One of the honest truths about this post is that my cat did eat my homework.
OK, so our new cat ate the time I needed to be focusing on this post, along with several small bowls of milk and wet cat food and some eggs. Our other cats are so mad at me right now that Patsy Cline (our furry gray cat) won’t even look at me.
Another one of the honest truths about this post is the one you’ve taught me with your response to Hurricane of Love. I know that God’s love is bottomless, always enough—even more than enough, God’s love always whatever we have enough to share. But I had no idea that bottomless, amazing, abundant love could look like thousands upon thousands of index cards with your messages of love and names and handprints all over them.
We have so, so many cards to send to our friends. You took what you had—a few index cards, your markers, your Bibles, and your hands—and you made that into an abundant sign of love.
Love like that changes the whole world, and it has changed mine.
While we were collecting your love letters in my office, my husband (Mr. Jones) and I were having to do some hard work at home. We said goodbye to our sweet 13-year-old dog, Hattie. We were really sad about this, even though we knew Hattie wasn’t having any fun anymore and that there was no way to help her feel better. So, our nice vet Dr. Kevin helped us help our sweet, brave friend cross over the Rainbow Bridge.
Mr. Jones and I cried all the way home. I miss talking to her, scratching behind her ears, asking her to stop harassing the cats. I still find myself looking over into her favorite corner when we come home from work. She was my constant companion for the last five years. On nights when staying asleep was impossible, Hattie reminded me of the way the Holy Spirit speaks to us in sighs. I can’t wait to see her stretched out in a patch of sun on the other side of Heaven. And one day, I believe I will.
Late last Wednesday night, I could have sworn I heard a tiny little kitten cry coming from the hay field across the road from the house. But, since we live out in the country, lots of things can sound like tiny animals that are actually really big, not super-friendly animals—or also not an animal—so I didn’t investigate. Plus, it was super dark and walking around in the brush in the dark creeps me out. I went back inside and dropped off to sleep.
Thursday afternoon, Mr. Jones and I arrived home from uneventful days at our respective jobs. We let our dog Clementine out, checked on the hens, and retired to the porch to figure out what I wanted to make for our dinner. Mr. Jones went inside to watch the news, and I went on YouTube to watch a recipe. And the little kitty cry came back, louder and more insistent, and coming closer and closer to me. She was hungry, scared, and the ittiest of the bittiest little cats you’ve ever seen, like a tiny bobcat. She climbed up my pantleg and immediately started purring.
That’s when I knew I was in real trouble. I can’t stand to see anything, not anything, scared or hungry or alone. I can’t do it. And I also knew immediately that we had a new cat and her name was Carrie Fisher.
I was in such a hot mess that I texted Mr. Jones from the porch to say what had happened. He was a total champ about it, and he’s not a real big cat-person, so this is just another one of the fifty million reasons I know he truly loves me. He lets me have four cats. In our house. Please pray for him, and for the other cats—Jinx, June Carter Cash, and Patsy Cline. Everyone is having to do a lot of learning, right now, mostly about litterbox placement.
This is all to say that you have given me so much encouragement during my own hard stormy time. And you reminded me that every single day, God always gives us enough love, enough index cards, enough milk, enough snuggles, and compassion to share with every living thing who needs it. That’s you, and me, and all our friends in storm-hit or burned-out or shaken up places, and old dogs and little cats.
Jesus is telling us the amazing story of God’s love for us, growing love in each of us, day by day. Thank you for being his hands and feet to me. Thanks be to God.
How are you reminded of the love of God, day by day?
It sounds like Carrie Fisher is a blessed cat.
This little one knew where to find love. Blessed indeed.