TGIF
He would cry when I went outside and called for Miss Kitty.
I wouldn’t always see him as he cowered in the bushes, but I couldn’t help but hear him.
His was not a weak or meek whimper, but the cry of an animal in real distress.
He was terrified and starving and was hoping someone would care about both.
Those of his kind who had already found sanctuary here cared about neither.
They knew of his presence and his plight, but preferred that he stay hidden from sight and silent.
They also know somehow that I would have mercy on him if I knew about him…and they believed that mercy was for them only.
I started by putting dish of food near the bushes he hid in…his hunger soon overcame his fear and he devoured it if I stood a safe distance away.
Soon, every morning and every evening, he would call for me and I would feed him…inching closer every time I put the dish out.
My objective wasn’t just to feed him, though that was of primary importance.
The objective was to bring him fully into the family, to feed him, love him, care for him, and give him a home where all those things are a given.
Real mercy is full mercy.
Soon, he would let me sit with him while he ate, but would run if I tried to touch him.
Then, he allowed me to scratch his head while he ate.
Finally he let me pet him..he trusted me.
His joy was almost amusing in it’s intensity…food and loving attention at the same place, probably for the first time in his life.
He thought he had found a home,a place where he belonged.
The other cats who had found mercy here soon convinced him otherwise.
They let him know that even if I felt he belonged ,that he really didn’t belong here at all.
When he finally felt the courage to walk in the house, Miss Kitty beat him…she drew blood and ran him away.
She spat at me for allowing such in our home.
My new friend had crossed the path of the gatekeeper to full acceptance.
The gate was closed…slammed in his face.
I can do as I will, but they will not allow him to be one of them…even though they found sanctuary in the same place, in the same way.
He still comes and gets fed, he loves being petted and spoken to…but he knows he’s not accepted by anyone but me.
I will always go out to him if he can’t come to me because of the gatekeepers.
Gatekeepers.
I’ve seen more than a few humans who function the same way.
They want the strays, the battered, the homeless, to stay over there, out of sight.
They will only extend mercy if it keeps them clean from the defilement of the lost.
They don’t want them in the house.
They were once what they despise now.
The owner of the house is not pleased with them.
Make your own application…
the applications here are too numerous to count – those of us and those we love who have experienced those self appointed gatekeepers can only wish that the house had had a Michael at its head…
how many pastors out there are unaware of what’s going on when they’re not looking and are wondering why so many visitors peel off and go elsewhere?
are you sure that cat is a he? he/she or it can come live with this cats-not-in-the-house old lady any day, it would get a cat door to the garage bare minimum – but Miss Kitty… she’d better stay where she is… tell her granny Em is ashamed of her 🙂
i think the reject deserves a name BTW
Oh, I love this in so many ways. Thank you….
Em,
He’s most definitely a he…when I can afford it, he needs a trip to the vet to change that a bit.
He hasn’t told me his name yet… 🙂
Paige, thank you for always encouraging me!
Michael, i hope there are more stories to come about this shy, desperate little panhandler
we need (talking about me with regrets) to see that stray in the corner who is looking for a place to find salvation
Michael, I can’t think of a better way it could have been put across – “to seek and save the lost.”
Thank you.
Your other kitties need to stop being jerks. 😉
Em,
There will be…he’s sitting outside my door waiting for me right now…
Owen,
Ever tried to discipline a cat? 🙂
Thanks for reading, my friend.
Indeed Michael, I have on occasion. Not a terribly fruitul effort, either….. the cat made it clear to me that it would not tolerate further efforts.
Enjoy your new friend, and hopefully over time Miss Kitty will come around.
And I , too, am looking forward to learning the newcomer’s name.
Although i will mention – my mom raised kittens, and had very good results with a squirt gun to enforce things such as staying off the furniture. But even so, when they became fully grown, they didn’t always remember their training, either.
#7-Oh, Lord Jesus… your observations on this little cat are so touching already
how many are figuratively sitting outside the door of the church on the corner because we won’t let them in?
this little guy is another Balaam’s donkey, perhaps
Em – yes, the warning from the Sheep and the Goats comes to mind….
Pretty deep mate, we have all been there at one time. Certainly a lot to think about when I have been on both sides of that transaction.
This is such a beautiful analogy. “Real mercy is full mercy.” Love that!
http://www.christianpost.com/news/thousands-of-muslims-converting-christianity-bangladesh-despite-rising-persecution-166768/
Interesting how persecution and the spreading of Christianity always seem to be in the same place.
Kind of like stamping on an oil fire expecting it to go out…
this new cat of Michael’s looks so much like a stray that turned up when my grandsons were toddlers – the little boys named her “Puggles,” only they knew why – such a gentle cat, i’m not sure she even knew she had claws
some folk name their pets after Bible characters, that’s never seemed right to me… Moses is a cute name for a droll old galoot of a dog and, if i had a duck, i might name it Noah …but ?… dunno … just seems presumptuous or unseemly or something
Donnie escaped the gas chamber at the LA Dog Pound three times!
The rescue team bailed him out on Saint Patrick’s Day and named him accordingly.
He loves his dogs and other cat friends.
He is one of my most loving cats.
Here he is loving on one of the twin girls who adore him…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ai1J6KvRjI&feature=youtu.be
My home is exceedingly blessed with a large animal family.
Don’t worry about Miss Kitty.She’ll get over it……..