You can see that am typng on my lap top and have no ''s and no 'k's. if i went back and cut them all in t would take hours, so 've only done a few.
So as you all know, we've been prayng for our cat rather desperately from the moment he went missng. And we've gone back over the day and week over and over in our minds, tryng to fgure out what happened and what we ought to have done dfferently. We've worred, we've confessed our sins, and we've prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed for this cat.
its an interestng exercse, prayer and belief. Of course, we know perfectly well that God can do whatever he wants, even and includng workng in the heart and mind of a very scared and unreasonable animal to move him to do what he ought to do and go home. We see God's miracles all the time around us, but when it comes down to the wire, its been very hard for me to believe that he would Want to bring my cat home, that he mght be woring out hs perfect wll and purpose in our lives every moment, not just spiritually, but in the smallest physical detals of life.
its very foolish of me to doubt and not believe. As i consider the care God took n bringing us here, when we could not see one step in front of another; the way he used friends, Christan community, our circumstances-everything-to care for us, provide for us, show us hs love. it has felt every day that he was pourng us out lei water or a drink offerng, that we were beng splled out of hs cup into the world in a most sudden and discomfting way. And Yet, the cup never empted out. We have been blessed over and above what we could even have imagned.
The week we packed up, every day surprisng numbers of peope came and dove in. The people who welcomed us to Good Sheperd when we frst came, came that Monday and carefully and methodcally paced up all our china and crystal. Romulus' wonderful Manou came every day in the mornng and cleaned and packed and did laundry. Another wonderful friend took our laundry away and brought it back clean for two weeks. Frends from CC brought meals, took the older kds to do review, and were so helpful on the days we went to CC in the mdst of all the chaos. The two days we actually moved, most of the men's Bble study, and some sterling men from the Shepherd's Bowl worked in unbeleveable bitter cold cheerfully and graciously, and Quikly. One week exactly from loosng the suit, we slept in the new house. Meals have shown up on our doorstep unannounced. Friends have come and helped clean and unpack. its been one big circus of fun for the children-every day someone wonderful to play wth or somewhere nice to go. And then on top of it all, so many of you have prayed for our cat.
i haven't even gotten nto the gracious care and generosty of the Baptist Church, the Catholic Church, the Presbyteran Church, just about Every church in not only prayng and supportng us in word, but in deed going to great lengths to help us materal and practcally.
And my small doubt in the love and care of God is made even more redculous by ths glorous soft, warm safe kitty curled up wth me, home finally. Lest any of you doubt that God can do somethng, let our lives be a witness to you that he is very strong indeed, and loving, and that the faith of a quarter of a tiny mustard seed, when placed in the hands of God himself, can even bring an errant kitty home.
6 comments:
Amen.
~R
Mother Anne,
Yippee! It's such a relief your fur-person is home. Can you tell if your dear cat spent most of the time outdoors, or trapped in your old house, or elsewhere? A cat in our neighborhood was once trapped in someone's garage for ten days while they were on vacation. He emerged substantially skinnier, and very much annoyed.
It's too bad your little guy can't sit down and give us a blog entry...
Anyway, thank God!
Thanks, Anne.
Events out of my control have been getting to me. Your sharing of the lesson we know but so often begin to doubt, that He cares for the ones we love far more than we can desire or think, is especially encouraging this very moment.
May his blessings continue to flow through you, Matt and the Body of Christ in which Good Shepherd has found itself so warmly surrounded with acts of love --even to his four legged creatures.
Bob+
Anne, what a wonderful post!
This sentence will stick in my mind for such a long time: the visible evidence of God's care -- it makes a stunning word picture!
And my small doubt in the love and care of God is made even more ridiculous by this glorious soft, warm safe kitty curled up with me, home finally.
Amen!
Thank you, Anne for your clear witness about praying for your beloved family pet. I grew up with the idea that I should pray only for very SERIOUS things, so it's been a little difficult for me to incorporate pets--in my case mostly dogs, who have always played an essential role in my life--into my prayers. But slowly, I have realized that my pets have been avenues of Grace in my life, so, of course, they should merit my prayers along with my day to day concerns. I am relieved that the cat came back. It's like the last grace note to your incredible witness of God's love and care for your family through this trying, chaotic passage.
This is ME, your mother, and I've been going around in such happy joy to know that one lost cat, like one lost sheep, has been found. Banderly is like all of us -- afraid of the unknown, likely to run crazily in the wrong direction, and then when lost, stay lost out of fear of we know not what, and only ready for a rescue when things get so bad we start to waste away and be hungry and lonely and cold. But the Good Shepherd keeps looking and calling, just like you did, and carries us all home to be safe. So let this be part of my Lent meditation -- to be willing to be found, on the one hand, and to be willing to diligently seek and find those who are lost, on the other. May you all at Good Shepherd, and all the very fine critters, be most blessed this Lent.
x0x00x0 ME
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