Shaving the cat

Have you ever shaved a cat? I mean with clippers and the whole thing?

Unfortunately, my aged cat (I believe she is 14 or 15, I can't remember exactly when she was born), has had a little more trouble grooming herself these days. She is a long-haired Himalayan, and she used to get by with very little help from me in keeping her long grey hair in tip-top shape. But somehow over the past few weeks, she has become a matted, tangled mess, with knots so deep that she cried when I touched her. She had pine needles and sap stuck to her fur in several places, and try as I may, I could not get the tangles out.

So, out came the shears. The ones I use on the dogs in the summer no less! My husband held her up, with her claws as far away from me as he could keep them -- boy was that a challenge-- and away we went! Let me tell you, she was NOT HAPPY!

By the time we got done with her, she was much cleaner and softer, but now she has to run around with a freakish mohawk...what will her friends think? At least I didn't dye it pink (HMMM, that is an idea...)

Anyway, she is comfortable and clean and no worse for the wear, after going through such a traumatic experience. This made me think of what our spiritual growth often feels like. You know, when we find ourselves in a mess, with sticky situations and matted messes in our lives. Sometimes God needs to shave away some of the stuff that is keeping us in knots, and it is a painful and often embarrassing process, but in the end it works out for our good, and we are much better off after He gets done with us.

Well, that's my thought for the day, thanks, Kitty! (I'll spare her the embarassment of a photo).

Spring is finally here! After what seemed like endless days of rain, we finally got some sunshine. Of course, we had to take full advantage of it, so my husband and I decided to climb Hamilton Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge. It was beautiful! This is a view on our way up...still quite distance to go.



I don't know why we chose such a difficult place for our first hike of the season. Maybe we worried we wouldn't get another chance. By the time we got home, my whole body was rebelling! But it was truly worth it. The wildflowers were in full bloom, and I had a chance to see one of my favorites: Chocolate lillies!
I don't know why I love them so much. Maybe because they taste like -- no, they are named after -- my favorite food, Chocolate! And there were dozens of them, scattered all across the mountainside. The beautiful flowers bursting in every color filled the scenery in every direction. That is why I love living in the great Pacific Northwet, uh, Northwest!

Praise God for the glory of all He has made!