We have had a visitor at our house for the last few weeks.  The visitor is a cat that appeared on our back deck and stayed around.  It appears young and looks as if it belonged somewhere i.e., it was not feral.  Lorna, being a cat person and a sucker for cats, immediately took pity on it and began to feed it.  Small treats at first – and then cat food which was donated by a friend – her cat would not or could not eat it – the food pellets being too small for her cat to enjoy - go figure. 

Of course, there are two kinds of people in the world – cat people and others.  Lorna is a cat person and would probably agree with the ancient Egyptians who worshipped cats as gods.  I am not in that camp – at least not fully - but can appreciate the attraction that people have for cats – and visa versa.   

The cat – who now has been named Trixie after the very fashionable character in Call the Midwife. – has established a routine of coming around and demanding to be fed frequently during the day and Trixie has developed an affinity to the house and believes she (Trixie is female) should be allowed into the house.  Of course, being a cat, she believes this is only right and proper.  Lorna put up a poster with Trixie’s picture to see if anyone would claim her with no response except from our next-door neighbour who wanted to report seeing the cat but not claim her.  

Unfortunately, Trixie definitely has a flea problem and will need to be treated by a vet for that and checked out generally before she can be allowed into her home – which Lorna has decided it is.  Lorna made an appointment with a vet last week and bought a cat carrier as we had gotten rid of our old one having given up on cat ownership after our last one went to the heavenly realms.   Lorna thought to entice Trixie into the use of the cat carrier by keeping it on the deck and putting her food in it.  Lorna thought she would be able to close her in when the time came to take her to meet her (Trixie's) medical professional.  But Trixie avoided that fate and disappeared in a huff.  She eventually reappeared looking very disappointed and hurt at such bad treatment.   But is becoming more insistent about becoming an indoor cat. 

It occurs to me that there are things that we can learn from this relationship that has developed between Trixie and Lorna (and to a certain extent) me.  I think that the relationship that we humans have to God have some similarities to our relationship to God.  God provides us spiritual food to eat - bread of heaven.  We can demand this bread but sometimes don’t truly believe it is freely given without having to do anything to earn it.  We also believe that we should be admitted into the big house – our spiritual home – but are not ready to be admitted.  We have things - fleas you might say – that are preventing us from having the relationship with God that we are intended to have.  God is encouraging us to deal with these fleas and want to help us deal with them – going to a spiritual vet so to speak.  However, we resist getting the treatment that we need to enable us to have the relationship God wants for us and intends for us.  We resist and resist and do everything in our power to avoid what will enable us to have the relationship that God intends for us.  I can imagine God offering us food that will entice us into the path that will capture us and help us on the journey to our true relationship with God. However, our limited understanding does not allow us to see what is in our best interests.  Fortunately, God does not give up on us and continues to offer us the bread of heaven and shows us a way into a fuller and better life.

Trixie is scheduled for a visit to the vet tomorrow.  We shall see if that will happen despite her resistance.  I hope Trixie will be blessed on that journey and that we will be blessed on our journey to a deeper relationship with God.