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LIVING AN OPEN ARMS LIFE
11-16-08
When I made my "deal with God" in 1978 it was an
agreement to accept and act on any open doors and not to try to kick
down closed doors. So part of the deal was accepting people and all
creatures that came to me.
On November 1, 1993 I wrote this in my personal journal: "Last night a
baby female kitten, grey and striped, came to the door. There is
something wrong with its right rear leg. I went to Red Food and got a
litter box and a weeks supply of food. I promised the Lord I'd take care
of anyone or anything He sent my way. I can't keep them all but I can
save their lives and try to find them a home. I'm not God but I am one
of His helpers."
The rest of this story is that the vet said the kitten's leg was
probably broken when it was thrown out of a car. She said it had knitted
back together and she did not think we should break and reset it.
She was the most loving kitten I have ever been around. She slept with
me but was not intrusive. She came when I called. She ate whatever I set
out for her. She was completely pleasant and adorable.
One day the vet called and said a freshly-divorced man needed a loving
pet and asked if I wanted to let him have the little crippled kitten.
She knew I usually passed on cats and dogs I took in. So I let him have
the kitten.
Over the next few weeks I really missed that little sweet thing. I even
called the vet and told her to tell the man who took her I would gladly
take her back if he decided he didn't want her. She called me back and
said he had completely bonded with her. I was sad but happy for him and
the kitten.
By taking in this kitten, three were made happy: the divorced man, the
kitten and me. Yes, I was made happy by having the remembrance that I
had saved it and passed it on to a loving person.
Some animals don't stay with you. I don't know why but God does and will
tell me if it's ever important for me to know.
A yellow cat came to me one day when I was working in the garden. It was
so hungry it was screaming and so gaunt you could count its ribs. I fed
it the two cans of cat food I keep in case a stray shows up and it was
still hungry. So I fed it one of two cans of dog food I keep. In my mind
I just knew it would be there the next day. But it wasn't. Maybe it was
a cat on a vision quest to find itself. I figure we can't do anything
any more important in life than help a cat find itself.
I took in a female golden retriever. She was loving and intelligent. But
we had a half dozen huge, aggressive dogs in that neighborhood and I
could only leave her outside for brief periods and I had to stay with
her to make sure those big dogs didn't attack her.
I began to wonder if the Lord had forgotten to help me find this
beautiful creature a home. Then one night I was dining with my doctor
and he said, "Next time you're over at my place you've got to see my
Golden Retriever. He is a work of art. But I must find him a female to
run with." I said, "I've got a female! But I have had her spayed." He
said, "That's OK. I just want him to have a good mate to run with." He
took her home with him that very night.
It feels good to partner up with the Lord.
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