Rolling into the weekend, already the second week in 2011

Dear Friends, This is Ollie last night, belly full of tuna, he lays on the ground and thinks of good things!

The night was short and a warm January morning had the cat boys all excited. I took the dudes to the so-called back yard, the little feline romping field, Ollie hops around in the moist, cool grass and plays pretend games.
Gussy wonders what his brother is up to.
Soon they engage in a little game wherein I naturally participate.
"Who is behind that wall?", Ollie wants to know.
"Who is behind this wall?", Augustus wants to know.
Ha ha...I caught the little Gusser peeking...
and here is Ollie, paw in mid-air!
Later, Augustus goes on to do his rounds and I have the Ginger cat with me, place him on a high ledge that we have just installed. If I am going to read to Ollie, I better put him on a high ledge.
We read an old favorite of Augustus',

"Meditate on what the poet hath written: "Wonder not, if my Best-Beloved be closer to me than mine own self; wonder at this, that I, despite such nearness, should still be so far from Him."... Considering what God hath revealed, that "We are closer to man than his life-vein," the poet hath, in allusion to this verse, stated that, though the revelation of my Best-Beloved hath so permeated my being that He is closer to me than my life-vein, yet, notwithstanding my certitude of its reality and my recognition of my station, I am still so far removed from Him. By this he meaneth that his heart, which is the seat of the All-Merciful and the throne wherein abideth the splendor of His revelation, is forgetful of its Creator, hath strayed from His path, hath shut out itself from His glory, and is stained with the defilement of earthly desires.

It should be remembered in this connection that the one true God is in Himself exalted beyond and above proximity and remoteness. His reality transcendeth such limitations. His relationship to His creatures knoweth no degrees. That some are near and others are far is to be ascribed to the manifestations themselves.

That the heart is the throne, in which the Revelation of God the All-Merciful is centered, is attested by the holy utterances which We have formerly revealed.

Among them is this saying: "Earth and heaven cannot contain Me; what can alone contain Me is the heart of him that believeth in Me, and is faithful to My Cause." How often hath the human heart, which is the recipient of the light of God and the seat of the revelation of the All-Merciful, erred from Him Who is the Source of that light and the Well Spring of that revelation. It is the waywardness of the heart that removeth it far from God, and condemneth it to remoteness from Him. Those hearts, however, that are aware of His Presence, are close to Him, and are to be regarded as having drawn nigh unto His throne.

Consider, moreover, how frequently doth man become forgetful of his own self, whilst God remaineth, through His all-encompassing knowledge, aware of His creature, and continueth to shed upon him the manifest radiance of His glory. It is evident, therefore, that, in such circumstances, He is closer to him than his own self. He will, indeed, so remain for ever, for, whereas the one true God knoweth all things, perceiveth all things, and comprehendeth all things, mortal man is prone to err, and is ignorant of the mysteries that lie enfolded within him...." (Gleanings)

which he thoroughly enjoyed, and then he assumed the posture of reflection to let me know that he was trying to meditate upon that reading.

When I was leaving for work Ollie made his pawful of kisses and meowed you a happy Friday. Gustopher did the same later when I picked him up from his morning rounds.
Wishing you a lovely weekend!

Ciao!