This will a bit of a hodgepodge, because I’m writing it in the middle of the night, and I want to get it published so I can go to bed, plus I’m sort of train-of-thought writing, which means I’m meandering. I could separate the different parts into discrete posts, but that would take more time, and I don’t want to expend that much energy. Plus I’m finally writing again, and I don’t want to break my momentum.
I’ve become more aware recently of God’s love for me in a number of tangible and real ways. I had a portrait painted of Lily, and I was prepared to pay for it myself. But when I told some friends I was doing it, one of them said she wanted to help me pay for it. And then she surprised me even further by paying for the whole thing.
It’s a wonderful work of art. The artist really captured Lily’s essence. Her name is Rita Kirkman, and here’s her website: https://www.ritakirkman.com/works. Lily’s portrait is located under the Pet Portraits category, and you can see it below.
Rita Kirkman lives in Texas, and I chose her because she works in pastels. I’ve always loved pastels, because it’s the closest thing to working in pure pigment. I think this portrait is beautiful, and absolutely perfect. It looks just like Lily, and I love it. If you want to have a portrait of your pet done, Rita Kirkman is the artist to go to, that’s for sure!
I’m extremely grateful to my friend, Helen for her wonderful gift. Thank you, Helen!! You are such a blessing to me!!
I love looking at it everyday. It fills me with delight everytime I see it, and it reminds me of all the goofy things Lily used to do. Having it hanging on my wall so I can see it all the time makes it so I don’t miss her so much, and for that I am very glad. That was a good part of the reason I wanted to have it done in the first place. Now I’m pretty much ready for a new cat. I just have to come up with the money to pay for it.
It turns out that I have pay a $500 pet deposit to my apartment complex this time around. I didn’t have to when I moved in with Lily. I don’t know why they’re placing that added burden on me this time. $500 is a huge amount of money to come up with all at once, plus I have to pay $50 pet rent every month. That part I knew about, because I had to pay that every month for Lily ever since I moved in here. It’s the $500 that I have the problem with. I’ll just have to trust God to come up with the money, because I need a cat.
God is blessing me in so many amazing ways. Lily’s portrait has been a big one, but other than that, it’s been a lot of small, simple things. I’ll see a beautiful flower, and I’ll be reminded of how marvelous God’s creation is, and how He’s given us the ability to appreciate beauty. Or I’ll see an interesting cloud formation as I’m driving along the freeway, and I’ll think about how God put it there.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. ~ Psalm 19:1, NLT.
There are so many amazing and wonderful things to see and think about in God’s beautiful world. Certainly there is a great deal of ugliness out there. The devil is alive and well and trying to deceive people into following him. But there is also a great deal of beauty as well, because, while the devil may be at work, he’s not more powerful than God, and ultimately, God will have the last word.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, NKJV.
I love the above passage of Scripture. It’s so full of God’s wisdom! I love that last phrase, “…they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.” That’s talking about my precious Lord Jesus.
I can’t wait to meet Him, to see Him face to face, to know Him even as He knows me now!!
E’en so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!!
God's Not Through With Me Yet 
Hi Sarah, Its you know who again 😉
That is a wonderful picture of Lily and so happy it brings you pleasure. Helen that was a terrific act of friendship, gifting that to Sarah. You girls are such a light. I really miss the fact all of our interactions have kind of of fallen back, but I know you are all there.
Psalm 19:1, was one of the first verses I fell in love with when I came to Jesus.
As you know I love the Heavens and God’s work in the Universe. And I know you also know Dad was part of the 60’s rocket development and the moon shots. I still cry when I hear the the Apollo 8 crew read from the book of Genesis and think about Buzz Aldrin taking communion on the moon, Aldrin said he did this to ‘symbolize the idea of God revealing himself there too’ and also reading from John 15.
Isn’t the idea of the first sustenance taken on the moon being the body and blood of Christ amazing?
Something our current society can never take away. God’s moon, and we as a people acknowledging our place in his plan and His creation. I love we in US used to have people in positions like this, people who loved God and trusted this was all part of His eternal plan. That the people with their boots on the ground worked round the clock out of love, duty and faith to make this happen in time before real computer use had started.
It seems like this is all gone and I miss it sooooo much. And Dad; watching that brilliant mind decend into Alzheimers is just so awful.
But as you say there are beautiful things God left for us and those are the things we need to concentrate on and Corinthians 2 is just so perfect in the whole idea of you are writing about. The mysterious wisdom of God.
Going on to another idea; there is a series I started watching, it is from the Great Courses on roku. There is a woman Archeologist and Professor at Chapel Hill, who is giving lectures on the History of the Holy Land. I think her name is Jodi Mannas or something like that; but the detail and new information regarding Jewish history and especially the religious and political intrigues happening at the time Jesus decided to come to earth, really is helping me understand why God choose that time period and why the fall of the religion from the Old Testament required God’s intervention and how there really is nothing is new under the sun.
And all these people in power in ancient times and now really haven’t got a clue regarding the ‘mystery’ of God’s wisdom, in a way its kind of funny, like you said If you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans. Boy are there some surprises ahead!
Thank You for writing again and here is hoping a kitty comes your way soon.
Love Kim
PS Can we say meandering is a real thing………..
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