Just When You Think You Know Someone...
One day as newlyweds, my husband and I discovered a small kitten hiding under our shed. It took us hours to get it out of there, and the entire time my husband talked pure unadulterated smack about this tiny cat. "Oh great! I hate cats...You know we are not keeping this thing, right?.. We should just let it die...Hey Bailey, do you want a puppy snack?"
We finally got him out, and it became clear why it took so long. He was really little, too little to be away from his mom and too little to eat solid food. He'd apparently been under there for a while because he was dehydrated, and his eyes were all gunked up.
We held a family meeting while our dog watched. Bailey was still a puppy then; everything new was exciting. She was trying to jump up and lick the kitten in my arms. "Well, what are we going to do now?" my husband asked.
"It needs kitten milk from Wal-Mart -- right away," I said, "Why don't you go get it?"
"I don't know what to get or where to look in the store. You need to go," he replied.
I was very hesitant to leave the kitten with him. I was absolutely sure he was distracting me, so he could get rid of this cat. My husband is generally a no nonsense kind of guy. If you're going to play on his basketball team in the driveway, you'd better bring your best game. He doesn't have any tolerance for slackers or the inept. Every part of his life is completely organized and efficient. Like I've said before, if you're ever in an emergency, he's the guy you want. Consequently there is no time in his world for crusty-eyed little kittens.
He acted like I was crazy when I tried to hand him the kitten, so I got a shoe box out and put the little guy in it. "I'm going to sit here on the deck with the box until you get back." He waved at the box like it contained a lump of mud.
I drove to Wal-Mart and got the kitten milk as fast as I could -- no shopping or looking around. I went straight there and straight back. I had no idea what I'd find when I got back home.
When I got ready to round the corner from the driveway, I paused. I thought I heard my husband talking. I peeked around the corner. There he was holding the kitten right up to his face. He had our dog sitting right in front of him, and he was talking to her. "Look Bailey, it's a little kitten." He was even talking in that little voice reserved for babies and beloved pets.
My mind was blown. Where was the man from a just a half hour earlier? The man I married? I realized it had all been a front. When I walked around the corner, he jumped up and put the kitten back in the box. He cleared his throat, and neither of us ever said anything about it.
We've been married for eight years now, and he still surprises me sometimes. Just when I think I've got him all figured out, he'll say or do something I don't expect. I know now that he was being the tough one because he knew we didn't need to keep the kitten. He was afraid I was going to get all attached to it and break down when we had to give it away. He relaxed a little when he finally saw that I was going to be able to let the little guy go.
A while back I read a book called Imaginary Jesus.
It was funny and irreverent. I loved it. It begins with the Apostle Peter punching Jesus in the face. Don't worry. It's just an imaginary Jesus. I won't spoil the rest of it for you in case you're planning on reading it.
The essential message Matt Mikalatos makes is that we all have this idea in our heads about who Jesus is, what he thinks, and what's important to him. We have to be careful not to confuse the real Jesus with our personal imaginary Jesus.
Just like I am still discovering things about my husband after living with him for eight years in the flesh, I'm still discovering things about Jesus after knowing him for more than twenty years in the spirit. Sometimes I find out things I thought about him aren't true, and sometimes I simply learn new things about him. That's the really awesome thing about having a relationship with Jesus. He's a person you can talk to and share your life with. He's a person you can know and learn about. He's real.
I hope you know him too. If you don't let me introduce you.
"Jesus said, 'I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!'" (John 14:6 The Message)
If you get to know Jesus, you get to know his dad too -- God. You can read about them both in the story they wrote -- The Bible. Don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself.
Image Credit: http://www.cutepicturesofcats.com/cutekittencatspictures/cute_kittens_pics/Attentive_greyTabby_Kit.jpg
We finally got him out, and it became clear why it took so long. He was really little, too little to be away from his mom and too little to eat solid food. He'd apparently been under there for a while because he was dehydrated, and his eyes were all gunked up.
We held a family meeting while our dog watched. Bailey was still a puppy then; everything new was exciting. She was trying to jump up and lick the kitten in my arms. "Well, what are we going to do now?" my husband asked.
"It needs kitten milk from Wal-Mart -- right away," I said, "Why don't you go get it?"
"I don't know what to get or where to look in the store. You need to go," he replied.
I was very hesitant to leave the kitten with him. I was absolutely sure he was distracting me, so he could get rid of this cat. My husband is generally a no nonsense kind of guy. If you're going to play on his basketball team in the driveway, you'd better bring your best game. He doesn't have any tolerance for slackers or the inept. Every part of his life is completely organized and efficient. Like I've said before, if you're ever in an emergency, he's the guy you want. Consequently there is no time in his world for crusty-eyed little kittens.
He acted like I was crazy when I tried to hand him the kitten, so I got a shoe box out and put the little guy in it. "I'm going to sit here on the deck with the box until you get back." He waved at the box like it contained a lump of mud.
I drove to Wal-Mart and got the kitten milk as fast as I could -- no shopping or looking around. I went straight there and straight back. I had no idea what I'd find when I got back home.
When I got ready to round the corner from the driveway, I paused. I thought I heard my husband talking. I peeked around the corner. There he was holding the kitten right up to his face. He had our dog sitting right in front of him, and he was talking to her. "Look Bailey, it's a little kitten." He was even talking in that little voice reserved for babies and beloved pets.
My mind was blown. Where was the man from a just a half hour earlier? The man I married? I realized it had all been a front. When I walked around the corner, he jumped up and put the kitten back in the box. He cleared his throat, and neither of us ever said anything about it.
We've been married for eight years now, and he still surprises me sometimes. Just when I think I've got him all figured out, he'll say or do something I don't expect. I know now that he was being the tough one because he knew we didn't need to keep the kitten. He was afraid I was going to get all attached to it and break down when we had to give it away. He relaxed a little when he finally saw that I was going to be able to let the little guy go.
A while back I read a book called Imaginary Jesus.
The essential message Matt Mikalatos makes is that we all have this idea in our heads about who Jesus is, what he thinks, and what's important to him. We have to be careful not to confuse the real Jesus with our personal imaginary Jesus.
Just like I am still discovering things about my husband after living with him for eight years in the flesh, I'm still discovering things about Jesus after knowing him for more than twenty years in the spirit. Sometimes I find out things I thought about him aren't true, and sometimes I simply learn new things about him. That's the really awesome thing about having a relationship with Jesus. He's a person you can talk to and share your life with. He's a person you can know and learn about. He's real.
I hope you know him too. If you don't let me introduce you.
"Jesus said, 'I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!'" (John 14:6 The Message)
If you get to know Jesus, you get to know his dad too -- God. You can read about them both in the story they wrote -- The Bible. Don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself.
Image Credit: http://www.cutepicturesofcats.com/cutekittencatspictures/cute_kittens_pics/Attentive_greyTabby_Kit.jpg
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