His Eye is on the Sparrow
"Let love be your highest goal." (1 Corinthians 14-1)
I have heard this and believed it all my life, how God loves all his creation, from the smallest creatures to his human children, and amazingly so. But I don't think the point was driven home to me until last weekend.
I had a cat who loved to roam but always came home. Keeping her in the house was futile; if she wanted out she got out, in spite of my best efforts to keep her inside. She was a smart cat, and quick on her feet. I am a blind person and she knew after a time, that I couldn't find her if she hid from me, so she chose to do this after a few times of sitting at the back porch screen door and my finding her and bringing her inside, as she protested all the way. So out on the porch she'd sneak around and hide from me knowing I wouldn't chase after her, play that "see if you can catch me game." Perhaps I should have persisted but after a while that seemed hopeless so I would let her go out and she'd always come home.
But last Saturday afternoon she got out the front door as I left to visit friends.
I didn't see her upon returning home and figured she'd be ready to come in the next morning.
I got up on Sunday to take my guide dog out to relief and heard her crying up under the house, close to the house where I knew I couldn't get her out. I prayed she'd be able to get out and when I no longer heard her I thought she had succeeded. Five hours later I heard her cry again. I went out and traced the sound, finding her on the other side of the porch, still under it but this time I could reach her. She was lying on her side, unable to stand up.
I slowly pulled her out and lifted her carefully on my shoulder and took her inside. I went for help and my neighbor came and stated her injuries were very severe, and we took her to the animal emergency hospital. The vet gently but firmly told me she couldn't be saved.
I stayed with her till the end, petting her and talking to her, and she closed her eyes under my touch, before the injection that ended her suffering.
It has been a very difficult week for me but my thoughts have been that I can only believe that God gave her the strength to come home after whatever the accident was that hurt her so badly, and He kept her alive and gave her the strength to keep calling out to me, and to get to the best place where I could find her, and help her leave this world peacefully. She was a brave little cat, full of spirit, and I think she was determined to come home to me and wait till I was with her before she went to her rest. This for me was a true gift from God and I will always thank Him for allowing me to take care of her, allowing me to say goodbye. Two years ago I lost a cat when we moved to my new house, and I will never know what happened to her. I think God wanted me to know, this time. Though I am very sad, miss my cat so very much, I will always believe God had His hand on this situation. He let me have this lively little kitty for two years and she will never be forgotten.
Patti Johnson