A couple of weeks ago, we had quite a "traumatic" loss when our newly adopted street cat, Scruffy, tragically made an escape and bolted from his cat carrier on the way to the vet. He and Gingersnap were being formally brought into the family with immunizations and check-ups, yet due to their still wild nature, a terror of not knowing what was going on left them frantic. We finally caught Gingersnap, but at that point, Scruffy had disappeared. My kids were devastated. Canon had deemed Scruffy his cat and he was solemn. My kids first inclination was to call upon God! I, as well, instantly began praying for this cat, but clearly out of desperation for my heartbroken children instead of dependency. To our amazement, the next evening we got a call that Scruffy was spotted."The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away, blessed be the Name of the LORD." (Job 1:21) Canon, amidst joyful damp eyes, said, "I knew God would help us find him."
As we continue to broaden our family (It was either babies or bunnies and Kyle says, no more babies!) with bunnies, last week, we brought home two adorable little fluff balls! Fluffy and Bolt. After numerous days in our kitchen, we decided (Mom mostly) they needed a proper place to live. The boys and I began building a lovely hutch, but as it was, there was an escape hatch. A brick, strategically placed, was moved askew and our little bunny Bolt...bolted! We searched and searched in the darkness of night and all throughout the morning to no avail. My younger kids, in their childlike faith, immediately called upon God to find Bolt! Myself, in all my spiritual wisdom, knew that God is not a genie and it may not be His desire for us to find Bolt. As Isaac said on the way to school, "We might have lost Bolt because God is trying to teach us something." Yet, we still prayed together that God would take care of our little lost bunny and if He chose, bring him back to us. Amazingly, that afternoon, an unknown neighbor from two houses down came to our gate clutching a bunny! "How did you know it was ours!!?" I said. I don't even recall his answer. "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away, blessed be the Name of the LORD." (Job 1:21) Even still, we added one more bunny to our bunch...Flash!
Kyle's recent trip to the bush claimed a Blesbok with his bow and placed lots of meat in our freezer, but his first shot aimed for a Kudu struck the beast without landing it...it ran. After tracking it with no hopes of finding it, Kyle was pretty disappointed, yet God gave him a clear definition that his worth is not in what he does, but who Christ is in him. Just yesterday, Kyle gets a call from the manager of that plantation to say, "We've got your kudu!" It was found wounded and shot down. Our meat is on the way!"The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away, blessed be the Name of the LORD." (Job 1:21)
Day 14, today, in my study~"God is real, no matter how you feel. It is easy to worship God when things are going great in your life...but circumstances are not always pleasant. How do you worship God then? What do you do when God seems a million miles away? During times of spiritual dryness you must patiently rely on the promises of God, not your emotions, and realize that He is taking you to a deeper maturity." (Purpose Driven Life) Surely, there are many of you who have had much more vastly painful things taken away from you than bunnies, cats and kudu...but what a great reminder God is giving us. No matter what the loss~a person, a relationship, a home, a job, a dream...God is still real and He wants to become even more real in our lives everyday. Worship HIM in saying, "Blessed be the Name of the LORD!!"
