This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV)
My little kitties are a constant source of pleasure and anxiety. I could watch their antics for hours. They stalk each other, hiding behind poles or branches. With a wiggle of their hind end, they race out and jump on their prey. They are much more affectionate than I anticipated barn cats would be. They are like little puppy dogs following whatever person comes their way. They like to sit on the tops of the stall walls and watch me clean stalls. They will accompany my husband to the garage where they lay beside him on the ground and peer under the car he is repairing. While I enjoy watching them, I also worry over them. They have a knack for getting into trouble. They saunter out in front of the dogs who chase them, pin them to the ground and carry them around the yard like Labradors returning a dead duck to a hunter. They get their collars caught on the tops of the fence and dangle there until the safety latch gives way and they fall to the ground. They wander to the top of a tall tree, inch their weight out onto a thin branch and come crashing down. Because we have been experiencing some unusually cold weather, I moved their bed and food into the garage. They seem to like being closer to the house and out of the wind. To them, the garage is a playground full of all kinds of toys and places to climb. Electra figured out a way to get to the top of the garage where she strolls along the rafters like a high wire artist. It is a maze as she goes from one beam to another. My husband has a lot of PVC pipe and lattice work as well as car parts and boards stored up there. She walked from one to another, sometimes having to backtrack if a piece of latticework or pipe feels unsteady. LeSabre followed her to the heights, but he is not as nimble and daring. He got to the middle of the garage and began to cry. He stayed still, unmoving, paralyzed with fear. I tried to reach him, but without a ladder could not lift him down. I went to the wall of the garage and called to him several times. He finally turned to face me; then, followed the sound of my voice. Gradually, with Electra’s supervision, he was able to make his way across a beam to the top of the air conditioner. From there, he bravely jumped into a tool box, then to a drill press until he reached the workbench, where I scooped him up and held him close. How many times, have I like LeSabre, gotten myself into a place where I didn’t see a way out? Doubt and fear creep in until I am immobile. But, if I listen carefully, God calls to me and leads me to safety. Listen, can you hear Him calling you now?
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