Archive | April 2013

Nothing Rhymes With Thirteen

Apr27

Nothing rhymes with thirteen.

At twelve you can delve. At eleven there’s heaven. At ten there’s pen or hen or den or Ben.

But Thirteen? Not a single thing even resembles thirteen. Maybe that’s why it is such a difficult age. It seems as though at any given moment, little girls at thirteen think they are women (you know, thirteen going on thirty-seven) and not a moment later, that same ‘woman’ is sitting on your lap shedding waves of tears because her BFF won’t talk to her.

A few weeks ago, my 13-year-old granddaughter made an interesting post on her Face Book page. It went something like this: I’ll be so glad when I get my iPhone and can escape from this Wi-Fi jail. Quite frankly, it cracked me up but I don’t think her mother was all that amused.

How often have you or I posted our own mutterings, “I’ll be so glad when I can get a new car”? Or grumbled to God “I’m so tired of this job” or “I wish my husband would pay more attention to me”.

In Ephesians 5:20, Paul reminded us,
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ”.

No, thirteen doesn’t rhyme with anything but then, a grumbling heart at any age does not create pleasant verse.

Perhaps it’s time to rewrite this teenager’s (or grown woman’s) book and STOP! In the name of Love ♪♪ … remember that song? Yes, stop in the name of love and see how that works ..
Thank you Father, It’s no bother. To give you Glory in every story..
I’ll offer up praise, my voice I’ll raise. My life every place, is blessed with your Grace.

The next time your thirteen doesn’t rhyme with anything, try posting, thinking or speaking some awesome praises to God, while giving thanks in all things.

© 2013 Cat Brennan

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This entry was posted on April 27, 2013. 6 Comments

HEADACHE to HEALING

Apr7

As weird at it sounds, when I was growing up, it seemed to me that having poor health was the norm; if you weren’t sick, there was something wrong with you! We had a lot of illness around us. We moved from West Virginia to New Mexico when I was a wee baby for my dad’s health. Even though long term, this move proved to be advantageous for his health, still he was often near death, in what we know today as anaphylactic shock caused by allergies. He suffered pneumonia multiple times, and often, more than once each winter until I was about 14 when he underwent a very healing surgery.
When I was fairly young, I fell out of our swing. It was a chains-hung-from-the-cottonwood-tree-limb-wooden-seat-swing and it got stuck on something. Thinking back, I don’t believe that I was really hurt. Maybe a little shaken up, but not at all injured.
However, since illness was a badge of accomplishment, or so I thought, I used that fall from the swing as a ‘tool’. I told anyone who would listen, that fall was the reason I had bad headaches. I don’t know – perhaps I was secretly hoping for some really serious or attention-getting illness. What I do know was that those headaches were awful and nothing seemed to help. I can remember, at age 10, missing a school party because I woke up with one those pounding demons in my head (me miss a party? Never!).
As the years progressed, those headaches developed into migraines; the horrible pain would render me useless, sometimes for 2 or 3 days. Back then, there were no migraine medications; only aspirin which didn’t help at all.
One doctor I went to prescribed Librium – what I now know as a strong anti-anxiety medication. I hadn’t even heard of anxiety back then, and I’m not sure why he prescribed it. What I do remember was that if made me feel ‘strange’ and it really didn’t help the headaches. I think I was all of 19 at the time.
When I was in my early twenties, I met Jesus in a very real way, and began to learn about healing. I learned that health-and-healing was one of the things that Jesus accomplished on the cross. Isaiah wrote about the crucifixion 700+ years before Jesus was born, chapter 53 and verse 5:
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (NKJV) (KJV: .. by his stripes we are healed).
Read it here in another version:
“But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed.” (MSG)
I didn’t know much about this healing thing, but I knew I wanted it! I knew I desperately needed it.
Sitting in my office at work one day, hands were laid on me, a prayer was prayed, and I was immediately healed – instantly healed. Yes, it was real – no more headache!
For a while, the devil tried to bring back the headaches. Every time the headache would try to start, I knew the one thing to do was tell him that he was defeated at the cross and to quote the scripture, “by His stripes I am healed”! The old man would leave me alone for a time. It took about 5 years of fighting him with The Word before he quit trying to defeat my healing.
Why? I don’t know for sure, but I have a theory. Think about it this way: when God created the world, He spoke it into existence. The spoken word, whether from God or man, is a very powerful thing! Did you ever use the expression, “she talked me into it”? See what I mean?
I think that I spoke my bad and prolonged headaches into existence. As a result, the devil knew that weakness, and used it against me. When he finally realized that he wasn’t going to take me out, he gave up. Jesus said, “It is finished.” The devil was defeated at the cross and has no more power than we allow him to have.
I’ve learned to watch my words. God has blessed me with an upbeat and positive nature. This allows me to see the glass full – not half full or half empty (half liquid + half air = full).
Being negative is not indicative of being humble! Being negative is just being a real pain.
I am so very blessed to know much of the Word. It is a living thing; not just words on paper in a book. Look at John 1 verse 1:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (KJV)
Jesus was the Word! He is the Great I am! He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is Jehovah Rophe, the Healer.
Way back in Exodus 15, some 3500 years ago, God told us in verse 26c:
“I am the Lord that healeth thee.” (KJV)
AND HE DID.
© 2013 Cat Brennan

The Grace of God and a Black Cat

Apr1

Meet Christmas Kitty

ChristmasKitty3Are there animals in heaven?  I have friends who firmly believe so.  I really don’t know, but what I do know is that God cares about all the animals, our pets, and our love for them right now, right here on earth.  We can see in the Gospels that God loves birds.  In both Matthew 10:29 – 31 and Luke 12: 6 – 7, Jesus asks, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father” (Mat 12 v29 KJV).  And, remember that God wanted to save all the animals from the flood; when Noah was building the ark God told him in Genesis 6:19 – 21, “And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female” (v19 KJV).

Many years ago, a dear friend gave me a little black kitten for Christmas.  But first, let me tell you . . .

A bit of history; I’m aware that black cats are not the most popular because they are steeped in so much folk-lore.  However, my family liked the black ones!  When we were kids, we usually kept only the black kittens from our many litters.  In retrospect, I imagine this was my dad’s idea and a delightful way to keep the cat population limited.  So the story continues …

This little black ball of fur, no bigger than a minute, came complete with a bow.  I named him Christmas Kitty and he was often referred to as CK.

My kitty came with a rather unique marking – he was short-haired and his sleek black fur shined like obsidian … except for one spot!  On the back of his head, he had a circle of white fur! Immediately, I decided that was his halo – no heathen kitties in my home!!!

Christmas Kitty and I made friends quickly.  I placed a ‘break-away’ collar and bell on him so I always knew where he was; he seemed fine with that.  I had to replace that collar regularly.  I thought I would leash-train him; yeah right. Did you ever try to lead a cat?  It’s like trying to harness sunshine in a box. CK was the epitome of all of the cat lore that has ever been written.

He grew into a fine specimen and was very proper!  Christmas Kitty was extremely aloof as though he were a descendant of aristocracy.  He didn’t like most strangers on first sight, but if one would leave him alone, he would eventually warm up – in his own time.  Those who didn’t believe this characteristic of his would soon be the recipient of one of his famous scratches!

Christmas Kitty and I were together for nearly 10 years. I had long forsaken the collar and bell and lived to regret that.

While cleaning out and packing up my apartment to move from Colorado to Virginia, my kitty got out when the door was left open.  I didn’t discover he was missing for about 24 hours; I never found him.  I don’t mind telling you that I was really hurting; he had been my sole companion for quite a while.  I looked and asked but found no sign of him.  I even looked in and around the dumpsters where the raccoons hung out, wondering if he had become their supper.  There wasn’t time to advertise as my departure drew near, so I left CK and my loss in God’s capable hands.  I prayed that Christmas Kitty was okay and asked God to show me just that.

Moving day arrived and off I went in the Big Truck, moving to the east coast.  About halfway to Virginia, I went into a truck stop for gas and food as was the norm.  I got ready to hit the road again, and when I paid for my meal, there, by the check out were all kinds of small items for sale; you know, the kind you buy on impulse.  I usually avoid even looking at these things, but ONE caught my eye. It was a little black CAT lapel pin, less than an inch tall and he was sporting a tiny gold HALO. I purchased the simple little bit of Collateral Grace.

In that little pin, I saw the peace that I had asked of God and the assurance of the safety of my Christmas Kitty.  Once again, I asked and God responded.

God gets us through the big heart wrenching problems of life, and He is also present in the everyday small things; like losing a well-loved pet.

Once again, God honored His Word.  One example is found in John 16:25 – 27 (KJV) “These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.  At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God”

Don’t hesitate to ask God for help in any situation.  He loves you because He created you. This isn’t just a song; it’s God’s Word: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”. It’s from Matthew 7:7. (KJV)

Please, won’t you ask in Jesus name what you need and want, seek His perfect will for your life and knock on the door of His heart?  He will answer.  Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart Psalm 37:4 (KJV).

© 2013 Cat Brennan