A love that IS up to scratch

He was curiously staring at my hand covered with scratch marks in the process of healing. “Where did these come from?” he asked me.
Tidds (the older of our two cat children) loves lying on the kitchen table. Every now and again when I pass by I stop to give him a quick brush and a kiss. He just seems to love it. As soon as I start he rolls over until I’ve brushed all 360* of him.

It took me a long time to win Tidds’ trust. Little M (baby Monster) is an easy going, loves everyone kind of personality who just wants to play all the time, but Tidds I’ve always perceived as the more serious one. He is about 7 years older than M. He is very clever though. He knows his body parts and when you ask him for his ear so you can kiss it, he doesn’t give you his tail. He even knows his left and right paw from each other.

I’ve never seen him play; not by himself or with a person – only with his little brother. Sometimes when he is lying on his back

Just because you can!

This morning around 2:30am I was just about ready to strangle a dog or two!

The dogs were so restless most of the evening. I think it was the racket from a party that was on just up the road. It got the other dogs in the neighborhood all excited and I suppose it is (or can be) somewhat contagious. Who knows? Maybe the one mongrel actually understands what the other one is barking about.

Koda the watch dog is now awakening from his slumber but so far it is also quite clear that his middle name is not quite Braveheart. Not yet anyway. Maybe I should paint his face blue and

Even if the mountains crumble into the sea

Nagasaki 1945, after the atomic bomb

Nagasaki 2011, following the earthquake and tsunami

A torii is a gate marking the entrance to a sacred space and is closest associated with Shinto, the indigenous spirituality of Japan. Traditionally it was made from wood or stone, but today they can also be made of reinforced concrete, copper, stainless steel or other materials. (Source: Wikipedia)

What is so remarkable about the torri in the images is that

Setting the temperature

For the past two years I have been on a journey of change. In some ways I feel like I’m being transplanted like a pot plant from one pot to another. To do that you need to uproot the plant from its familiar pot and soil and move it across into new, unfamiliar. Even if is a good thing for a plant it is still unsettling and can take some time to get used to. In between the two pots the plant has nothing but air surrounding the roots. That’s exactly where I feel I am right now: mid air with nothing solid beneath my feet.

I’m challenged with many of my paradigms, realizing many new ways of viewing the world, myself and God and also having to make many choices: choices about my attitude, my identity, my point of view vs the Truth of God’s Word, who I used to be vs. who I want to be... Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming. But one thing I do know is that I still choose to be a thermostat (rather than a thermometer) even if it takes a while to get there.

Andie, a friend of a blogger friend of mine, explains it well. This is a guest post written by her. I loved what she had to say. Enjoy it with me!

I am reading the book, God’s Power to Change Your Life, by Rick Warren. Tonight, I read the following paragraph.

Are you a thermostat or a thermometer? You are one or the other.
A thermometer registers the temperature. It simply reflects its environment, whether it’s hot or cold.
A thermostat, on the other hand, controls the temperature. It influences its environment; it sets the standard.
Which are you-a thermometer or a thermostat?

I have been pondering this question and feel stuck in self-analysis like a person gets stuck in quicksand.

Making changes in a person’s life isn’t as easy as turning up the heat or clicking on the AC. I wish it was. Don’t you?

People just don’t just magically change. We have to make the DECISION to change our lives. For example, as I got older I gained a lot of weight. I knew how to eat right and how to exercise property. I just didn’t do it. I was a thermometer on the beach of laziness.

Recently, I started to lose a lot of weight. Why? Because I made the DECISION to do it and am following through with what it takes. I feel more like a thermostat every day, setting a standard for myself and a temperature that feels just right. I’m trying to do this with other aspects of my life as well. I want to be better, to do better, to be kinder and gentler, and to be a better communicator regardless of my environment; to be more like a thermostat set on a comfortable 75.5 degrees.

Which are you – a thermometer or a thermostat? Is it time to change the temperature?

Mobile accessibility: blog on the run

A while ago someone contacted me requesting that I look at ways to make my blog more accessible for the mobile/cell phone community. The web version is so cumbersome that he was unable to post a comment. Aah! How disappointing!

It made me realize that many people might be using their cell phone instead of a laptop. Because I mostly use my laptop I didn’t think of it that way. Therefore finding a solution could actually mean broadening my audience.

So I am happy to let you know today that I have found something AND it works. Tested and approved!

Just to be safe I will give both options of how you can do it:

Firstly, I’ve selected this setting for my blog: On mobile devices, show the mobile version of my template. By this I understand then that when you open my blog on your mobile device it should show you the appropriate version. This is what it should look like:

If it is not what you see (1) please let me know, and (2) I encourage you to use the second option: Add the mobile blog address to your favorites: www.creativelee.blogspot.com/?m=1

Option two is what I’ve opted for on my own phone so I KNOW that one works. Not only does it make viewing the blog that much easier, it also simplifies comments – reading them and leaving one of your own.

No more excuses, WG! ;) I’ll be keeping an eye out for your contribution :)

If anyone still find that they have a problem please let me know so that I can look into it.

Enjoy the read! And don't forget to drop me a line. No more excuses ;)