Looking past the deck

This stray cat, that often peeks into our back windows, means something spiritual to me.
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Hang tight, you’ll get it.

Many of you know the story of our cat, Cutie. Two years ago she was left on our deck, abandoned by her mom, at 3 weeks old. She was a tiny ball of fur that could have been eaten in one bite by whatever animals eat tiny balls of fur in one bite. She was hungry, cold and completely helpless, and her life really had no hope. It was all over for her.
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But then we saw her.

We brought her in and fed her every 3 hours like a newborn baby. We fell in love with her and gave her a home. And now? She lives like a princess. She is constantly being smothered with kisses and carried around like a baby. She is fed whenever she makes a sound. She has her own room (kinda), her own toys, her own blankie, and her own pink and brown toille bed. Her responsibilities include choosing whether she should sleep on the running clothes dryer, or the heater vent. Also, choosing if she should lay on her blanket or her bed. Oh, and, should she sleep 20 hours today, or 22? You get the picture.

On the other hand….

We are pretty sure that the stray black cat is a sibling. We will not be taking her in and please don’t give me any reasons why you think we should. If we did, we would lose a very valuable husband and father.
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Anyway. .

Two years ago this is the cat that Cutie wanted to be. She had everything Cutie wanted and needed. One of the few that her mother decided to keep, to nurse, to warm, and to protect. And now? Well, her responsibilities include hunting for her own food, searching for her own warm places to sleep, being on constant alert for predators. You know, regular outside-cat duties. She’s fine, but she certainly isn’t livin’ the high life like her sis.

These two cats represent hope and perspective to me. They illustrate how sometimes when life seems to be giving you a bad deal, that it might not be so bad after all.
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They remind me that sometimes when things look hopeless, it is worth it to hold on.
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That in the midst of really rough times, you never know what kind of goodness God has waiting around the corner.
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Just for you.
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Hope.


Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."