Something the Cat Taught Me

It’s true – lessons can be learned from life’s irritations IF I’m willing to see the bigger picture.

I had the privilege of taking care of my neighbor’s pets while they were visiting family. The three dogs, three cats and a guinea pig, all under one roof, promised to keep me busy. 

I didn’t realize the animals would play a key role in teaching me an important lesson.

Maybe it was the rain that made the animals unpredictable, but the morning routine was anything but routine. From the time I arrived, the pets would not cooperate. One of the dogs refused to go outside, retreating farther into the house, regardless of my coaxing. Two of the cats had entertained themselves with ornaments retrieved from a hutch I was certain they were unable to reach. What was going on?

I continued to entice the uncooperative dog outside. Maybe a treat would convince her to step over the threshold? I was pretty sure she needed to empty her bladder after eight hours in the house. She refused to budge. That’s when it happened: with the door wide open, one of the cats took advantage of the opportunity. Quicker than I could shut the door, the cat darted out into the yard.

Fortunately the rain acted in my favor – the cat didn’t run far before realizing the warm, dry house was far better than the cold, wet out-of-doors. He let me pick him up, and even endured my scolding as I deposited him back in the house. I carefully shut the door behind me, scanning the kitchen to make sure all pets were accounted for.

I was stunned – there was a lesson here. 

Too often, the wide-open door is a picture of my heart. I fail to guard my heart and as a result, all kinds of things get in that shouldn’t be there.  King Solomon, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, put it this way: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life,” (Proverbs 4:23; KJV).

I may be doing a decent job of protecting my heart from the things I think of as “big” sins (killing, stealing, adultery, etc.), but while I’m focused on those things, other sins are able to slip by: pride, lying, complaining, a bad attitude. 

In God’s economy, sin is sin—there is no classification: “big” sin or “small” sin.

Agreeing with God’s definition of sin and putting on the armor He provides (Ephesians 6:11-17), are the right steps for me to take in order to guard my heart. The devil is depicted as a roaring lion intent on destroying me (1 Peter 5:8).

But God is greater than my enemy. When I humble myself and rely on God’s strength to overcome the devil, share my doubts and struggles with the Lord, and stay alert to the enemy’s schemes, my heart will stay protected.

God adds a beautiful promise: “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you,” (1 Peter 5:10).

Are you guarding the door to your heart? What step will you take today to protect yourself?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for using life’s irritations to teach me important lessons. Forgive me for thinking I can guard my heart on my own. Help me humble myself and look to You for the protection my heart needs. Thank You for the promise that when I face trials with You, I am made more complete. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are You Celebrating?

Every year we celebrate it – our independence. Wikipedia gives an accurate description of the importance of this celebration, “Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.”

Freedom is worth celebrating. I remember a group of people who endured over 400 years of slavery – the children of Israel. They were in bondage to Pharaoh, and were responsible for making bricks to construct buildings throughout Egypt.

Imagine their joy when Pharaoh finally let them go! It didn’t happen overnight, in fact, the Lord sent ten horrific plagues that affected land and people alike. It took the death of Pharaoh’s son to convince him that the God of the Israelites was indeed a God to be feared.

The people were free. No more making bricks, no more taskmasters, no more beatings. They were free to worship the Lord in the manner that He showed them. But freedom didn’t come easy. There was hard work involved – travelling hundreds of miles on foot, setting up and taking down tents, getting along with everyone else who was on this pilgrimage from Egypt to the Promised Land.

On several occasions, the children of Israel became disenchanted with their freedom. When they came into the wilderness of Sin, they had reached their limit. Grumbling turned into complaints against Moses and Aaron, “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth in to this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger,” (Exodus 16:3; KJV). In a matter of months, the Israelites had shifted from celebrating their freedom, to longing for the land where they had been enslaved.

What silly people! Yet don’t I do the same thing? I was set free from the slavery of sin when I put my faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross. What a reason to celebrate. But as I journey through life, difficulties trip me up and I forget the joy I originally experienced. Just like the children of Israel, I begin to take my freedom for granted and complaining soon follows. Once again I fall prey to the slavery of sin.

God’s Word provides the map I need to get back on course. He is gracious, “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust,”  (Psalm 103:14). He reminds me I’m freed from sin and am able to serve Him, “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life,” (Romans 6:22).

I have every reason to celebrate – I’m free from the grip of sin, and I live in a country where I am free to worship the God of heaven.

Have you experienced freedom from sin by accepting Christ as your Savior (Ephesians 2:8-9)? If so, are you living like the children of Israel, disenchanted with your freedom? What step will you take today to get back on course and celebrate your freedom?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to celebrate true freedom – freedom from the slavery of sin. Help me to realize what a precious gift you’ve given me. Help me not to take it for granted. Thank you for America, a country where I can worship you freely. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Come join in the discussion!

Dogs, Snakes, & People, Oh My!

We've seen a lot of them this year. According to reports, warmer than normal winter temperatures and an increase in the number of rodents have led to an explosion in the snake population. Unfortunately, my husband, Steve, and I can attest to the fact. The snakes we're seeing? Copperheads.

Don't get me wrong, I have a healthy respect for the role snakes play in the environment - the copperhead eats small rodents, birds, lizards, other snakes, amphibians, and insects. The problem? When it comes to our dogs, up close and personal is a bit too, well, up close and personal!


Our Golden Retriever, Precious, had to learn the hard way that not all animals want to be her friend. As Steve and I headed out to walk our dogs, we could tell something was wrong with Precious. Although her tail wagged furiously as she came out of her doghouse, she didn't look right. Her slim retriever face had been replaced by that of a Shar Pei. With neck and face swollen twice their normal size, we loaded her into our SUV and headed for the vet.


Two tell-tale punctures above her lip, dotted with blood, spoke volumes. She had been bitten by a copperhead - the venom  causing the distortions to face and neck. A shot of steroids helped to bring the swelling down. Armed with antihistamine and antibiotics, the vet assured us that she would look like our familiar Golden within 48 hours. What a relief!


But we still had a problem. A snake problem. Where had the copperhead come from? And if there was one, there were probably more. Not a comforting thought.


We began the eradication process. Steve mowed over the ivy that had slowly begun creeping across Precious' area, and cleaned up the tree debris that doubled as a potential snake hideout. We were feeling much better already. But our relief was short-lived.


Over the next six weeks, Steve and I killed three copperheads  - each one within a stones' throw of our dogs. Unlike what I had read about these snakes, these copperheads seemed to be extremely bold. Instead of staying hidden during the day and relying on camouflage for safety, these slithering creatures were in plain sight on our walking path.


Obviously we needed to dedicate more time to yard clean-up. Woodpiles, leaf debris, and branches would all have to go. One step at a time.


What an important lesson for me. Without realizing it, I often leave myself vulnerable to the enemy. I allow sin to go unconfessed in my life - and pretty soon I've got piles of debris in my heart that become a breeding ground for more sin. If I refuse to begin the eradication process, the bite of sin will inject its venom - marring my testimony as a follower of Christ. The consequences are devastating - a broken relationship with the Lord, and the potential to cause others to stumble.


No one wrote more poignantly about the consequences of sin than King David. He accurately described the affect of concealing, then confessing his sin, "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah," (Psalms 32:3-5; KJV).


Confession of sin invites forgiveness from the Lord. A clean heart re-institutes intimate fellowship with our Savior. What could be better?!


Do you have some internal housekeeping to do? Are there any piles of debris in your heart that need to be removed? What step will you take today to rid yourself of sin?


Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the lessons I can learn from Your creation. Help me to willingly eradicate sin from my life, so I can have a right relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.



*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Come join in the discussion!

Roots

The job wasn't easy. Thankfully I had some help. A couple of students from our Sunday school class were helping me weed the large hillside in front of our house. I had let the dreaded task slide down my 'to do' list, until it hit bottom. Either I had to get the weeds under control, or they would definitely complete their stealthy hillside take-over. Some of the weeds looked like miniature umbrellas, with huge leaves that would keep the rain off of an entire family of rodents. Others favored the green, feathery portion of a carrot plant. Both varieties were roughly three feet tall and appeared to be growing by the minute. With garden gloves protecting our tender hands, we got down to the messy business of weeding.

It didn't take long to figure out that these weeds were not going to let go of the soil they'd claimed, without a fight. Time to break out the serious tools. Gardening trowels were replaced with heavy-duty shovels. Take that, you nasty weeds! You could almost see them cowering in fear. With shovelhead poised above the ground where the first offending weed was growing, I imagined it frantically waving a tiny white flag in surrender. As my shovel made contact with the ground and sliced into the soil, I knew within a few moments I'd be the victor - one square inch of ground reclaimed. Long, tuberous roots that had once held the weed firmly in place, would no longer provide a base of support.

Slowly, but steadily, we began to see progress. Hillside that had been completely covered with weeds, now had areas that would welcome real plants. But there was still plenty of work to do. I wondered if it would be easier just to use the weed-eater to finish the job. My husband reminded me that we couldn't solve our problem that way. The weed-eater might be able to cut the weeds down in size, but the roots would remain, allowing the weeds to begin growing again. Although roots are underground and can't be seen, they serve a crucial purpose. My American Heritage Dictionary explains that a root not only supports a plant, but it also "draws food and water from the surrounding soil, and stores food." It goes on to say that the root enables a plant to become firmly established, settled, or entrenched.

What a good illustration from the Master Gardener Himself. When I don't tend to the 'soil' in my heart, the tiny sin-weeds begin to grow, gaining nourishment from their roots. As the sin-weeds get stronger and grow bigger, the roots burrow deeper into the soil, allowing the sins to become firmly established and settled. Just as my Sunday school girls and I realized that it was much easier to pull small weeds rather than big ones, the same truth applies to our spiritual soil. It's much easier to deal with sin in its infancy, than when it's full grown. David had the right idea when he invited his Savior's careful scrutiny, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalms 139:23-24; KJV)

As I examine the soil of my heart, may I be quick to pluck the tiny sin-weeds before they have the opportunity to grow and develop deep roots. Our God is faithful to forgive us for our sins when we confess them (I John 1:9). He is able to create a clean heart in us and renew a right spirit within us (Psalms 51:10).

How is the 'soil' of your heart? Can you identify sin that needs to be dealt with? What step will you take to begin 'weeding' today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the lessons You teach me through Your creation. Help me to be aware of the things that need to be weeded out of my life. Give me the resolve to search my heart regularly, so I can enjoy unbroken fellowship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.