A Tale of Two Cats
Meagan was nearly nine years old when we got our first cat. I remember that, because it happened at the beginning of our first summer in this house, right after she broke her arm while vaulting over the pommel horse in gymnastics. That injury effectively ended Meagan's gymnastics career, and nearly ruined her summer--no more gymnastics, no softball, no skating or biking, no swimming. It was only a couple of days after the injury when I took the girls out to look at Erin's friend's kittens. Bill and I had talked about getting a kitten, but he was out of town when we found out about those kittens, so he was a little surprised when he came home to meet our beautiful new calico kitten, named Libby. The kitten officially belonged to Erin, since Meagan had already reserved a puppy from another friend's litter. However, Meagan spent many days that summer just cuddling with the kitten on the couch while her arm slowly healed.
Bill always said that he wasn't a cat person, but Libby soon won him over. They spent many evenings together in his chair as he watched TV. A funny thing happened, though. Bill was traveling quite a lot at that time, for his job; it wasn't unusual for him to be gone for several days at a stretch. Whenever he returned from a trip, Libby gave him her version of the silent treatment. She wanted nothing to do with him for several hours after he returned from each trip. She ignored him completely, while making a point of being in the same room with him so he would notice how she was avoiding him. Eventually, though, he would win her over, and she would join him again in his chair.
We had Libby for twelve years. When she was gone, we all missed her terribly. So, when a friend offered to give us an abandoned kitten she had found outside of town, we brought Charlie home. He was a tiny, white kitten with a few tan spots and a striped, tan tail. He wasn't exactly pretty, but he had plenty of personality, along with a loud, persistent purr. Charlie is really Victoria's cat, but he quickly made friends with everyone in the family. He, too, likes to sit with Bill in his chair most evenings. Like Libby, he seems to mope around whenever Bill is away on a business trip. But, unlike Libby, Charlie rushes to greet Bill whenever he returns, rubbing against his legs and purring loudly for attention. In fact, he pesters Bill relentlessly until Bill stops to pet him and give him plenty of attention.
Two cats, both devoted to Bill, yet so different from each other in their treatment of him after he has been away.
God never leaves us, even for a short while, but sometimes, especially during hard times, it seems as if he is far away. Some of us, like Libby, give him the silent treatment during those hard times, blaming him, refusing to talk to him through prayer, refusing to have anything to do with him. Even when the crisis is past, and we know that he hasn't forsaken us after all, it might be too easy to keep ignoring him. However, just like Bill did with Libby, our patient Lord keeps reaching out to us, reminding us how much he cares, working to restore broken relationships. He doesn't give up, no matter how long we may persist with the silent treatment.
Some of us are blessed to be more like Charlie, eager to jump right back into God's waiting arms whenever we realize that he is there with us, ready to help us and comfort us in our distress.
If you are like Libby, it might be time to give up and let God reassure you, once again, just how much he loves you. He's been waiting for you.
So, what kind of cat are you?
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31: 3
Bill always said that he wasn't a cat person, but Libby soon won him over. They spent many evenings together in his chair as he watched TV. A funny thing happened, though. Bill was traveling quite a lot at that time, for his job; it wasn't unusual for him to be gone for several days at a stretch. Whenever he returned from a trip, Libby gave him her version of the silent treatment. She wanted nothing to do with him for several hours after he returned from each trip. She ignored him completely, while making a point of being in the same room with him so he would notice how she was avoiding him. Eventually, though, he would win her over, and she would join him again in his chair.
We had Libby for twelve years. When she was gone, we all missed her terribly. So, when a friend offered to give us an abandoned kitten she had found outside of town, we brought Charlie home. He was a tiny, white kitten with a few tan spots and a striped, tan tail. He wasn't exactly pretty, but he had plenty of personality, along with a loud, persistent purr. Charlie is really Victoria's cat, but he quickly made friends with everyone in the family. He, too, likes to sit with Bill in his chair most evenings. Like Libby, he seems to mope around whenever Bill is away on a business trip. But, unlike Libby, Charlie rushes to greet Bill whenever he returns, rubbing against his legs and purring loudly for attention. In fact, he pesters Bill relentlessly until Bill stops to pet him and give him plenty of attention.
Two cats, both devoted to Bill, yet so different from each other in their treatment of him after he has been away.
God never leaves us, even for a short while, but sometimes, especially during hard times, it seems as if he is far away. Some of us, like Libby, give him the silent treatment during those hard times, blaming him, refusing to talk to him through prayer, refusing to have anything to do with him. Even when the crisis is past, and we know that he hasn't forsaken us after all, it might be too easy to keep ignoring him. However, just like Bill did with Libby, our patient Lord keeps reaching out to us, reminding us how much he cares, working to restore broken relationships. He doesn't give up, no matter how long we may persist with the silent treatment.
Some of us are blessed to be more like Charlie, eager to jump right back into God's waiting arms whenever we realize that he is there with us, ready to help us and comfort us in our distress.
If you are like Libby, it might be time to give up and let God reassure you, once again, just how much he loves you. He's been waiting for you.
So, what kind of cat are you?
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31: 3
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