Random thoughts

I have started at least 4 different posts in my head over the last month, going so far as to write the ideas down in a little book I carry with me.  However, none of them have made it to fruition. So my thought is to combine them into one post, which hopefully (if you read this it did) makes it to the blog.

First, I love my windows program. It allows me to have multiple projects going at once and switch between them with a click of my mouse. I can engage in multi-tasking, which is a polite way of saying “attention deficit” without getting too confused. One of the posts I started was on Squirrels and Crows. I’ve decided I’m a squirrel, for when I have too many things to choose from I stand in the middle of the road running back and forth until I am hit by oncoming traffic.  Crows on the other hand are people who are drawn away by shiny objects, but can return to the point they left off with ease. The long and the short of this idea is I hope to be like my cat, who once focused on an object will sit silently, contemplating the next move and then move decisively at the opportune time, but doesn’t wait too long so the prey moves on.

Secondly, I have come to the conclusion life is too short to engage in negative, worrisome thoughts and activities. I enjoy interacting with people who have a great sense of humor. These are people who can laugh at themselves and don’t take life too seriously all the time. My notes on this post read as follows: “If worry is like paying rent for something you don’t own, then hate and discontent is like buying a house and letting someone else live there free of charge while you remain homeless. Hate & discontent take up room in your brain and emotions like weeds in a garden. They sap all the goodness from the soil leaving us unfruitful and weak. I have decided hating people and things’, even strongly disliking them, takes too much energy; energy, which can be put toward better, more creative, more productive things. Especially in our current age when with the click of a mouse button we can “block” someone. Not all things are that easy, but a correlation can be drawn.”

Okay, so the third post I was going to write on was measuring a cat’s tail.  A few nights ago my mother asked me “have you ever tried to measure the tail of a cat?” To which I replied, “why, no. Why do you ask?”  Of course the next night I found my measuring tape and proceeded to chase my cat around the house trying to measure his tail (never got it.) It was a silly question, but nonetheless entertaining for a moment. In my opinion we need to engage in such silliness. Go back to point two, life is too short…try to measure your cat’s tail, have some fun. Oh, by the way…my dog’s tail is 19” long. He just laid there and let me do whatever. As for my mother’s cat she believes the tail to be approximately 9”, never did get an accurate measure.

The last idea written in my little book of blog notes was on anticipation; how much I love the feeling of anticipation. I had gotten an invitation to go Downeast with good friends of mine for a day. I was as excited as a kid at Christmas and had a “fluttery” feeling the remainder of the week. Additionally, one night a couple of weeks ago I was outside and smelled melting snow, yes there is a distinct smell. I was filled with the joy of anticipating spring coming to northern New England. As much as I love the feeling of anticipation I am keenly aware of the other side of this coin, dread. Dread is the feeling of impending doom, such as a bill coming due when there is little to no money, a life threatening condition…etc.  In his book “Mere Christianity” C.S. Lewis writes, “…Evil is a parasite, not an original thing. The powers which enable evil to carry on are powers given it by goodness.” I have come to embrace this idea choosing to believe, nothing comes into my life, but what it must pass through the hand of my heavenly Father. Meaning whenever something evil comes my way I choose to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith rather than allow evil to cloud my view of a greater purpose for my situation. I am far from perfect in applying this belief quickly, but in regards to anticipation, I can choose to anticipate the good, which comes from persevering rather than dreading the process; knowing that “all things work together for good….” I can dread what will happen in this world as I hurtle toward “the end” or I can anticipate a life in heaven when my end comes.

So there you have it, all the posts that should have been posted in February are now combined into one for March. Maybe some of these ideas will show up in later posts as “fleshed out” ideas, maybe not.  Either way, these are my opinions, take ‘em or leave ‘em and as always, these and $2.50 will get you a cup of coffee.  Now go measure your cat’s tail!