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Our planned update of THE CAT'S MEOW's website continues!

Due to all this "restructuring", we offer you, this week, a miscellany of thought-provoking reprints.... Should any of the articles cause you to want to explore further, check out our website!

DISCIPLINING THE CAT
Source - http://www.jokesinthemail.com

Our young daughter had adopted a
stray cat. To my distress, he began
to use the back of our new sofa as a
scratching post. "Don't worry," my
husband reassured me. "All he needs
is a little discipline. I'll have
him trained in no time."

I watched for several days as my
husband patiently "trained" our
new pet. Whenever the cat scratched,
my husband deposited him outdoors to
teach him a lesson.

The cat learned quickly. For the
next 16 years, whenever he wanted
to go outside, he scratched the
back of the sofa.

Reprinted from The Written Wisdom

TOUCH OF WONDER

Two little children, a boy and a girl, walked hand-in-hand to their neighbor's house. Standing on her tiptoes, the little girl was just able to reach the doorbell. A woman greeted them and asked what they wanted. "We're playing house," the little girl answered. "This is my husband and I am his wife. May we come in?"

Thoroughly enchanted by the scene confronting her, the lady said, "By all means, do come in."

Once inside, she offered the children lemonade and cookies, which they graciously accepted. When a second tall glass of lemonade was offered, the little girl refused by saying: "No thank

My husband just wet his pants."

Many adults have forgotten what it is like to be a child. They forgot that they once believed the world to be full of magic, wonder and awe.

They don't remember to take time for play and have forgotten how to feed their imaginations. For them, ordinary events are now all too commonplace and the extraordinary cannot hold their attention for long. They are not too old to be "awe-struck"!

Does life still hold for you some remnant of magic? Today, you can rekindle that touch of wonder. It's part of being fully alive!

Steve Goodier © 2002
Reprinted from e-Encourager

Fenced

Born, fenced into the realm of mortal existance

Where greed and cruelity over us has substance

Where we feel like a lost sheep, gone astray

Trying to see through a veil to find our way

Guessing about how we became the person we be

We've a father, & a mother bore us physically

But did we exist before we came to earth?

Did we think and reason before our birth?

All these & more questions inside earth pastures

As fellow men conjure up darkness to the answers

Do we really have a spirit inside our body?

Or is that another of mans trumped up word lobby?

Is there a Creator and a Father over our spirts?

Or is that a false report, scripture deterrents?

Did man come from a God, or from a fellow Monkey?

Personally I think a belief in God's our turnkey

And we, trapped inside this earths boundary fence

Are real live actors, here at our own expense

To prove ourselves, who we are, why we are here

Blessings to us from our Heavenly Father so clear

So what lies beyond earths fenced realm boundary?

We all must live, act out our own life, to see!!

Yancy Lee Dalton

Sent to TCM by the author

God’s Fertilizer

During a very bad time in my life last year, I went through a period of the lowest self-esteem I can remember. Because of the circumstances, I had reduced myself to the lowest common denominator – a pile of crap. (Actually, I used the colloquial term that is four letters, but I’ll keep it clean here.)

Although I was constantly praying and meditating in order to keep myself from sinking too far into depression, God just didn’t seem to be answering me.

The other day I had something else happen in my personal life where I was once again placed in that feeling of low self-esteem. Someone I loved dearly had misinterpreted something I said and meant in love and twisted it into something horrible. My heart broken, I asked God, “Why can’t anyone love me?” Which of course, then translated into, “I’m worthless, un-loveable and nothing but a pile of crap.”

In my prayers this time, I was reminded of the last time I felt like this and God’s response to me this time was no different than it was then.

The first time this happened and God did not seem to be answering me, I sat down at the kitchen table and told God to have a seat across from me. And there we chatted. I told him how I felt and why. As sure I was sitting there, I felt him touch my hand and calmly tell me, “Well, even crap has a purpose in my world. It’s fertilizer. It enriches the soil and it makes things grow.”

And yes, of course I broke down and cried. Even when I was feeling my worst, God made me important.

The other day when my personal life was caving in around me and I once again felt like God’s Fertilizer, I remembered that perhaps something was growing or becoming enriched from this mishap. What it is I don’t know, but I am sure He has his hand in it.

So remember this the next time you are feeling down and like “crap.” You are never worthless, you may just be fertilizer at the moment and you never know what a beautiful garden has been planted beneath you!

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of
another."
Charles Dickens
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Words of wisdom: I've learned that ......

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is
be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people just don't
care back

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds
to destroy it.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you
have in your life that counts.

I've learned that you can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After
that, you'd better know something.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others
can do, but to the best you can do.

I've learned that it's not what happens to people that's important.
It's what they do about it.

I've learned that no matter how thin you slice it, there are always
two sides.

I've learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I
want to be.

I've learned that it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving
words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned that you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we
feel.

I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is
at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to
take its place. (Amen to that!)

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned that learning to forgive takes practice.

I've learned that there are people who love you dearly, but just
don't know how to show it.

I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and
have the best time.

I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when
you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned that I'm getting more and more like my grandma, and I'm
kinda happy about it.

I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be
angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the
longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you
want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of
experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to
do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned that you should never tell a child her dreams are
unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a
tragedy it would be if she believed it

I've learned that your family won't always be there for you. It may
seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you and
love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't
biological.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend someone is, they're
going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for
that.

I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world
doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that our background and circumstances may have
influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned that sometimes when my friends fight, I'm forced to
choose sides even when I don't want to.

I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they
don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't
mean they do.

I've learned that sometimes you have to put the individual ahead of
their actions.

I've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand
that friends change.

I've learned that if you don't want to forget something, stick it in
your underwear drawer.

I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It
could change your life forever.

I've learned that the clothes I like best are the ones with the most
holes in them.

I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and see
something totally different.

I've learned that no matter how you try to protect your children,
they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned that there are many ways of falling and staying in love.

I've learned that no matter the consequences, those who are honest
with themselves, get farther in life.

I've learned that many things can be powered by the mind, the trick
is self-control.

I've learned that no matter how many friends you have, if you are
their pillar, you will feel lonely and lost at the times you need
them most.

I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by
people who don't even know you.

I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when
a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that writing, as well as talking, can ease emotional
pains.

I've learned that the paradigm we live in is not all that is offered
to us.

I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent
human being.

I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken
from you too soon.

I've learned that although the word "love" can have many different
meaning, it loses value when overly used.

I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line
between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up
for what you believe.

Author Unk.

Reprinted from The Inspired Buffalo

God Is Uniting Me With My Good

GOD is uniting me with my good. Thank You GOD!

Are you or is someone dear to you seeking right employment, fulfilling companionship, or comfortable housing?

Perhaps your needs are different in that you are searching for the right employee for your business or company, perhaps the appropriate buyer or renter for your property.

Details are not so important as knowing that “in everything GOD works for good.” Whatever your need, know that GOD will fulfill it. Know that as you pray, as you continue to have faith in GOD, you are linking yourself with your good.

Give thanks in advance. Every day is an important advancement toward greater good, Know that this is so for your dear ones also. Attuned to GOD, you are called to a divine purpose of good.

“We know that in everything GOD works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” - Romans 8:28

Reprinted from Fran's Inspirations

I love Mordecai - that miserable cat of mine - unconditionally. I rescued him from a death sentence at the pound. The first time I saw him, he had a piece of you-know-what hanging from his backside. He was a little surly and shy, but, at a crucial moment, stuck his paw out of the cage to get my attention. That one little gesture did it for me.

I paid the fees, brought him home, cleaned him up and was patient for months while he slowly accepted my presence in his life, expecting his food and shelter and such, but not offering me very much love and affection in return. I've now had him for four years, and he can be demanding, wanting my attention when HE wants it, turning his little nose up at some of the gourmet food i give him, preferring instead to nibble on things (like ribbon) that not only have no nutritional value, but that could hurt him. I love him dearly and will do anything I can to keep him safe and well and he just takes it all for granted. And I was thinking that the way Mordecai acts toward me must be very similar to the way I act toward God.

How many of us only go to God when our food dish is empty?

from Friends Reflections

Reprinted from More from Rondout

CAT'S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS : ( I have a new little terror ramming around my house..)

I will not swat my human's head repeatedly when she's on the family room floor trying to do sit ups.

When my human is typing at the computer, her forearms are *not* a hammock. ( Tell MY kitten that... ! )

Computer and TV screens do not exist to backlight my lovely tail.

I am a walking static generator. My human doesn't need my help installing a new board in her computer.

I will not bring the city police to the front door by stepping on the speaker phone button and then the automatic 911 dial button.

I will not speed dial the overseas numbers.

I will not walk on the keyboard when my human is writing important emiognaierp ga3qi4 taij@3tgv aa35 a=

Reprinted from Mariannes Goodies

Until next week, that's all from THE CAT'S MEOW!

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