Trust And The Three P’s
By Evelyn Hein, Deacon
“Mee-yew. Mee-yew. Brrrroooooooowwwwww.”
These sounds seized my attention from the work I was doing at my desk. It was one of my semi-feral kitties. But why such noises? At the same time, my houseguest upstairs called, “There is an orange cat trapped up here.”
As I jumped up to find out what was going on, another one of my semi-feral cats (Pumpkin) raced by me and zigzagged for the open side door. What was Pumpkin doing inside the house?
I ran up the stairs to find Paddy, semi-feral cat #2, growling in terror and clinging to the window screen, paws spread eagled. Out of pure fright, he was fluffed up to double his normal size. Paddy decided he was in mortal danger from this stranger (my houseguest), so he next volleyed himself into the bedroom. Curiosity certainly could kill the cat.
All my life I have tamed and taken care of feral cats that show up at my door. There must have been well over twenty of them at this point. The deal is: come to my house, be neutered, and then you may live in a safe place with free food and medical care for life. Remarkably, every one of these totally feral cats has become tame, though the process may take a few years.
At the moment, I have my three orange feral P’s: Paddy, Pumpkin, and Paprika. They do not come in the house, as my housecat and dog don’t approve, but they are always outside by the doors, awaiting pets, treats, and food – truly, in that order. I cannot pick them up yet, but that day will come.
On this particular day, Paddy and Pumpkin together decided to venture into the house and explore. What they were not expecting was my houseguest stumbling upon them while they, unbeknownst to me, went sightseeing inside the house.
So now, there was Paddy, terrified out of his mind, staring at me from the bedroom. Visions of blood streaming down my face and arms came to mind as I considered picking him up to take him outside. I approached him lovingly and so slowly, with soft words. To my astonishment, he just stood there, frozen in place. Although never carried before, he allowed me to pick him up and carry him.
I could think only of how Paddy’s complete trust in me allowed that to happen. He, a wild creature of God, allowed me to take complete care of a situation that had caused him to revert to feral behavior.
I need to remember that in every terrifying situation, I have a Father in Heaven who loves me even more than this. I need to remember that God is my eternal caretaker, the caretaker of my soul, and that He loves me always, in all ways. There is never a moment where I need worry because He will provide for all my needs. Paddy, Pumpkin, and Paprika know this about me, and I know it about my Father. Even when it doesn’t seem to me that all my needs are cared for, they are, because God has a plan for me, and it is a good one.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
“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.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Prayer: Dearest Father, let me rest assured in Your love at all times. When I stumble and doubt, please send the Holy Spirit to fill my heart again, and remind me You are always with me. You know everything about me, and yet still You love me. You are my good and merciful God, and You bless me every day and every moment. I thank You for all things, dear Father, including my three little wild P’s. In Jesus’ name, I give You thanks.
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