I have been doing some praying about animals for ... well, a long time
now. Towards the end of October of last year, I had a sudden insight
that we should adopt a kitten from a nearby animal shelter. I asked
my husband "can we do this?" And we went to the shelter and fell in
love with two kittens. Two different litters. Best buddies in their
cage. Just having a joyful time tusseling. And my 2 sons and I fell
in love with these dear things. I said to my husband, "can we adopt
both?" And we did!! It all happened within about 48 hours. These
two dear little ones have been such a delight in our home and they
bring tons of love and laughter and joy into our home. God just
unfolded this for us so spectacularly. And we are so grateful! A
dear child stayed with us every other weekend for several weeks while
her folks were deployed in Libya and she just had such a wonderful
time giggling with the kittens too. She'd had a challenge with
missing her parents terribly. We Skyped with them a lot; and the
kittens just seemed to lift her up. I know it's the gratitude and
love ... and it may sound so trivial, but I read the stories from
where these two bundles of fur came from, and I am overjoyed with
gratitude that we could "rescue" them.
A day or two ago, my 5 year old son and I found a baby turtle going
through his Pre-Kindergarten's parking lot. Jareth fell in love and
wanted to keep it. I said, "sure!" (I love turtles.) (At a Methodist
Church near to us.) Someone walked past as I held this dear turtle to
show the children, and she said they are illegal in Virginia. She
said she has flushed them down the toilet upon occasion because they
are illegal. And they carry a disease. I got a container and put it
in the container. Now, I know full well that Christian Scientists are
law abiding citizens. So I told the moms I would take it to either
the police or to a shelter and make sure the dear thing was protected
and taken care of. I realized, as I got in the car, that there is an
animal hospital nearly next door to where we were. I drove there,
praying. Just knowing that it is a baby and a joy and loved and
cherished, and it can find food and it will be taken care of. The vet
said that it's an turtle indigenous to Virginia, and it's a snapping
turtle. She showed me that the turtle is likely to grow into quite a
sizable size animal. Rather amazingly enormous, actually, and I had
thought perhaps it was a snapping turtle (the pointed-downward "beak"
look of the mouth) - and she said, "it may not snap now, but it will
snap later and really hurt you." (She said that to my son.)
So we drove it back next to the parking lot -- to a marshy area near
where we'd found it (this was perfect, she said - they love marshy
areas). And we released it. It sat there quietly in the sun. And I
snapped some cute pictures. I assured my son we'll get a nice baby
turtle at some point. And he said it's probably not a good idea to
have a baby turtle with the cats we have anyway -- he doesn't want to
have the turtle get out and the cats hurt it.
This morning, when I drove him back to PreK - I prayed (again) about
the turtle.
I worked with this idea from Science and Health with Key to the
Scriptures by Mrs. Eddy:
" ... this idea cannot injure its useful surroundings ..."
The full quote is on p. 463
It's got the side heading of "Spiritual Obstetrics"
Teacher and student should also be familiar with the
obstetrics taught by this Science. To attend properly
the birth of the new child, or divine idea,
you should so detach mortal thought from its
material conceptions, that the birth will be natural and
safe. Though gathering new energy, this idea cannot
injure its useful surroundings in the travail of spiritual
birth. A spiritual idea has not a single element of error,
and this truth removes properly whatever is offensive.
The new idea, conceived and born of Truth and Love, is
clad in white garments. Its beginning will be meek, its
growth sturdy, and its maturity undecaying. When
this new birth takes place, the Christian Science infant
is born of the Spirit, born of God, and can cause the
mother no more suffering. By this we know that Truth
is here and has fulfilled its perfect work.
If this dear turtle is in an area where there are homes and children
and church-goers and it's going to grow to such a size ... it cannot
injure its surroundings. I just had this clear glimpse this morning,
and I felt a sense of love for the turtle and for the church-goers and
neighboring homes to the marsh and the children.
Then, I got to thinking about this story:
Acts, Chapter 28
And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island
was called Melita.
And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness:
for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because
of the present rain, and because of the cold.
And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them
on the fire,
there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his
hand.
And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his
hand,
they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer,
whom,
though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not
to live.
And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen
down dead suddenly:
but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm
come to him,
they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
Paul knew that the viper could not injure its surroundings and the
surroundings included Paul!! He knew this so clearly, that he just
shook it off. And he was un-harmed.
And suddenly, after praying about the turtle and loving animals (many
things have been going on between October and this week ... but I
cannot possibly share them all! ~ including a dear friend who rescued
an owl recently) ... I just understood this story about Paul so much
more.
And I felt deeply compelled to share these new insights with all of
you!
