Doxology
I used to love animals, when I was a kid. We had a houseful of kids and a revolving door of animals, revolving from this life to the next. We also lived in a huge house and lost a lots of animals- hamsters, gerbils, garter snakes, most of which we found; so when we lost the first hamster in our household of late, I hunted until they were found. Somehow three hamsters survived the move from Missouri to Nebraska, which I wasn't counting on, and the saga continued.
We were all devastated Christmas Eve after a Sutton family tradition of loading up in our pajamas and went out to look at Christmas lights, to find the oldest and sweetest of the three hours from his death. The poor thing- it was terrible. We sent the kids up to bed and in five minutes the girls were hysterically screaming. Micah delivered the news to me and all we could do was sit and stare and pray as the kids cried and the hamster died. It was terrible. A week later on New Years Eve, with no warning, we found the next one stiff in his food bowl and we cried.
It is fascinating to me how God teaches us to live and cope through daily real life occurrences, preparing us for trials. Kennedy cried every night for over a week, and even after that moved into Jasmine's room because the sound of the hamster rummaging through it's bedding was comforting- the remaining live hamster.
You can imagine the reaction when Chocolate Chip disappeared a week ago. No one got too worked up until three days passed and I announced that he had probably died. Presumably, he climbed into the vent and got lost in the maze, eventually being burned up by the heater. We never smelled him, but I couldn't imagine him surviving after three days. Jasmine's sadness was contagious; I found her by herself sobbing and could feel the inconsolable sadness. It broke my heart. My children have learned to grieve through this process, an invaluable, unteachable life lesson. Thank You, God.
And now a lesson on faith.
Sarah woke me at 6:30 yesterday morning to tell me she heard *rodent noises* in the ceiling panels. I scurried down the stairs and set a trap for the little guy, praying but not believing that it wasn't a mouse, and sat by the wall listening to his scratching and climbing and chewing for an hour. He retreated to sleep early (they're nocturnal) and I went about the laundry and prayed. Elation...? is what I feel right now. Sarah came upstairs this morning with two fuzzy pink socks on her hands holding our hamster, who has travelled from death, we thought, to life! He is safely in his cage napping now. I literally have butterflies in my stomach over bringing him back to Jasmine, who is still sleeping and totally unaware. Last night she prayed that we would find Chocolate Chip and that he wouldn't be dead.
God loves children so much that in this fallen world where there is war and hunger and domestic violence and every kind of evil, He answered our prayers for Chocolate Chip, and for that I will praise Him.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost
Amen
We were all devastated Christmas Eve after a Sutton family tradition of loading up in our pajamas and went out to look at Christmas lights, to find the oldest and sweetest of the three hours from his death. The poor thing- it was terrible. We sent the kids up to bed and in five minutes the girls were hysterically screaming. Micah delivered the news to me and all we could do was sit and stare and pray as the kids cried and the hamster died. It was terrible. A week later on New Years Eve, with no warning, we found the next one stiff in his food bowl and we cried.
It is fascinating to me how God teaches us to live and cope through daily real life occurrences, preparing us for trials. Kennedy cried every night for over a week, and even after that moved into Jasmine's room because the sound of the hamster rummaging through it's bedding was comforting- the remaining live hamster.
You can imagine the reaction when Chocolate Chip disappeared a week ago. No one got too worked up until three days passed and I announced that he had probably died. Presumably, he climbed into the vent and got lost in the maze, eventually being burned up by the heater. We never smelled him, but I couldn't imagine him surviving after three days. Jasmine's sadness was contagious; I found her by herself sobbing and could feel the inconsolable sadness. It broke my heart. My children have learned to grieve through this process, an invaluable, unteachable life lesson. Thank You, God.
And now a lesson on faith.
Sarah woke me at 6:30 yesterday morning to tell me she heard *rodent noises* in the ceiling panels. I scurried down the stairs and set a trap for the little guy, praying but not believing that it wasn't a mouse, and sat by the wall listening to his scratching and climbing and chewing for an hour. He retreated to sleep early (they're nocturnal) and I went about the laundry and prayed. Elation...? is what I feel right now. Sarah came upstairs this morning with two fuzzy pink socks on her hands holding our hamster, who has travelled from death, we thought, to life! He is safely in his cage napping now. I literally have butterflies in my stomach over bringing him back to Jasmine, who is still sleeping and totally unaware. Last night she prayed that we would find Chocolate Chip and that he wouldn't be dead.
God loves children so much that in this fallen world where there is war and hunger and domestic violence and every kind of evil, He answered our prayers for Chocolate Chip, and for that I will praise Him.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost
Amen
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