A Tale Worth Telling

Indulge me today.

Let me introduce the cast:

One- small furry, cute (deceptive) cat
One- small dog named Peanut
One – teenaged girl 16 going on 27.
One – believing mom and keeper of the home.

It started several months back. The rainy season. It’s cold, wet, and dark. One early evening during a light downpour as we sat in the family room watching TV. From the hallway we hear a tiny, “Meow.”

The neighborhood cat, Cleo, found her way through our dog door and peered around the corner of the kitchen at us. She was wet, pathetic looking and only wanted to jump up in my teenagers lap for a quick dry nap. She slowly made her way to the couch. Crept up on her lap and laid down.

“Isn’t she cute mom? She just wants to be warm and dry.”

Little did we know….. This was only the beginning.

Over the next several weeks, the cat began to “sneak” in regularly. We would find her curled on my daughter’s bed. She would come in at times and meow and entertain us with her sweet nature. Slowly and unnoticed by us, Cleo’s visits became more and more frequent. And slowly and imperceptibly, she began staking her ownership of our home.

A few months ago, she slipped into our house early in the morning. I was reading my Bible. She jumped up gently and the next thing I knew she was smack in the middle of my lap purring loudly as I read and prayed.

Within weeks, Cleo slipped into the house in great regularity and no longer was she quiet. She arrived with loud meows that would wake the dead. She threatened the dog into servitude with one quick swipe across the nose. She picked at the trash and pawed at the fish tank. Jumped on counters and tried to drink my coffee.

Her charm had morphed into dread.

Cleo in the sink

Meow.. Meow..MEEEEEOOOOOOW.

One morning not long ago, I was too tired to do battle, I sat reading my Bible she came in and jumped up on the couch then wormed her way onto my lap. As I started to rise to put her out, she turned and bit me. With sharp teeth might I add.

Finally one evening I went into the family room to sit on the couch and watch the news. Sniff sniff. My nose curled at the most revolting odor.

“WHAT IS THAT SMELL?” I screeched.

There was a putrid stench of epic proportions rising from the couch. The animal had been sleeping there most of the day. The rot rising from the cushions put my barf reflex into action.

Ahem, need I say more???

I wonder if you can see the analogy in this retelling of our cat story?

How cute the little varmint first appeared. How sweet and needy. How loving and pretty. How slowly, every slowly, seemingly without notice the invader takes ground. Tiny changes occur and tempers flare, teeth are bared. Right in the middle of my Bible reading.

The next thing you know the marauder is a constant companion, a pebble in the shoe, and then before you know it, it’s rolled in the most horrendous and vile of grossness and it’s smell is all over the house.

Oh how like the enemy to work this way. Oh, how like our nature to see that little irksome thing as cute and harmless.

So, learn from me. Don’t give one entrance to the devil or his schemes. Don’t even allow a tiny dog door to crack open and allow entrance into your house or heart. Throw him out if he comes in and BAR the door.

……

Now for the end of the story and as for the cat……. She sleeps at the neighbors.

Woo Hoo! Let’s all hug a dog. Love you, Lynn

Deuteronomy 23:14 For the LORD your God moves about in your camp (home) to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

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