I Am One of His Sheep
April 21, 2011

27 [Jesus said] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father. who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one. John 10:27-30 NIV

I have used this verse before, but I am using it again because it best illustrates the relationship between sheep and my Saviour. Many years ago I worked with sheep when I was going to school to become a vet tech. So, I don’t know very much about sheep. One thing I do know is that they know the voice of the shepherd who tends them and they follow him. Now instead of shepherds many farms have “guard” llamas or dogs like Australian shepherds to herd the sheep. They are also gregarious animals, meaning if one sheep does something, then the others will likely follow.

I am one of Jesus’ sheep, simply because I do follow His voice. I am blessed by the fact that my Saviour guards me so fiercely that no one can take me away from Him. Even in the atmosphere of today’s world – with all its technology, crime, natural disasters, and other things happening – I feel safe. I know that harm might happen to me, but I also know that Jesus watches over me, 24/7. In today’s world, I feel there is no greater guarantee than this promise of my Father.

May God’s blessings enrich your lives – you, your family, and your furkids.

Michelle

Two Fish, Five Loaves, and a Miracle

Two Fish Five Loaves and a Miracle
April 20, 2011

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he [Jesus] said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:15-21 (New International Version, ©2011)

We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties. ~Oswald Chambers

Prayer is communication with the Divine. It can be whispered or chanted or written or expressed in the work you do. However it is expressed, it is never in vain. ~Donna Wilk Cardillo

I never liked fish. I thought they were boring to watch swimming around in a tank. Then I changed my mind when I realized how relaxing watching fish are. People use fish in diverse ways – for eating, for pets and for calming their minds. My Saviour used fish to perform a miracle. He used just two fish and five loaves to feed 5,000 people. This is the third animal in this week’s thread.

Now I don’t eat fish, since I’m a vegetarian, but can I can just imagine how the 5,000 people welcomed the fish and bread, since they were hungry after sitting in the sun all day listening to Jesus preach. They never expected a miracle from an animal they used for their living and for their meals. But that’s the splendor of Jesus and the miracles He performs. They are unexpected. And when I pray to God or Jesus, I don’t know what the answer will be. Like a fish follows food, I follow Jesus, since I believe not only is He my Saviour, but He also hears my prayers, no matter whether I pray to Him silently or with my voice. Fish, bread, countless people, and miracles – I know Jesus has no end to what He can do. I know one thing – He died for me and then defeated death. I praise Him because, as the saying goes, “He’s got my back.” He sure does.

Bless all of you, your families, and your furred, feathered and finned kids this High Holy Week.

Michelle Rose

Rituals

Rituals
April 18, 2011

If the pull of the outside world is strong, there is also a pull towards the human. The cat may disappear on its own errands, but sooner or later, it returns once again for a little while, to greet us with its own type of love. ~Lloyd Alexander

The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat. ~Jules Reynard

Although all cat games have their rules and rituals, these vary with the individual player. The cat, of course, never breaks a rule. If it does not follow precedent, that simply means it has created a new rule and it is up to you to learn it quickly if you want the game to continue. ~Sidney Denham

You cannot look at a sleeping cat and feel tense. ~Jane Pauley

I was looking for quotes on rituals. However, what more ritualistic animal is there on earth than cats? Those people who don’t own a cat are missing out on saving electricity, since a cat is a furry alarm clock. Cats also condition their humans to feed them when they “demand” it. And cats, whether they meow or not, have trained their humans to give in to their commands – clean my litter box, brush me, pet me, go to bed, and all the other rituals that make human lives interesting when one has a four-legged furry love with paws and a tail.

Since I have no one else in my life, my day sometimes revolves around what Sasha wants or needs at certain times. This morning she was bouncing all over the bed, trying to wake me up. Other times she will come lay with me. Our nightly ritual is for her to lie next to me in bed while I watch television – yes, she has me well trained.

Everyone has rituals, whether they are spiritual or not. One of my spiritual rituals is to read my Bible each morning and pray for my friends, family, and those with special prayer needs. One of God’s rituals is to show me how much He loves me. In return, I thank Him for the blessings He bestows on me. And yes, one of those blessings is Sasha.

May God’s blessings be upon you, your family, friends, and any furkids you may have. This is the High Holy Week in the Christian religion, where God showered His blessings upon us through Jesus’ crucifixion. This was God’s ritual to show humanity He sacrificed His Son, Jesus for our forgiveness of sin. Hallelujah!

Michelle Rose

A Day to Reflect

Lessons from Life, Sunday, April 12, 2009 – Easter

A Day to Reflect

“What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars, 1939, translated from French by Lewis Galantière

Today was not a grand and spectacular day although it was Easter. It was a day of reflection and facing some fears. I didn’t do much today, but faced the fact that in applying for a summer job teaching, I’m stuck on getting the first word down on the paper to create a curriculum. It is an irrational fear, but one that writers often have. I went through the gamut of “I can’t do this!” to “I’m not good enough to do this,” back to (after talking to a couple of friends), “OK, I CAN do this.” (Thanks to Ms Nordstrom!)

I’m also upset about a friend whom I haven’t heard from for quite awhile, even though I’ve called many times. I don’t know what’s going on with this friend, but I’ve decided, for my peace of mind, to let the friendship go and if this friend wants to contact me, then that’s what will happen.

My gratitude today is – even though I ran the gamut of emotions (from depressive to manic) – I managed to wind up on an even keel. The Lord takes such good care of me.

Taking It One Step at a Time, Michelle Rose