TGIF
2016 was beyond a doubt the most difficult year I can remember.
2017 seems to be trying to top it in the first week.
Fortunately, I don’t remember most of it as I’ve either been delirious with fever and chills, asleep, or somewhere in between delirious and asleep.
I’ve got experience functioning in the latter space, which leads me to todays topic, my cat.
Of course it does.
When the worst of this bug hit me, Miss Kitty sat on the bed and watched me go through it.
The violent hacking cough disturbed her napping as I convulsed the whole bed.
Then the fever hit, then the chills, and hacking continued, and I truly hoped I was wrong about the timing of the Rapture, because I was ready to go.
I was curled up in a pathetic mess with an electric blanket, two space heaters, and anything else I could cover up with.
It wasn’t working but I was too weak to care as the flu I was vaccinated for ripped through me, changing into pneumonia in my lungs.
That’s where the cat comes in.
Missy curled up right next to me and I hung on to her as I hacked, shook, coughed and sweated.
When the worst of that abated, she put her head under my chin and began to purr.
She wasn’t purring because she was happy….she was purring because when cats want to soothe themselves (or others) they purr.
Some believe the vibrations of the purring help the cat heal.
The purring wasn’t for her, it was for me…she kept her head right under my chin so I could feel her and hear her….and in about twenty minutes I was asleep.
When I woke up a few hours later, she was still in the the same place.
She didn’t leave my side for at least 12 straight hours.
I’m on my way to recovery now, but now I can’t fall asleep without purring in my ear…
I told you all that to tell you this…
We have no promise this year will be better than last.
We have no promise we will even see all or part of the year to come.
What we do know is that as long as we are here we can see and celebrate the goodness of God in the most difficult of times.
We can be assured He is present and active in whatever we are going through, and He is going through it with us.
We are not orphans, we are not abandoned.
We are adopted children of the King.
Sometimes it suits the King to come to us covered in fur.
Don’t miss the day of your visitation…
Make your own application…
Good to hear you’re recovering. The sound of purring is comforting. The sound of running water helps me to fall back asleep on nights when I wake up and can’t sleep, which seems to be more frequent the older I get.
Youtube has several extended river running water clips, including ocean waves.
Give it a try some time 😉
Cats are wonderful nurses. Purring is my favorite music. I am glad that your lil gal is so good to you…. but holy moly, I am so very sorry you have been so miserable ill. ugh..
Your writing skills have not been affected by your illness…. this is beautiful..
Love you my dear. “Through many dangers, toils and snares, we have already come. T’was grace that brought us safe thus far, and grace will lead us Home. “
Glad you are on the mend. ?
Michael,
Remember – He is Faithful!
Amen, Jon… 🙂
Thanks Paige, Disillusioned, Scoot… good to be back at it.
“Sometimes it suits the King to come to us covered in fur.”
Most excellent. =)
Get well. 21degrees is nobody’s idea of cozy!
glad to read an encouraging report – God and a cat 🙂 – hmmm …
21 degrees? that would be a warming trend up here… years ago a biochemist turned MASH doctor turned pediatrician told me that temps below freezing kill germs (in the environment, not in us) – i hope so
lots to pray for yet, know we’re all keeping you covered in that regard, Michael
Michael…so glad you’re starting to feel better…
Glad you are on the way to recovery big brother!!!! I was worried about you. still praying though
John 20:29, it is only 1* here … brrrrrrr
Michael
Please don’t get me wrong, but cats have always detested me, just like members/leaders of the church. Over time, they have used me one way or another. Therefore, I tend to disregard them…cats and leaders alike. Since I, for the most part, also disregarded leaders of the church, particularly its senior pastors, I guess their feelings for me is justified on some level. They never purred for me nor I for them. Hence my calling as a “dog” guy.
Praying for your ready return to better health, at least enough to endure the types like me and also the hypercritical backstabbers, or even the ones who stab you front on.
I always get the flu shot, because about 30 years ago I had the flu so bad I couldn’t walk.
Some years it works better than others.
One year I got pneumonia the Dr. tried every antibiotic over several months, finally telling me that all I could do was suffer and let my body fight the stuff. It took nearly a year until some improvement came, and a couple more before I felt completely healed.
About 6 years ago I got a pneumonia shot, a flu shot, and an additional swine or bird flu shot that was recommended for that year. We ended up all getting the flu and pneumonia anyway.
Please stay warm, get all the rest you can, and drink plenty of fluid; we’re all praying for you.
Dog is God spelled backwards. Sadly, my dog has more love for me than the entire church IMO. Cit-Cat backwards spells Tic-Tac. That’s why some people have dog breath, others have Tic-Tacs.
71deg err, 21 degrees Celsius here. (trying not to rub it in)
Michael,
6 degrees here, and decided to join you in solidarity. In my case, only one lung… no cat, but a lovely English Bulldog…
Get better my friend.
dusty – one degree at 1:30? brrr it is
maybe we should have a who’s-the-coldest report
earlier my bedroom was 50 degrees when i woke up (no insulation?) and it was minus 5 outside at 9:30 a.m… for some reason i’d bought an electric blanket this fall… God moves in mysterious ways i had no idea at the time why i decided to buy that blanket…
praying for all to come safely through this strange cold weather – helpful hint?… put your socks in the microwave before putting them and going outside 🙂
but it’s supposed to warm up into the 20s this weekend … and snow … again
Glad you’re feeling better, Michael. Love Miss Kitty’s devotion to you – so sweet our furry cat friends are!
Linnea, glad you have an electric blanket…that is cold.
we are supposed to get up to 40 this week…that will be nice. 😉
on average Alaska is always warmer that were we are. lol
Sorry
John 20:29…glad you got an electric blanket