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Take Care of All Creatures – Especially when the Cat Walks Out… 01DEC

Oh my!!! We got the cat back in after she simply walked out the open door. Was my fault. I answered the door from a knock of an elderly gentleman with a cowboy hat and started a conversation about scripture… and I saw the cat saunter out ready to explore.  Called my daughter instantly and she calmly walked behind the cat and scooped her up.  Good thing the cat is simply uber curious about the world and simply stopped in awe and took the opportunity to smell EVERYTHING…. there is so much to explore outside her normal glass window existence… I am SO glad we got her back in…

Whew! My heart is still racing!

I’ve never seen my daughter more calm and seemingly knowing exactly what to do. So grown up… she told me that “you don’t want to show fear to the cat”,  keep the appearance of “everything is ok”… She and the cat are kindred spirits. A gift from God to each other.  Both my children are in love with this furry creature… all three are under my care, all curious about the world, all needing continued guidance.

The cat was in, the gentleman outside continued speaking…  believe it or not he was talking scripture about man’s guidance “over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  Yes, I’m not making this up, that’s the scripture I just nearly messed up in my own house. I’m responsible to know where that cat is, the kids well-being, and here I was DISTRACTED by my potential discourse about scripture…. Yes, these scriptures apply to our walk. We are created to keep our creatures and ourselves in step with the Lord…

Whew… my heart is still racing. The cat was in so I stepped outside. I calmly discussed this scripture and the broken world we have and he talked about Jesus’s ransom for us and I chatted about the book of Ezekiel,  that at the end of the Lord’s plan with this earth scenario, we will be beginning the next phase of our existence with God in a garden called “God is there”.

I think the gentleman was impressed or scared or satisfied or something – like I will just move on, she’s on her own scripture wavelength….  I didn’t mean to seem so thirsty for scripture discussion at that moment, I was excited to chat with a believer (just like city corner “Jesus Saves” sign-holding people)…

But seriously DON’T get distracted and accidentally let cat out. 

Our faith is not for grandstanding, faith is for gentle persuasion…

Our faith displays are not for impressing,  faith is for engaging…

Our faith fanfare is not for covering foolishness, faith is for fulfillment.

Our faith foundation is not for staying planted on the ground, faith is mobile for our sliding of stepping stones to move us forward,  move us closer to others, move the whole kingdom-tile-puzzle back to whole. 

Whew…

Getting back inside the house myself, back my allotment of creeping creatures…. I found my relief overwhelming – from the cat and the girl being together – I knelt on my knees, I bent down to thank the Lord.  Whew….  my creeping creatures, THANK YOU LORD for the save… whew… thank YOU!

Amen WHEW Amen!

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PS. I took my daughter back to college last night for a few more weeks before break,  I have been gifted the witness to see her step out into the world – see her growing up even more – opportunities and opening doors – giving her the keys to life…. I know I have a continued job of equipping her and her brother (and all our collective children) for good decisions and good choices… I thank the Lord for the opportunity, for the path, and surely for His resources portioned to me for tending this slice of His garden.

Lord, help me focus on my part not my portion…

Prayer from Giles of Assisi. 1200:

Blessed is he who loves and does not therefore desire to be loved;

Blessed is he who fears and does not therefore desire to be feared;

Blessed is he who serves and does not therefore desire to be served;

Blessed is he who behaves well toward others and does not desire that others behave well toward him;

And because these are great things, the foolish do not rise to them.