Remy- How God Reminded Me of His Love!

Sometimes I think God puts the most curious situations together, and then reveals the Aha! meaning behind His plan at the most perfect moment.

I had been wanting a pet for a long time. My best dog, Muffy, died when I was in college and I still get a little teary eyed thinking about it. Since then I had not had a pet. I love pets- dogs, cats, hampsters, frogs, turtles...it really doesn't matter. It became more important to me to have a pet since there are not children in my future for various reasons- my health being the most significant. I very much wanted something to mommy. I informed my husband that I fully anticipated Christmas gifts from our future pet and a surprise "mother's day card from the cat."

Well, over the course of a few months God brought certain things to light. He waited until it would best capture my attention before revealing something He has been trying to get through to me for years.

My husband, who would rather not have pets- except for maybe a turtle- finally said, "Tracy, you can get a cat." The words I had been wanting and waiting to hear for quite some time. The more I thought about this cat the more I had decided to love it. I didn't have any idea what it would look like- would it be a cat or a kitten?- would it be fat or skinny?- would it lounge around or would it be playful?...I really didn't know and at that point I didn't care. I was merely determined to love it- and I had never even seen it.

Time goes by and I anticipated going to pick out my new cat. I almost couldn't stand the wait; and a few times I begged my husband to just go ahead and get it. Needless to say he encouraged me to wait (we had flooring to replace first).

I had spotted a few cats at PetsMart that I was certain were just right; but we had to wait till the carpet was installed and I was back from my trip to Louisville. I prayed that God would give us the right cat. I went back to PetsMart later and the ones I had my eye on were gone. Sigh...

The carpet was installed and now I was free to find my cat. I called a number that a friend had given me of a lady who had a little kitten for adoption; but I was not able to see it that night which, in my impatience, lead me to petfinder.com. It was full of adoptable kittens. I found one that perked my interest. I got an appointment to visit a rescuer that Tuesday.

The first cat I thought would be a pleasant match ignored me. Here I am ready to love this animal and it could care less. Then this beautiful Turkish Angora cat walks right up to me nuzzles my nose and allows me snuggle up to it. This cat was elegant. Completely white fur that feels like angora (hence the name) with a pink nose and paws. This was the cat- it must be.

Then I felt this touch on my shoulder and I turned around expecting to see the rescuer's son behind me. Instead it was a plain black kitten tapping me on the shoulder. So I think- "well isn't this cute." I set him in my lap and continued my attentions to the lovely, graceful cat.

The black kitten looked up at me and then snuggled down into my lap. I started petting him while he sat contently on my lap. He was so tiny. You could still feel his bones. He was rescued very young and was on a bottle.

The rescuer said, "I always like the black cats. I know that there are so many of them, but I love them. They are kinda like the black labs at the rescue center. They always get picked last because they are so common."

She said that she would make the offer to her husband to see if he would give up Oscar, the elegant cat; but if he wanted to keep that one- then what? I said I would probably take this little kitten. I picked the kitten out of my lap and place him back on the couch. He climbed back into my lap. I said, "Well, maybe he has chosen me."

I went home thinking about the two cats and which I would rather have. I was in my prayer closet talking to God about it.

"The Angora is the most beautiful cat. What a joy to have this graceful creature in my home. The other one is not nearly as pretty, kinda skinny and plain brown eyes," I thought. Then I felt a twinge of pain as I thought, "I have plain, brown eyes."

"But I look at what is on the inside not the outward appearance"--sometimes I think God is almost audible. I almost looked around the room to see if He was sitting in there. Even more poiniant- that was the very point of my devotional that morning. So I finished my prayer asking that if God did not want me to have the graceful Angora that he would not let the man want to give it away.

I visited two more cats the following day, because this was a big decision for me and I wanted to make sure that I had viewed all my options.

At this point you are probably wondering why I didn't just take the kitten. Well, sometimes I can be a little hard headed. I'm awfully glad that God protects me from myself and that He takes me to where I need to be, and gives me what I need.

Thursday night I called the rescuer back to find out what her husband had decided. He thought she had lost her mind to suggest getting rid of his favorite cat. I told her that I completely understood. I told her that I would be so happy to have the little black kitten.

Before I hung up I felt compelled to tell her that I intended on naming the cat Remy. You see, I was able to name him. He didn't already come with a name. He was too little. I was adopting him and I wanted him called by the name I gave him. Sounds familiar doesn't it... "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!" (Is. 43:1b, NASB)

Through this little cat story God made it very clear to me that before I was here, alive, around- He loved me. "Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love." (Eph. 1:4, Amp.) This kitten was just 8 weeks old and I was determined to love it several months before I had seen him.

God also does not look at the outside, but the inside of a person. His word says, "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him" (2 Chronicles 2:9, NIV, emphasis mine). It also says, "The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the innermost parts of his being" (Proverbs 20:27, NASB).

And finally, He wants us with Him so badly that He is preparing a place for us even now. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3, NIV). He's probably waiting on the carpet!

So, it took a little while for me to get it; but He taught me a lot about Himself and His heart toward me through this little cat story.

"Spontaneity"

I used to be more spontaneous when I was in high school. Who wasn't, right? I have always had a "planner" side to me; but I could still change plans at a drop of a hat...you know, if the girls were going to a movie or if my friends from the pool picked up a game of kick the can or something.

After I took my big jump off of the platform (mentioned in the post below) I became much more of a planner. Everything was scheduled and organized, structured. My life felt more in control that way.

This past June my husband and I went to St. Augustine with some friends. They live in Atlanta, so we were going to drive down to their house and head to the beach the next day. We arrived at their house at 11pm and had plans to go on to bed and leave in the morning.

As we sat around laughing and talking about all the things we had planned someone said, "It would be ok with me if we just left tonight."

We all looked at each other and grinned. One of our friend said, "I'd be ok with it too."

They looked at me. I said, "It would be ok with me too."

I couldn't believe it. I was so tired. What was I thinking? Something about going against "the plan" appealed to me though. We threw all of our stuff in the cars and took off.

We drove all night. The night sky filled with stars was breathtaking. The top was down on the convertible and the wind was blowing through our hair. It was so freeing. I felt so alive.

We stopped off at an IHOP near the Florida state line and watched the sunrise over a cup of coffee.

This was just the start to the spontaneity. As it turns out we left the "calendar of events" at home. So we just went with the flow. Pick up football games in a Florida-rain-made-lake at our resort, last minute trivia games at local restaurants, midnight swims in the pool--it was great. It was great not having a schedule. It was nice to realize that there didn't need to be a plan. We had fun just letting go.

To my surprise I didn't feel out of control. I just felt relaxed. I remembered how much I had enjoyed it. Spontaneity isn't just for High Schoolers. It's for us thirty somethings...really, your never too old for it.

Sometimes it's just nice to be a little spontaneous.

Florence

This is one of my favorite stories!

When I was a senior in high school I went to Italy. We traveled from Florence to Assisi to Venice to Rome. It is truly one of the most beautiful countries I have ever traveled. The rolling Tuscan hills, the canals of Venice, the art, the people--the food!

I'm not sure if any of you have ever been to Florence, but I have to say they have one of the most confusing street layouts of any city on the planet. I've been to Florence twice in my life and both times I have gotten lost. This is the story of the first time I was lost.

A dear friend and I were exhausted from traveling. The jet-lag, the constant walking tours...we were worn out. So here we are in this market place in Florence with tired legs and sleepy heads. We told our chaperon that we were going back to the hotel to take a nap.

"Do you know your way back?" she said.
"Yes."

We walked around the striped Duomo; a left here, a right there... where are we?
"No, no, it was back this way... are you sure...no..."

Some how we ended up on a street next to the river. There were bridges in two directions and neither one of them looked at all familiar. We walked into a store and asked the clerk where we were. She didn't speak English; therefore we received a business card with a tiny map on the back. It was not helpful.

We walked back down the side walk and came upon at least 10 cabs. We ran to the first one, "Hotel Ambasciatori."
The cab driver didn't even look up. He was reclined in the front seat. "It's too far."
Too far...where were we...

My friend and I are both type 1 diabetics. After all the walking and the travel exhaustion our blood sugars were dropping. I had some crackers in my bag. I rationed them between us. I think this was the point I thought, This really could be getting dangerous.

We picked ourselves up off of the pavement and began walking again. As we walked the winding streets I started to notice more of the city. The architecture was beautiful. The people were beautiful. The way the sun shone on the side of one building and then cast shadows on the sculptures was so alluring. I knew I was lost in the city, but at some point I got lost in the adventure.

We wandered back to a spot outside of a pizza place we had eaten at a few nights before. For an instant we were so excited that we actually recognized something. Then we remembered...we still had no idea where we were. Behind us was a park. We turned and saw an older Italian couple walk hand in hand toward us. The sunlight trickled through the tree leaves spilling on to the pair. We asked them if they spoke English to which they gave us and sad shake of the head.

Finally we plopped down on the curb. We really may never get back, I thought. With our heads resting in our hands we repeated, to anyone passing by, "Does anyone speak English...English...does anyone speak English."

A large group of people walked by and this guy popped his head out of the crowd. "English. Yes, yes. Our guide!"

We jumped up and this guy ushered us to back of what was apparently another tour group. His tour guide understood everything we were saying and promptly told us that the landmark we were looking for was right around the corner. Yes...right around the corner.

We thanked her and took off running. We were laughing and running. I'm not sure if it was the revelation that we were saved from passing out in the streets of a foreign country, or that we were no longer lost, or if it was the deliriousness of travel exhaustion matched with an afternoon trek through Florence; but we were beside ourselves. We laughed, literally all the way home.

We got back to our room, opened the door and found the other members of our party staring at us with the where have you been look on their faces.

No- we did not get a nap that day. Who would want to remember a nap? I would have nothing to write about if I had gotten my way that day. I am so grateful that I did not get my way that I am almost laughing at the thought of it now.

I got a story--an adventure! I'm so grateful that often God does not give us what we are after. It would be boring. A nap--boring. Getting lost in one of the most beautiful cities in the entire world with a your diabetic friend--a total adventure!

Be Strong and Courageous!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 NASB

I need to know God is there. What about you?

Once when I was in college I went with one of my roommates to the swimming center on campus. We were supposed to be...well...swimming. Instead we got in the water and watched people jump and dive off of the diving platforms (like the ones they use in the olympics). It looked like so much fun! These weren't even pros...they were just college kids jumping.

My friend and I watched, giggled, and after enough people had taken the free falling plunge, we decided...well, we could do that too.

I began my climb up the platforms. There were three levels--let's refer to them as small, medium and large. So where do I go...to the top. Yes sir, I climbed my happy, courageous, little hiney to the top platform (which I have been told since this incident was about 2 stories high.)

I walked out to the edge. Looking down truly didn't bother me as much as looking out in to the emince open space that was in front of me. My stomach fluttered. There was a group of students in the water that cheered me on with the typical, "You can do it" and "It's not that bad--just jump!"

I stepped back and thought, "Don't think about it Tracy. Just go." And I did. I took a few quick steps and felt the exhiliration of free falling...until I hit the water.

Apparently, I was traveling about 35mph just before I hit the water. I hadn't pointed my toes, so the shear force of the air rising toward me from the pool pushed my legs just far enough apart that I smashed my knees into the water...at 35mph.

I screamed under water. I used my arms to pull me to the surface and then to the side of the pool. By that time the Lifeguard was there and my friend was by my side. Someone had gone to get the diving coach for help.

I will honestly never forget what this guy said...I'm laughing just thinking about it. "Now why did you do this? Are you a diver or just a free-spirit?" Hahaha...ummm the later.

I ended up on cruches for several weeks and then had to have orthoscopic surgery on both knees during the summer.

Sadly, I have experienced a lot of fear since this incident. I'm not sure that I realized how truly tramatizing this event was for me. I became afraid of heights, very timid about exherting myself at all in anything that my be physically strenuous, and terribly afraid of falling from any height.

But the fear didn't stop there. That's the really disgusting thing about fear...it spreads. I became more and more afraid of more and more things.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous!" These words seemed to allude me.

Ok, how? The situation with the diving platform alone seemed to scream "Don't do it! See what courage got you."

I told a friend about the platform diving incident one day and she ask, "Why did you do that?"
To which I responded, "I have no idea."

In Joshua's story he hadn't been watching the other Israelites jump off the cliff into the Red Sea and hope for the best. He did not take up Moses' position on a whim. Instead he had seen God part the sea! And the Lord said, "Moses my servant is dead. So now arise (take his place), go over this Jordon, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, the Israelites" (Josh. 1:2 AMP)(my emphasis).

God did not tell me to climb the platform, walk to the edge, not think at all about the consequences and jump. I did that. That wasn't courage...that was foolishness and impatience.

God wants to give us courage. He says often in His word to "Take courage." As if He is giving it to us- to take it.

I realize that as I sit here and write this blog that I'm jumping again. I have been timid about getting my writing out there... afraid even. But there is a huge difference in running forward in impatience, and urgency, and jumping into a dangerous situation; and being encouraged by your Father God to jump into His arms.

I get a very vivid picture in my minds eye of a small child on the diving board with daddy out in the water, arms out stretched saying, "Jump. Daddy's got you. I promise I'll catch you. Come on, now. Jump."

I need to know He is there..." for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."