Lessons From a Cat

I wanted to share a blog written by one of our former students! For more of her blog, click HERE. You’re a great writer, Courtney! Keep it up!

Lessons From a Cat
by Courtney Huskisson
Posted: April 27, 2011

As most of those closest to me know, I do not like cats. End of story. However, recent occupations of house-sitting has brought me an encounter with angry kitty, fluffy kitty, and mystery kitty. Today’s story though is from stuck-in-the-tree kitty. Events are as follows:

Near the afternoon hour of one o’clock on Tuesday the twenty-seventh of April, I headed to the house where I was house-sitting to take their puppy on a walk (I love puppies btw). When stepping out of the car I heard a very mournful meowing. I was confused because as far as I knew all three of the kitties I was responsible for were safely in the house. So I curiously looked to where this meowing was coming from. Looking up I saw this sad kitty up in a tree meowing out for help. “Really?? What a cliche moment is this? Cat stuck in a tree. Should I call the fire dept. And make this even more of a cliche.” After much deliberations and trying to solicite help from neighbors that were either not home or ignoring me, I looked for a ladder. Placing the ladder in bushes on a sloped, mossy ground, I climbed up only to learn that trees are tall and Courtneys are short, even on ladders. After MUCH coaxing to the cat I finally stood on the very top step covering up the “do not step” sign with my foot. Stretching out as far as I could, I finally got one hand solidly on the cat. Yes! I can get down now! Oh, just kidding. THE CAT WON’T LET GO OF THE TREE!!! Pulling and tugging the cat won’t let go! Then the ladder wobbled and I almost found myself stuck in the tree too, or worse. After some frustrating grumbles the cat decided to slide down the tree, claws bleeding and broken and cracked in half. My thoughts coming away from this: “Well that was more than less than unhelpful”.

Continuing thoughts: how many of us are like that cat? In life we often times get ourselves stuck in all kinds of trees. In mistakes, in dangerous situations, in harmful lifestyle patterns, in bad relationships, and many more. Somewhere in our ascent up the tree we realize, this was a bad idea. But too late, we’re stuck. What a frightening feeling. Stuck, alone, unable to find a way out or down. No hope. All you can do is cry out. Finally! Hope comes! God reaches out his mighty hand, he is more than capable of holding us, and what does he find? We won’t let to of the tree!! The problem that WE got ourselves into, the problem that WE cried out for deliverance from, WE can’t let go. And in our desire to solve our own problems we get scratched and bloody and bruised when if we would have just let go and released our grip, God would have had our back. I’ve been there. Maybe you have too.

Can I say, thank God He didn’t just look at me stuck in my problem and just say, “Well, that’ll be a waste of time so I’ll just leave her there”. That’s for sure what I wanted to say to that cat. And thank God that even when I didn’t let go the first time He was faithful to never leave me alone. Perhaps we don’t let go because we don’t know who’s holding us. Maybe if that cat had known me she would have trusted me enough to let go of the tree. You let go because you know who’s holding you. Do you know who’s holding you? Do you know in who’s hands you’ve placed your security? If you don’t, I encourage you to stop right here and crack open that dusty bible and learn about the God of infinite love and mercy. The God that holds the universe in place is upholding you right now. Put your security and hope in Him.

I don’t know what tree you’re holding onto, but chances are if you’ve been crying out for help for sometime take a look down, and you might find the mighty hand of God holding you fast. Let go of the tree.