I love my kids. I love my kids and my husband and my pets. In fact, I love just about all animals, except raccoons and bugs, but bugs don't really count as animals. Anyway, yesterday I was taking Mumbles to the dentist (who knew 3 root canals would cost so much? 3!). There is a place in the road where there's a sharp turn as it goes up a little hill with train tracks on top of the little hill. Confused yet? Well, as we were approaching the little hill we saw a HUGE turtle. This was no average sized turtle. That boy could have made enough soup to feed a small city! He was smack in the middle of the lane next to us. Mumbles wanted to stop and take the reptile home, but since it was a snapping turtle I vetoed that idea pretty darn quick. Little did Mr Turtle know, but a big work truck was coming from the other direction. Because of where he was sitting on the side of the hill the truck (or the guy driving it! lol) couldn't see our hard shelled friend. I motioned for him to stop and Mumbles climbed out of the car again and moved Snappy to the side of the road where he was safe. All was right with the word and the land was once again made safe for adventurous turtles everywhere!
I have to admit, I get a kick out of watching my animals, even my four legged ones! (or as in the case of Leggo, my three legged animals, but that's a story for a different time! ) Take little Charlie for instance. He's just turned a year old and he's the cutest little black and white dust mop you've ever seen. He has springs in his legs, loves wearing a sweater and will do just about anything to get at a bacon treat. What you see is what you get. He's just Charlie. I imagine, if he could talk, he would sound a little like a male version of Dory in the Finding Nemo movie, only housebroke. He has no filter. If he's happy, you know it, if he's sad, you know it. When you come home and open the kennel his joy is overwhelming as he throws himself at you with complete abandon. I can only laugh at his antics.
Then there is Yum Yum.
Yum Yum is a gianormous Siamese cat we've had for years. I think he's going on 9 years old now and he is beautiful. He lives upstairs in Surfer Boy's room. He has, for the most part become his cat. You see, Surfer Boy's bed is positioned right by the widow for optimum sunlight exposure and this cat is no dummy. He knows a good thing when he sees it. Charlie isn't allowed upstairs, no little kids are allowed in Surfer Boy's room and he has a large expanse of bed which is never made up and is bathed in sunlight most of the day. All in all, it's pretty much cat heaven. The thing about Yummy is, he's a great big softie on the inside but he doesn't want you to know it. If we've been gone for a couple of days leaving him here without us he doesn't run to the door to greet us upon our arrival home, but he will sit at the top of the stairs and survey the scene as we come in. When I go then, to pet him, he gets this "oh good grief! if you must!" attitude, but then snuggles down into my arms and starts to purr. Unlike Charlie, you can't take him at face value. I know this about him, but Charlie, it seems does not.
Yum Yum can make the most hideous noises you can imagine. (It's the Siamese in him) Charlie is fascinated with him and yet scared of him at the same time. Earlier this morning the cat decided to bless me with his presence down in the kitchen for a while. (I refuse to think it has anything to do with the fact his food bowl is down here) He was sitting majestically starring out the widow in that cross-eyed way of his and Charlie caught sight of him. He was immediately drawn to where Yummy sat but did it in that way we've all seen dogs do, where they want to go somewhere but are scared to so they get really low to the ground, stretch their bodies our and their legs shake. It's always good for a giggle or two. Anyway, Yum Yum started making these horrible sounds deep in his chest, almost like he was growling at Charlie. Then he hissed and I thought I would have a mess to clean up on the floor. Then, finding no traction on the hardwood floors, Charlie made a cartoon spectacle of himself trying to get away, fur flying! Yum Yum then calmly walked up the stairs, ignoring Charlie the whole way.
This is the thing. Charlie was never in any danger. Yum Yum has no claws! Even if he had claws he wouldn't know what to do with that dog if I served him up on a silver platter. He is all talk, or yowl as the case may be. Because Charlie doesn't know this (I've tried explaining it to him, but we have a bit of a language barrier) he assumes he is about the be eaten alive. I guess you could say Yum Yum goes about roaring as a lion seeking whom he can devour. (see where I'm going with this???) The only power that cat has over my little dog is what the fur ball gives him. Yummy's power lies in his ability to cause fear to rise up in Charlie. If he could get over his fear the cat would be powerless. Actually, you could say the cat is already powerless, it's the fear within Charlie that holds the power. Lose the fear, lose it's power.
How many times have we heard the enemy roar like a lion in our life and cowered in fear? For me, the answer would be too many times to count. As sons and daughters of the living God, satan has no power over us, except what we give him. It is my fear of what he can/may do to me or in my life, that has kept me imprisoned not even looking for a way out. I am in no danger from him. He can only touch my life if my God allows it. So why do I fear? My fear hands the devil the power over me. The word says in 1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
The presence of God's love "displaces" fear. If I allowed God's love to rule in my heart, trust will abide there as well. The two go hand in hand. If I am trusting God why should I fear anything? I am asking the Lord to change my default button from one of fear to one of trust in Him. I'm tired of always having fear be my first response to anything. I also will strive to remember one more thing. Remember the verse that says "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1Peter 5:8)? What most people don't realize is lions don't roar when they are getting ready to kill or when they are hunting at all. It's only when they want to be intimidating. Our enemy wanders around roaring like a lion, but like a lion, can only intimidate, not touch, those who are under the blood of Christ. Remember that the next time fear grips your heart and you want to run and hide. Hide yourself in the Lord for He loves you!
In the meantime I'll be here sweeping up fur balls, emptying litter boxes, getting the leash out for our walk, feeding, watering, brushing.... After I'm done with my kids, I'll start on the animals!
Soaked in His blessings,
Spokenfor
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