Waiting For Death

All praise to God , the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 The New Living Bible

Good Morning Girlfriends:

As I was going through pictures that i had saved on my phone, I came across a picture of my beautiful gray fluffy Oliver laying on the arm of the chair beside the Christmas tree. Oliver was a big fluffy boy in this picture, which was taken just this past Christmas. It wasn't until a few months ago that I had begin noticing some changes taking place in Oliver, he was losing his spring in his back legs, so that he was no longer able to jump up on the bed or the couch. That didn't stop him from finding a way up to the top of things, all he had to do was sink his claws in whatever it was and pull himself up, he was determined even though this "mama" didn't like the picks he was leaving behind.

Oliver since then has been making a type of "Meow" sound, in which he has never meowed before, it was something new, the vet had said his voice box had never matured. In the last few months, Oliver has loved to go outside and lay in the grass, as to soak up the sun, drawing all the heat he could into his old bones, I mean he's only seventeen.

His appetite has shifted over the last while, thinking that he was just becoming a bit of a fussy cat, but in reality I suppose his taste for food wasn't the same anymore, so he mostly nibbled. The last few weeks I had also noticed that he was sitting more at my feet, especially when I was doing something at the table before letting him outside, he would reach up with his paw and tap tap my leg, as if to get my attention.

Last week, first thing in the morning I had woke up to some surprises in the hall, but they were not good ones, I'll put it that way. Cleaning up a few messes, I knew that Oliver was not feeling good, as he had begun to sneeze at times but he was still determined he wanted to go out to soak up the sun. Making several trips in the run of the day outside, I was always checking on Oliver to make sure that he was close by. Two nights ago, I called for Oliver to come in for bed, it was getting dark and i didn't let him stay out past dark, but he wouldn't come to me. I could see his beautiful green eyes glowing in the dark out beside the screen tent where he was laying, so I called to him saying that I would come and get him.

Girlfriends, it is never easy watching someone or something, as a pet, going down hill and failing fast right before your eyes. Yesterday morning when I came up for my morning coffee, I knew something was wrong with Oliver. I found him in the corner of my room, so I scooped him up and brought him up to the kitchen to be with me where it was warmer. He found a dark quiet spot under the cupboard where the sink is, and I was more than happy to clean some things out just to accommodate him. This morning I was awakened in the early hours to him calling out to me, where I wrapped him in a blanket and comforted him, as I talked and sang to him as he took his last breath.

Our key verse speaks volumes where it says that God is our merciful Father and source of all comfort, God is where we can find comfort in our times of troubles, He is the one that we can find peace that everything will be okay. Then as it says, as God comforts us, then we too can turn around and share that same comfort on to another person who is going through a hard time. A dear friend called me this morning right at the time that Oliver was taking his last breath, as I was talking him through it.

To some, it may seem silly to love on an animal and talk to them as they pass, but it is very well known that they too need and want that same love and comfort from their owners as they are in their last moments, isn't that what we would want, to know that we have people around us that loved us, when we are in our last moments of life. In those moments I thanked God for blessing me with such a wonderful cat for the last seventeen years, one that never said a word, never caused a moment of grief, one that was a gentle kind spirited boy, and who was a good mouser. My dear sweet Oliver will truly be missed by his human mama.

There are many beautiful scriptures to comfort us such as Psalm 23, Matthew 5:4, Psalm 34:18, Lamentations 3:22-26, 31-33 plus many more. Always show love, no matter the situation or circumstance, that is the way Jesus was when He walked this earth and that is what we should be known for as well, Amen? Amen.

Let's Pray,

Father God, I have so much to thank you for. I thank you for the air that I breathe, and I thank you that you are a God that sees our tears when we are hurting. Lord, I lift up each dear soul who is hurting or grieving. I pray that each one would feel your loving arms encompass around them and feel your mighty presence in Jesus name. Lord, may they feel your peace that surpasses all understanding, knowing that this too shall pass in the Mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Be blessed and pass the blessings on. Thank you for passing this message on.