Friday, September 5, 2008

Lessons from a cat

Let me say up front that I have never really been a "cat person"... I usually prefer dogs. But several years ago, my mother-in-law's cat had kittens, and I fell in love with this sweet little gray kitten. I actually begged my husband to let me bring her home with me. She is the sweetest cat I have ever been around. Most cats I know prefer to be by themselves... they hide when there is company around... and they are not seen often. BUT this sweetie loves to be around people. She talks to us when her bowl is empty. She tries to reach up and open the door when she wants out... now, of course she hasn't ever gotten it open... but we see her and hear her begging to go out so we usually help her get the door open.

The only bad part about her is that she is the mother to all of these other kittens that are now "ours". I know... I know... we need to just have her fixed... but right now, spending money on an animal is not is the budget. Anyway... something about her is different these days.

If another cat or kitten even comes in the same room with her, she stands up tall and starts hissing at them. She spats and spats until they just turn around and leave. And if they are coming to eat out of the bowl that she is eating out of, she really has a fit... she chases them spatting. She just seems so mean and moody these days!!

I keep fussing at her saying, "What is wrong with you???" "Why are you spatting at everyone???" "They have't done a thing to you!"


After several days of seeing this... I started thinking to myself, "how many times am I like that?". My sweet husband comes in the room, and I start spatting at him. My children come to me for something and instead of being kind... I start fussing at them. How about the driver of the slow car in front of me? I start spatting at them in my head just because they aren't on my same schedule. Over and over... I can see that I do that same thing. Why would I react to them that way?? I don't really have the answer to that question. Could it be little things that have rubbed me the wrong way?... could it be frustration with something else?... could it be stress over another area of my life?.... could those things be the problem?? I don't know.

The one thing that I do know... is that it looks awfully ugly to someone just standing on the sideline. AND I mean ugly. It looks ridiculous too. She just has a fit all by herself. No one else has a problem but her. Yikes! I don't want to look that way! I don't want to spew and spat at the ones I love. I don't want others to look at me and say, "what is wrong with you??" "why are you spatting at everyone?" "they haven't done a thing to you!". Hmmm....I know that I need to take a lesson from this moody cat. I need to watch the way that I react to the ones that walk into my day.... thanks Miss Kitty... a lesson learned.


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7 comments:

Regina said...

"It looks ridiculous too. She just has a fit all by herself. No one else has a problem but her. Yikes!"

Ouch! Thanks. . . I think. . .

No really, great post!
It reminds me of this. . .

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

What's in the heart usually comes out of the mouth eventually.

Amy said...

What a great lesson!

I don't even begin to know how many times that I have had a "hissy" fit for no apparent reason.....It's humbling when I think I must have looked like that cat.;)

Thanks for sharing the visual...I need to remember it. :)

God Bless,
Amy:)

Melanie said...

Amen, sister! I've been doing a bit of that myself. I blame it on hormones but even if that's true, wrong is wrong no matter what. Thanks for the reminder. I'm also reminder that with the Holy Spirit comes the gift of self-control. Ouch indeed.

By the way, Lynn, I have an award for you on my blog. Stop on by to pick it up.

Thanks for the blessing.

Melanie

Beverly said...

We are like this, all of us.
Spatting and spewing at the smallest of things not even caring how if affects others or ourselves and what it says to others.

People think Whoa I thought she was a Christian, well then hey I can be like that too and not be a Christian, so whats so special about people always wanting me to get to know God. If they act like that what's the use.

Yeah God has been beating me up this week "especially" showing me how I act and talk and if what is coming out of my mouth is for His good. Thanks for another hit in the head again this week Lynn.

Just another way God is using my friends to help beat this into my head. I love ya.
Beverly

Amanda said...

Amen. I'm so over the one girl hissy fit show! Been milking this one for a bit now... OIY.

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! Keep contending for the faith! I'm SO with ya!

Pamela (His maidservant) said...

OUCH! that's all I can think to say...OUCH! No..forgive me Lord when I act like this cat and it's more often than I would like to admit...

Thank you..I think. On my...

In His Graces~Pamela

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Now that's an image I won't soon forget.

And the claws...you forgot the claws!

I'm confident that my responses often mirror that of your cat. Confident. Not pretty and certainly worthy of some closer examination.

peace~elaine