our miracle cat

One year ago today, one of my beloved cats Shelley passed on. She was 14+.

My husband Brian and I called her our brave Miracle Cat.

Before we could move into our present home in February 1994, we'd had to live in a rented house nearby for a few months. At the time, our son Jordan was about six months old, and Shelley was just under a year old.

On the day that we moved into the rented house, we took extra pains to make sure that the cats came in last, after the furniture was in, so that there would be things they were familiar with in a strange house.

We also made sure that the doors and windows were closed before opening up the cat carriers. Then when the cats were let out, they could have some time to explore the house and get used to it before we opened the windows.

Unfortunately, there was one window that had not been closed properly, and when the cat carriers were opened, Shelley, who had been particularly traumatised by the long drive and all the activity, bolted.

Like an arrow, she shot from the hallway and unerringly found her way out that one open window at the back of the house. And just like that, she was gone.

Knowing that she was lost in unfamiliar surroundings which she hadn't had the chance to explore, let alone get used to, made us more desperate to find her. We walked around the whole neighbourhood looking for her several times a day, every day, for weeks.

When we took the dogs for their walks, we searched and called for her. Brian spent hours trekking through the undeveloped land near the back of the house looking for her.

We drove back to our previous home to see if she had, by chance, found her way back there, then finally we went to the SPCA to see if she had been found by a good samaritan and brought to the pound. No luck.

The people at SPCA told us that usually, if a pet cat isn't found after two weeks, it's highly unlikely that it will ever come home.

We were heartbroken. Shelley had been gone for a month, and we couldn't help blaming ourselves for her loss. We prayed for her safety and her return. We couldn't give up hoping for a miracle.

Then early in the morning on New Year's Day 1995, we got our miracle. We were sleeping in our bedroom on the second floor and I was awakened by loud meowing. And then a thin, furry bundle of love hopped onto our bed.

It was Shelley.

She was skinny, dirty and hungry. But she was home! I can't describe the rejoicing that went on in our house that day.

Our spaniel Church, whom Shelley adored, was ecstatic. My husband and I were speechless.

How this young cat, who had been born in our previous home and had never had to fend for herself since birth, survive for a whole month in totally strange surroundings and find her way back to us -- not only locating a house that she had been in for not more than a few seconds, but climbing up the stairs and homing into our bedroom and our bed -- could only be a miracle.

Of course I believe that our guardian angels -- Shelley's and ours -- had a hand in it too, and I am eternally grateful for that and all the many other things they have done for us (in our home, the angels are always busy!).

But that was when I also realised how brave, how single-minded, how powerful we can all be when love motivates us.

About a month after that, we moved yet again -- to our present home, and we had no problems at all this time.

But for the rest of her life, Shelley was living proof of the power of love. She will always be our Miracle Cat.

We miss you, darling. But we know you are always with us.

transformation blues

For all who are feeling overwhelmed or confused by the state of turmoil or ennui that their lives seem to be in, I would like to share this message from Archangel Gabriel which was channeled through me recently.

I still pass my days feeling off-kilter and even woozy, but I know it's just a side-effect of the energy and vibrational changes that are simultaneously occurring in everyone (including me) and the planet -- whether or not you are conscious of it.

I hope the following message, which appears in the metaphysical ezine Cosmic Lighthouse's September issue, will give you the same comfort and strength that it has given me.


ARCHANGEL GABRIEL ON TRANSFORMATION

Dear ones,

So much has already been said about the ongoing energy changes and transformations that are taking place as Earth moves into the next dimension.

But what it seems to mean for so many of you right now is that you are simply caught up in a whirlwind where nothing is within your control. Your best laid plans do not work out, and sickness and financial problems are common for many.

Your emotions, too, are out of control. They swing from one extreme to another in a matter of seconds. Anger surges quickly to the surface, and unforgiveness lingers in your hearts.

Even those who are on their spiritual path are beset with these problems in one form or other. In truth, it is when you are on the path of light that you become more aware of the challenges that come your way.

So why is this happening, you ask.

Why must there be so much pain, sorrow and difficulty when this planet and all who are in it are supposed to be raising their vibration and moving into another dimension? Are we not moving towards a better world, one of light and joy and peace?

Indeed, you are, dear ones. But you must bear in mind that all that is happening to you and the world is part of the process of transformation.

So many think that transformation occurs in the blink of an eye.

But in reality, when transformation truly takes place, every aspect of you is involved – the physical, the mental, the emotional as well as the spiritual. And so it can get a little complicated and take time to fully occur.

What would be the point of transformation if it occurred instantly and so painlessly that you do not even realise it has occurred?

For your soul to advance and grow, it needs to be conscious of the lessons it learns, the unnecessary baggage it releases, and the choices it makes.

For you are all students of Earth, here on this planet to learn the lessons your souls came specifically to learn. And like students anywhere, you would not know how much you have learned or how well you have done unless you are tested.

But pass the test, you will.

The angels, archangels, ascended masters, divinities and other advanced light beings from other dimensions are here to make sure of that.

For do we all not come from God – the source of all creation, light and being?

So do not despair and allow your pain, your fear or your sense of lack to overcome you.

For all this will pass.

And all is as it should be. Look beyond the chaos and know that all that is happening is according to divine plan and timing.

You are not alone. You have never been alone.

We are with you always, and help is but a call away. You only have to ask, and help will be given -- even if you are not sure whom you are asking or what it is you are asking for.

In fact, help came some time ago, and is still being rendered to you. So many light beings and angels are already in the world, doing whatever they can to assist you in this time.

Release all fear. Do not hold on to despair or anger. Let go of the slights you feel you have received. Instead, unclench your fists and allow God and His helpers to pour the blessings that you deserve into your hands.

At the same time, beware those who come in the name of love and light but focus, instead, on making money from you by playing on your fears and lack of knowledge. Sadly, there are many of those today.

Yet there are also many genuine lightworkers, diligently working with the angels and light beings in helping to pull themselves and others out of the darkness and into the light.

Trust what your heart tells you, not what your head says. For divine guidance comes from the heart. We will help you to recognise the true lightworkers.

They are teachers and healers who speak with truth and wisdom. They act out of love and compassion. They, too, struggle with their own human tests yet steadfastly seek the highest good for their fellowmen.

They may rely on donations or charge a fee for their services. But that is as it should be, for they too need to put food on their table. The difference is they do not take advantage of others. For they trust in God’s provision and the premise that they are co-creators with God, able to reap the rewards that they richly deserve.

Keep to the path, dear ones. Do not give up. For we are here to light your way, to give you strength and love.

Always.

(message received on Aug 15, 2008)