed? (I personally think this is inhumane. It impacts their every movement the rest of their lives. They are defenseless and cannot walk, jump, climb, like they could. It takes all of three minutes to trim their claws and is quite easy actually.)
Other questions I want to ask her: How old is she? What type of cat is she? Why doesn't she like being carried? What does she want from me/us?
I also wish I could tell her how she was loved and never had to worry about anything again. she'll always have shelter, food, water, and love. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am for whatever she experienced in her past.
Kara talks to us every single time we walk into her haven, the garage. She has the sweetest wildish meow and she tells us how excited she is to have company. She trots over to us and immediately starts to purr. Who knew that someone so small could make so much noise? What an absolute delight!
We can make fast movements and she doesn't flinch. She trust us.
I think she has a very laidback, happy-go-lucky, charming, sweet, gentle, loving, easygoing personality. She's as cool as a cucumber. It's wonderful for us--and for her. But, it makes me even more glad she adoped us because this tenderness wouldn't bode well for her in the wild. Thank God she found us--and we found her.
I cannot help but wonder the story of whoever dumped her. They clearly wanted to love her (she's fixed and declawed). Did they move? Did they figure out she was deaf and didn't know how to handle her?
How could they put her in the wild--so defenseless?
She didn't get out. If that was it, I learned last week how many times she returns, if it's a good home. Also, with how malnourished she is/was, she wasn't fed or taken care of by anyone.
I count our blessings she is so loving and has been from the second B met her. Feral cats and kittens usually aren't that way.
It also amazes me how she doesn't doordart or want to leave the garage. Nor does she try to walk away from us when we visit her in the garage. She knows she has it good where she is and likes us. (Praise God.)
B and I did not want another cat right now. (Let me stress that. We did NOT want another cat right now.) It's too soon. Five animals? That's just plain nuts. We are not a zoo or an animal sanctuary.
Yet, Kara adopted us. She is wild. Feral. But, she loves us and trust us. She had no reason to trust us or love us from the onset, but she did.
Kara is a reminder to me of my faith and how I am with God.
{Note: It's 214 p.m. as I sit in the garage on our patio chair and Kara is curled up in a tiny ball, on her paper bag, with her head down, whiskers back, sleeping. She has her guard completely down as we hang.}
The feral cat reminds me how I am wild, too. I am a sinner. I run around and try to do things on my own. I act independent.
{Kara just got up and ran to me for affection. Purred. Then, went back to sit on her bag.}
I act wild and have several deficiencies which could kill me (spiritually). The reality of my situation is I am totally dependent on God. I need Him in order to survive. I need to keep my eyes forever on Him because I cannot always hear Him.
Yes. I have a lot to learn from Kara about faith.
So, who adopted whom?
WRITE MORE
Day One: September 20, 2014, Saturday
There once was a cat. She lived in the wild and didn't know of the deep love she could get from a human being because the one she had abused her, neglected her, declawed her, and dumped her. Therefore, love wasn't even a concept she knew.
One day she found an open detached garage door in her home of the Tidewater Area of Virginia. There were two cars inside there and it was full of sights and smells. Curiosity made her explore that garage.
This is where the merging of seen lives began.
This is the tale of our journey as a family over the past year.
///
WRITE MORE
///
On Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Stacy Duplease wrote to Mom:
We might be in trouble...
~ Stacy Duplease
Cell
http://RYPStories.blogspot.com
///
On Sep 20, 2014 6:47 PM, Mom wrote:
Who might this be?
///
///
My Email to Mom:
From: Stacy Duplease
Date: Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: Trouble
To: Mom
Cat outside our garage.
Feral. Love bug.
Will let you know if we see her again.
One day she found an open detached garage door in her home of the Tidewater Area of Virginia. There were two cars inside there and it was full of sights and smells. Curiosity made her explore that garage.
This is where the merging of seen lives began.
This is the tale of our journey as a family over the past year.
///
WRITE MORE
///
On Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Stacy Duplease wrote to Mom:
We might be in trouble...
~ Stacy Duplease
Cell
http://RYPStories.blogspot.com
///
On Sep 20, 2014 6:47 PM, Mom wrote:
Who might this be?
///
///
My Email to Mom:
From: Stacy Duplease
Date: Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: Trouble
To: Mom
Cat outside our garage.
Feral. Love bug.
Will let you know if we see her again.
The Blessings of Keeping a Journal
I have kept a journal for over thirty-two years and for the last three years in particular, I've journaled a minimum of five hours a week, with some weeks being closer to forty-five hours. Hence, you might say that I am a packrat of my journaling. {Never mind how I make sure to do everything I can to get everything saved in my journaling.}
My email is a vast source of extra journal keeping material and so is my blogging. Needless to say, I have the record of Kara's life over the past year. I just need to find it and get down here in this private blog journal and from there turn it into a blog I will share publicly [and that will then be turned into a book].
Since today is the first day of NaJoWriMo {National Journal Writing Month}, I decided I needed to make sure to capture everything on the page and the best way to do that was to start at the very beginning. I glanced in my journaling and did not have nearly enough material for the first couple of weeks after Kara found us. Therefore, I turned to my blogging and my emailing at the time. I started to read through the emails this morning and started to remember things I had forgotten. Thank the Lord I use my email and blogging as a form of journaling as well; otherwise, I would have some significant gaps in Kara's story. I was also reminded how finicky the memory can be. What a reminder it is how critical it is to journal. If I hadn't done some form of journal keeping, I would have lost some incredible memories of Kara.
It rather surprised me how easy and enjoyable it was to find the material on Kara. I imagined it would be rough and I might end up sobbing because of it, but that simply was not the case. It made me grin to remember moments with Kara.
The most important thing to know about Kara is that she had personality. She was a spitfire and a lovebug, with all the shades in between. It was what made her so delightful to get to know and love. She was feral and over the last year she made the shift from wild to lover. What a delight.
The blessings of keeping a journal never cease and Kara's tale is only proof of this.
My email is a vast source of extra journal keeping material and so is my blogging. Needless to say, I have the record of Kara's life over the past year. I just need to find it and get down here in this private blog journal and from there turn it into a blog I will share publicly [and that will then be turned into a book].
Since today is the first day of NaJoWriMo {National Journal Writing Month}, I decided I needed to make sure to capture everything on the page and the best way to do that was to start at the very beginning. I glanced in my journaling and did not have nearly enough material for the first couple of weeks after Kara found us. Therefore, I turned to my blogging and my emailing at the time. I started to read through the emails this morning and started to remember things I had forgotten. Thank the Lord I use my email and blogging as a form of journaling as well; otherwise, I would have some significant gaps in Kara's story. I was also reminded how finicky the memory can be. What a reminder it is how critical it is to journal. If I hadn't done some form of journal keeping, I would have lost some incredible memories of Kara.
It rather surprised me how easy and enjoyable it was to find the material on Kara. I imagined it would be rough and I might end up sobbing because of it, but that simply was not the case. It made me grin to remember moments with Kara.
The most important thing to know about Kara is that she had personality. She was a spitfire and a lovebug, with all the shades in between. It was what made her so delightful to get to know and love. She was feral and over the last year she made the shift from wild to lover. What a delight.
The blessings of keeping a journal never cease and Kara's tale is only proof of this.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
My Blessings Counted Journaling: Starvation
My Blessings Counted Journaling: Starvation
2014-10-04 11:41:40, Saturday
Oh, how I long for time with God, prayer, His Word, prayer journaling and Blessings Counted Journaling. I am desperate for it. Totally desperate. And everything and everyone is getting in the way. The everyone part is so worth it. But, I NEED some time with my Daddy, Lord, Savior, Friend, Way, Light, Rock, Sustainer, the Great I AM, Abba, Shepherd, Author and Finisher of My Faith, Love, Holy One.
I long for Him, and His Word, as the deer...
Psalm 42:1-2 Expanded Bible (EXB)
42 As a deer ·thirsts [longs; T pants] for streams of water,
so ·I [T my soul] ·thirst [L longs] for you, God.
2 ·I [T My soul] thirst for the living God.
When can I go to ·meet with [L see] ·him [L the face of God]?
so ·I [T my soul] ·thirst [L longs] for you, God.
2 ·I [T My soul] thirst for the living God.
When can I go to ·meet with [L see] ·him [L the face of God]?
Oh, how I thirst! I am parched.
The moment I write that, I realize how little I really do know what that means. I've never been without food or water, thank God. (Oh, how I tend to take this for granted.)
My thoughts travel to Lady Kara, as we call her. Her name is simply, Kara, but she has a million nicknames. Girlie. Missie. Little one. Sweet one. Miss thing. Miss Piggy. Lady. Miss Kara.
She's the cat who adopted my husband (whom I will call B) and I on Sunday, September 21, 2014... On our thirteen year anniversary.
She's a feral cat. The most lovable thing you've ever met. Tiny thing. Deaf. Declawed. Malnourished. Homeless. Stray. Dumped. Thrown out.
Translation: Starving. Famished. Parched.
Translation: Would not survive in the wild, on her own, much longer.
She knows what it means to truly be parched and starving.
I get choked up as I write this.
We thought she was a kitten. So small. So thin. We knew she was malnourished. But, we had no idea it was far worse than we imagined. We wondered her story. We knew it was grizzly and was what nightmares were made of, but we had no idea.
We've had her in our garage since Thursday, September 25, 2014. It's a massive two-car garage with extra space to the sides and front. And, it has an upstairs. We took our cars out of the garage--and she has the run of the joint. We call it her pad.
At any rate, we wanted to get her used to us a little before we took her to the vet. And, get her fed and get some water in her.
So, we scheduled the vet appointment for yesterday, Friday, October 03, 2014. We found out she is ten years old or so. she is not a kitten.
Ten years old.
And, starving. Parched.
She was defenseless. Deaf. Clawless. Weak. And was on her own, in the wild. It was God alone who took care of the little one.
Then, He put her in our path.
None of us have been the same since.
She knows starvation and being parched.
And, she knows what it means now to have all the water and food she ever wanted. She has had a full belly--and will keep one, provided she eats and drinks. (And, if she doesn't, she'll be taken to the vet and checked.)
Kara knows the stuff nightmares are made of. Now, she knows love, security/safety, food, and water. She also can and will get limitless love.
And, Lady Kara gives endless love as well. It goes both ways with her.
Kara has taught me what God offers me--and what He thinks of my response. She is like me and I am like what God does--in our relationship with one another. How loving and loyal she is, how much she depends on me and B, this is how I'm supposed to be with God.
I spent the last thirteen days watching out for her every two hours or so during the day. Carefully. Vigilant. So, I haven't had as much time for God, B, or alone, as I would prefer. I feel it. I am parched for this time.
I just realized how every moment I am with her, it is a very sacred moment. It's a moment she has never had. Ten years old--and has never known this... How sad and terrible. How heart wrenching.
I've had the sweetest time I've ever had with God--being with her. I've realized it a little, sure, but not like I just have. We are being Jesus in the skin to her. We are acting as His representatives in her life--and she is doing the same with and for us. A little 5.1 pound cat, with the heart which weighs a trillion pounds.
I was starving for, and thirsty, for time with God when I sat down to count my blessings and do some Blessings Counted Journaling.
Or, so I thought.
I've never known starvation.
And, the time with God I have so thoroughly craved, I've had. The time has probably been the deepest, most sacred time I've ever had in my life.
I have a sense now of what Jesus offered others when He was on earth. What He offered, love and health and healing, I am offering Kara girl. We are, B and me.
Does life ever get more sacred than this?
I most likely will never know personally starvation. I pray I never take this for granted again. I've seen firsthand what it does. I know what it's like to pet a cat and be able to count every vertebrae in her spine and tail. I know what it's like to pick her up and hurt her, without even realizing it, because she is so weak, frail, malnourished it hurts for me to pick her off the ground. (When I realized what happened, I was horrified.)
I've seen starvation--with my own eyes.
And, I've been able to slowly bring relief to the starving.
This is what God offers me.
I only thought I was starving for Him and His Word, when I've been having the most sacred time of my life without even realizing it.
Wow. Wonder of wonders.
Thank You, Lord. To You alone be the glory.
What a new and changed perspective, which I never would have had if I hadn't taken the time to sit down to count my blessings and prayer journal.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
(Images credits: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC September and October 2014.)
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Is Grace All I Need?: Faith Learned From a Feral Kitten
Is Grace All I Need?: Faith Learned From a Feral Kitten
2014-10-01 11:38:37, Wednesday
PERFECT TIMING, PERFECT VISION, PERFECT PLAN
I've been in this tent of my human earthly body for over four decades, as of a couple of weeks ago. I realize my flesh and bones are temporary. God could call me home any day. Hence, I do what I can to live every day as though it were my last. Some days, I am more successful than others, granted.
These forty years have taught me how God never works according to my timetable. I cannot think of one time He's answered my prayer or done what I wanted, when I wanted. For, He is God--and I most certainly am not. However, looking back, I can say every prayer He didn't answer how I wanted, and every prayer He didn't answer when I wanted, has worked out far better than if it would have been in the manner I preferred.
Need I mention how many times God has blessed me when I didn't expect it and certainly when I didn't deserve it? God blesses me in immeasurable and innumerable ways each and every day, if only I would stop and pay attention and acknowledge them.
God has perfect timing. After all, He is perfect, infinite, all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing. He seems with limitless, perfect vision, while I see with sinful, limited vision. Thank God He is the One in control. He is beyond time, for He created time. This only adds to His perfect vision and timing.
I've lived four decades and can say without hesitation how God has perfect timing, a perfect plan, and perfect vision.
Over the last week and four days, God has put two things in my path, at just the right time, in just the right way, and both have been undeniably Him.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
The first thing God has allowed in my life is a feral kitten who has adopted us. She is malnourished, deaf, and declawed. She adopted us, and we adopted her, for about eleven days now. She's been in our garage, though, for six days so far.
The other thing God has put in my life, at the perfect time, was a blog post by Max Lucado. You can find it here:
Max Lucado: Content
What Max Lucado talks about is this: IS GOD'S GRACE SUFFICIENT? IS IT ENOUGH?
Is His grace enough?
Is His grace enough?
Is His grace all I need?
Is His grace all I want?
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Expanded Bible (EXB)
9 But he said to me, “My grace is ·enough for you [sufficient for you; all you need]. ·When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you [L For (my) power is perfected in weakness].” So I am very happy to ·brag [boast] about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can ·live [reside; or rest] in me. 10 For this reason I am ·happy [pleased; content] when I have weaknesses, insults, ·hard times [times of need], ·sufferings[persecutions], and ·all kinds of troubles [distress] ·for [for the sake of] Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong.
--------------
PRAYER JOURNALING AND CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS
Prayer journal your response to each of those questions. Write your thoughts now--and keep coming back to these questions consistently over the next twenty-four hours. Keep expanding upon your answers. Then, do the same every couple of days, then ever week, for the next year--and see how you and your life are changed because of the question: Is grace enough for me and my life? Imagine how much your answer will change throughout today, this week, this month, this quarter, this year, this decade, and over the rest of your life.
--------------
Kara, my feral kitten (four to five months from what my husband, B, and I can tell) has taught me a great deal about faith. Then, add the Max Lucado email and the question of: Is grace enough for me and my life, and I am forced to stop and analyze things. Never mind how it is the last quarter of the year. Three months are left this year. (As I write this, it's October 01, 2014.)
Hence, I'm going to start writing a new blog post series, which I think I will write during NaNoWriMo (National Novel writing Month, but it will be a non-fiction, Christian living, Bible study, devotional, spiritual memoir type). It's called:
Is Grace All I Need?: Faith Learned From a Feral Kitten
(Image Credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering your Present, LLC 2014. Kara. Feral Kitten 4-5 months old. Taken Sept. 30, 2014.)
Monday, September 29, 2014
Adoption
2014-09-28 16:06:28, Sunday
My husband, B, nor I realized it at the time, but we were adopted one week ago today. A feral kitten appeared in our just opened garage and won B's heart when he found it. Then, he introduced the kitten and me. It was the most adorable and loving little one.
Monday through Wednesday, the kitten made repeat visits (probably because of the food and water we set out Sunday afternoon for the malnourished little one). Over that time, I figured out it was a girl, she was deaf, and was clawless on her front paws. Never mind how she was malnourished. There was no way she would survive on her own. She couldn't defend herself and how would she catch food? Never mind how winter is approaching.
Therefore, as of her Thursday appearance, she has found a permanent home with us, but is in a temporary home in our garage as we socialize her so we can take her to the vet for a check-up and shots.
Her name is Kara (Kare-uh). It means "friend" in Turkish.
She no longer has to sleep with her head up in the air, alert for danger. As of this afternoon, she no longer pigs out immediately on the wet food we set down for her. She does not know hunger any more. Her little tummy is plump, but her sides are still hollow. They are slightly filling out, but it is slow in coming. She is safe and protected and she knows it. Her life has drastically changed.
Every time B and I see her, she is more social and experiments with us to see what she can do to us and with us. She tries different ways to show affection. The kitten has several favorite sleeping places in our garage: dog/cat bed, on top of a paper bag, on the steps, and on a comfy patio chair with thick cushion.
It's truly amazing.
Kara is wild. Feral. A little beast.
Who is also the biggest lover.
By the way, it's quite interesting trying to figure out how to interact with and socialize with a deaf cat who sleeps a lot. How do you approach her? I've learned to pet her and make sure to leave my hand right there for her to smell. The second she knows it me, or B, she perks up, meows, and gets to her feet/paws. Or, is she wakes before we get to her, or if she is already awake, she meows and rushes over to us.
She has learned a whole new life in the last four days.
Kara has gone from feral and homeless to lover and home. Hungry to full. Wild to gentle. Alone to having a family (B, beagle, cat, and two turtles).
The building of a relationship between between B, Kara, and I has been a special and sacred one.
Written: 2014-09-29 12:38:49, Monday
B and I keep doing everything we can do to tell her, through our actions, how we are trustworthy, faithful, and loving. She's responded to every gesture we've made, except for one. She does not like to be picked up. She hisses most of the time when we do.
Consequently, we wonder if she might be bruised on the inside (from either hurting herself or something/someone hurting her) or if Kara had something dramatic happen to her when she was carried. Therefore, we're slowly trying to recondition her. I started off picking her up off of the ground about half an inch and for just a couple of seconds. Now, I can hold her to about three inches off the ground and for about ten seconds. I make sure to pet her and love on her after she allows me to do so--and she gets all excited to receive my affection. Hence, it's a win-win. I just wish she could hear me as I tell her, "Good girl." But, I'm sure she senses it.
I wish she could tell me her story. She does in her own Kara, sweet thing, and girlie way. But, I wish she could speak to me and tell me all about it. Like, who dumped her? When? Who had her declawed? (I personally think this is inhumane. It impacts their every movement the rest of their lives. They are defenseless and cannot walk, jump, climb, like they could. It takes all of three minutes to trim their claws and is quite easy actually.)
Other questions I want to ask her: How old is she? What type of cat is she? Why doesn't she like being carried? What does she want from me/us?
I also wish I could tell her how she was loved and never had to worry about anything again. she'll always have shelter, food, water, and love. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am for whatever she experienced in her past.
Kara talks to us every single time we walk into her haven, the garage. She has the sweetest wildish meow and she tells us how excited she is to have company. She trots over to us and immediately starts to purr. Who knew that someone so small could make so much noise? What an absolute delight!
We can make fast movements and she doesn't flinch. She trust us.
I think she has a very laidback, happy-go-lucky, charming, sweet, gentle, loving, easygoing personality. She's as cool as a cucumber. It's wonderful for us--and for her. But, it makes me even more glad she adopted us because this tenderness wouldn't bode well for her in the wild. Thank God she found us--and we found her.
I cannot help but wonder the story of whoever dumped her. They clearly wanted to love her (she's fixed and declawed). Did they move? Did they figure out she was deaf and didn't know how to handle her?
How could they put her in the wild--so defenseless?
She didn't get out. If that was it, I learned last week how many times she returns, if it's a good home. Also, with how malnourished she is/was, she wasn't fed or taken care of by anyone.
I count our blessings she is so loving and has been from the second B met her. Feral cats and kittens usually aren't that way.
It also amazes me how she doesn't door dart or want to leave the garage. Nor does she try to walk away from us when we visit her in the garage. She knows she has it good where she is and likes us. (Praise God.)
B and I did not want another cat right now. (Let me stress that. We did NOT want another cat right now.) It's too soon. Five animals? That's just plain nuts. We are not a zoo or an animal sanctuary.
Yet, Kara adopted us. She is wild. Feral. But, she loves us and trust us. She had no reason to trust us or love us from the onset, but she did. And, she is a thief--of hearts. She has stolen ours thoroughly, that is for sure.
Kara is a reminder to me of my faith and how I am with God.
{Note: It's 214 p.m. as I sit in the garage on our patio chair and Kara is curled up in a tiny ball, on her paper bag, with her head down, whiskers back, sleeping. She has her guard completely down as we hang.}
The feral cat reminds me how I am wild, too. I am a sinner. I run around and try to do things on my own. I act independent.
{Kara just got up and ran to me for affection. Purred. Then, went back to sit on her bag.}
I act wild and have several deficiencies which could kill me (spiritually). The reality of my situation is I am totally dependent on God. I need Him in order to survive. I need to keep my eyes forever on Him because I cannot always hear Him.
Yes. I have a lot to learn from Kara about faith.
So, who adopted whom?
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)
--Stacy Duplease
http://rypstories.blogspot.com/
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Sinan My Writing Helper
Note where my mouse is. When I went to move it, I got pawed by my helper.
I do not know if my writing was terrible and he was saving me from myself. Or, if he wanted to get my attention. Then again, maybe he was just being cat. Enough said? Lol.
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