Just Me and the Critters

I have two neurotic cats, Buck, fifteen, and Livvy, five years old. They are opposite in personality, but both love me. Since Buck was a kitten he's been afraid of going outside in daylight hours and for some crazy reason Livvy is the same. If Buck goes out at night and I don't let him in before the sun peeks over the horizon, I don't see him until darkness comes. Neurotic with a capital N.

Livvy and Buck

He was also afraid of people. Everyone knew I had a cat named Buck, but only through pictures. He was the elusive Bucky Boy...until recently. He has become the poster cat for The Extroverted Cat. Of course I'm teasing. I asked my veterinarian, Dr. Walker, if cats can develop dementia and he said, "Oh yes." There you have it.

So this summer we've been spending time on the porch. Both cats have ventured outdoors with me in the early morning hours. They seem to feel safest if I leave the door cracked a tiny bit even though I'm right there.

One morning I'd slipped back into the house to refill my teacup and when I came back to the door and opened it, Livvy shot in with a chipmunk in her mouth. She dropped the critter at my feet as if I'd won a prize.

It hobbled around my kitchen, then straightened its back and took off running.

The crazy woman (me) ran with a broom trying to trap the critter.

I had a problem on my hands. This was not on my "to do" list today.

1. Laundry
2. Work in yard
3. Run errands

The critter got away.

One month later the crazy woman (me) was out of town and got a call from her son. Andy says, "Mom, I think there's a bird in the house."

I told him I'd take care of it as soon as I got home.

A few hours later I found out where the "bird" had been eating on a dog bone in my pantry. I saw his little brown tail curled in the back of the pantry.

The critter cage was set in the pantry with fresh seeds and about 3:00 the next day the cage began to rattle. The critter is now in the woods, back with his own kind.

I'm telling you this story because now I shut the door when we venture outside in the morning, and Livvy and Buck are not happy with me.

They are safe. Nothing can harm them. I am there to protect them. They can enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. They can scare the birds(not hurt them) and roll around on the concrete. They can breathe in fresh air BUT they choose fear over freedom.

Livvy goes back inside and paws at the window. She will not trust the closed door behind her.

How many times have I not trusted God with a closed door? How many times has He been there to protect me with a closed door and I wanted a fully open door before I would move out and call it "faith?"

He's there through everything, but sometimes He asks us to simply follow Him in faith. Shut the door Cindy, and trust Me. I will protect you and keep you. I know what is out on the porch and beyond. Come out and sit awhile with Me.

Maybe He's asking you to trust Him with something, to close the door and trust Him in faith. Join Him on the porch. There's room in the swing for two.

Blessings,
Cindy

A Little Five-Letter Word

In a blog post at the beginning of the year I mentioned the fact that I was not a person who chose a word for the year; one to meditate on, study and incorporate its meaning into my life.

I decided if I were to choose such a word, mine would be "trust." A little five-letter word, but oh, so powerful. It seems to have found its way into everything I read this year. Interesting…

Now that we've marked nearly half the days of the year off our calendar, I decided to check in on how I'm doing…with trust that is.

How many of us have grand plans and goals in January and then life sets in and we lose our way?

Picking a word sounded like a good idea, but the fact is, I have to trust when my heart is broken because the Word says:

 "I rely on your constant love, I will be glad because you will rescue me." Psalm 13:5

I have to trust when nothing is going right, or the way I'd hoped.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. " Proverbs 3:5-6

It's easy to trust when life is giving you everything you want or need. But when you get kicked around and life and circumstances seem to throw you to and fro, trust is something altogether different. Ask a cancer patient at the end of their treatment if they've learned to trust their doctors and caregivers. It's only when we're challenged in areas of our lives that we can truly develop and grow. 

Trust is a choice we make.

After writing this post, I opened Jesus Calling to read these words the next morning:

"Open your hands and your heart to receive this day as a precious gift from Me. I begin each day with a sunrise, announcing My radiant Presence. By the time you rise from your bed, I have already prepared the way before you. I eagerly await your first conscious thought. I rejoice when you glance My way…"

I believe I can TRUST the one true God who has a plan for my life and it is good. 

He has a plan for your life as well. No matter what you're going through, you can trust Him. We're not promised tomorrow, we must take each day as it is given. As Jesus Calling said, "I begin each day with a sunrise, announcing My radiant Presence." What more could I want or need, in this life? 

I think next year I'm going to choose a word such as "vacation" or "sabbatical." Yes, both of those words sound good! 

How about you, how are you doing with your word for the year? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. 

Cindy

What or Who Will You Trust?

Trust. It's a simple word. Five letters, easily broken, difficult to earn back.

Last week I wrote about ruts and how we remain in them because they're comfortable. As I was mulling this over in my mind this week, I realized it goes much deeper. It's also an issue of trust.

We trust what we know to have never failed us. When we find a rut that works, we stay in it. We trust it. It may stop working, or its purpose may no longer be valid, but we remain because we believe it will not fail us.


Vancouver, Canada

I believe we're born with innate tendencies, and then your experiences shape your behavior. For myself, I don't think I would ever have been adventurous. My teenage years caused me to have trust issues involving security and stability. My family, on the other hand, is a different story.

My husband and daughter are planning a trip right now that involves climbing. High. Really high. There is no mountain high enough, zip line long enough, or trout stream too far, they wouldn't like to conquer. Whereas, Andy and I are more home folk. Andy does like to venture out and travel, but I love being home. Home speaks security to my heart. For my thrill seekers, they will need trust in each other, and a lot of planning. What wonderful memories they'll make, as well as learning how to get out of their comfort zone to try new things.

But, how many untold people will risk their very lives on a zip line, made by human technology, that could fail, and drop them to their deaths, yet, some of these same people will spit in the face of a loving God who has never failed them...AND offers them life? It's something to think about.

It all comes back to trust. We trust what we know or who we know.

Bailey at Whistler in Canada

God has been teaching me to trust Him...to truly trust Him. To let go, and allow Him to lead me on an adventure. My adventure doesn't involve rapids or trout streams or zip lines, though He has taken me to a few mountains and valleys. My adventure is the ride of a lifetime with the God of the universe. He has instructed me to, "Be still and know Him" and, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Has life handed you a mess and you've settled into your own rut simply because you trust it? Maybe you have your own trust issues to work out and you need to decide who or what you can count on. Just remember, there is only one person that is completely trustworthy, and that is Jesus Christ. He will never leave you or forsake you. He wants you to join Him for the great adventure that can only be found in Him. But, you must trust Him.

"Those who know your name will trust in You, 

for you Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You."

Psalm 9:10 NIV

Blessings from My Little Corner,

Cindy

Letting Go and Grabbing Hold

I want to tell you a story about learning to trust my husband, but more importantly, learning to trust God.

We'd moved to our little town in the upstate of South Carolina in the summer of 1989 and started a Land Surveying business. If you can remember, there was a recession at the beginning of the new decade, but shortly thereafter, the economy began to take off. In my humble opinion, Wall Street and all the forecasters look in the wrong places when they're trying to predict what's going to happen in the financial realm. They need look no further than the local Land Surveyor. If he's busy, then look out, good times are ahead.

Bailey standing in my dream basement!
She looks so tiny!

Business started picking up and our little enterprise started growing. I've been my husband's bookkeeper all these years and if you call our office you will more than likely hear his voice. He's very much a hands on boss and sees the company as a mission field and his employees as family.

Because we've been frugal with our money, we were able to purchase some land in the country in 1993. I. Was. Ecstatic. My children were going to have room to roam...we would have a garden...there was a pond...and we were going to build a house. My dream house. A farmhouse. The angels were celebrating with me. No, I made that up. But, maybe they were, for they know my history. House plans were ordered...basement dug...much time and dreaming were spent at the farm...

Until ... one day my husband begins acting strange. He comes to me in March of 1993 just as we're preparing to begin construction. He says, "Cindy, God has told me not to build this house, and there's more...He also said to sell the land." Well, you can imagine my reaction. I was so mad at him, not God. I thought he was using God to get out of building.



On Golden Pond

I had made plans ... I had already placed my furniture in each room ... I already had my children growing up in this house. Well, let's just say, "if momma ain't happy..." I'm ashamed of myself when I look back on this time in my life but because of deep childhood wounds and scars, I have a hard time of letting go of things, people, relationships, memories ... you name it, I hold on to it.

However, I agreed with him because he is the head of our home and that's what I'm commanded to do, but my heart was not in it. He felt so bad, and yet, his burden was lifted because he knew he was being obedient. He also told me at the time, "I believe this is what we're supposed to do and I believe I'll build your dream home within five years."

Now, let me make very clear, this post is not about getting the house you want. This is about trusting God with every aspect of your life. We sold the land and God has used that incident to teach me multiple lessons as well as my children. They probably learned more than us but I'll save that for another post. My husband did build my dream home in three years and we still live in it. The most incredible thing about the whole story is that God built it debt free. His way of doing things is so much better than anything we can plan.

Whatever you're going through, He will guide you and go with you. He won't let you face it alone but you have to let go ... you have to be willing to give up something good for something that's best. He's walking with me right now through one of the most painful seasons of my life and it's about letting go ... He will not disappoint you. It may not look exactly like you envisioned but His way is always best.

I write a lot about trust ... am I going to trust myself, my husband, government, life circumstances? Or, am I going to trust my Creator and the lover of my soul ... the One Who has said, "He will never leave me nor forsake me ... the One Who said, He has gone to prepare a place for me?"

I think I shall trust the One Who said, "I love you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you." Jeremiah 31:3 ESV He is the only One that's worth letting go of everything this world has to offer to grab hold of His hand.

What are you holding onto that keeps you from the best things He has to offer?

Blessings from My Little Corner,
Cindy