“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” Mark Twain

Old, New Noises (find the spiritual lesson?)

In the past week or so, my house has been making strange sounds. Actually, to be more precise, I've been HEARING them for the past week or so. I'd guess they've always been there, but I didn't realize it.

We haven't lived in our current house too terribly long--just eight months. But one would probably think that if my house made odd noises, I would have noticed before now. But I didn't. And there's actually a logical explanation for it.

You see, up until a week ago last Saturday, we had a cat. Her name was Squeak (because that was the only sound she made), and she had free range of the house. She climbed  and perched in likely every corner of this house, making all kinds of "exploring noises" as she went - patters, crunches (of paper and other things she might have been stepping on), rubs, and creaks.

Well, last Saturday, we took Squeak to the vet because she just wasn't herself. In fact, it ended up she was so sick we had to put her down. None of us were very happy about this (Marc and I got her as a kitten just a couple years into our marriage, so we've had her almost as long as we've had each other), but we've adjusted.

But for the past week, I've heard noises coming from various parts of the house. My first thought is always, "Oh, Squeak is wandering around," but it can't be her. I'll be sitting alone in my chair--the kids at school, my husband napping--and I hear it. No possibility it could be anybody else.

So, I'm convinced these noises have been happening since we moved in--I just didn't notice them because I assumed they were Squeak. The noises were there--I just had a logical rationale for what was causing them.

And now it's confession time: I KNOW there must be a very cool spiritual principle in here somewhere, but today, it's not coming to me. So that's where you come in. What's YOUR takeaway from my little story here? There may just be a bit of a surprise for someone who comments with the best "moral of the story." (You have until Friday, by the way)


Paving Rough Roads With God's Presence

7 comments:

  1. Houses can make some funny noises for sure. It amazes me how I can be up all day and not pay any attention but as soon as the lights are out and I'm lying in bed, I'm instantly aware of all the subtle sounds the house makes. I'm not sure what the spiritual principle is from the story. But I do believe it illustrates that there are always more things going on around us that we're aware. And it takes being free of distractions and tuning in to see and hear what's been there all the time but you've missed.

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  2. So sorry about your Squeak:(. I'll ponder this a little.

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  3. Maybe because of the way you titled it, I went in reading this with my God glasses on, but, here's what I've pulled from it.

    There are many times, how many I don't even want to guess (way more than we think), when God is making noises in our lives. A nudge over here. A "whoa" over there. A quieting noise over here. And we just plain don't hear it, or recognize it as God, because we've got so many other things we can attribute it to. A traffic jam that kept you from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. While going to a crying baby in the night, you realize your basement is starting to flood (happened to me). A somber sunset, one hardly remarkable, but it settles you- and you don't even realize you've been settled.

    If we didn't have the distractions of our life "squeak"s, then we'd be more attuned to God's noises, at least for a while- until they became white noise again.

    My two cents (with (arrow up to sky) help).

    Thanks for the unintentional reminder to pay attention to all the noises in my life.

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  4. Jo, I am so sorry about the loss of your kitty. We have two beloved cats, so I really can relate.

    I was thinking this morning about how we as Christians often assume we know, so we don't investigate further. Here's a verse we are all accustomed to and we are sure we understand the exact meaning of it.

    Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD has made;
    Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

    But I came across it recently, and do you know I think on reading it in context it may actually have more to do with salvation than with my day to day affairs?

    Thanks for letting us share, God bless!

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  5. I'll go back and read the other comments after this, but here's my take:

    Too often we attribute things to others that should be attributed to God, but because we can "logically" explain things away with another explanation, we do. But when those other options are gone that leaves us with the One Who's been there all along: God.

    Btw: So sorry about Squeak. It's so hard to lose an animal we love!!

    Hugs!!

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  6. I am so so sorry about Squeak. I cannot imagine losing my darling cat.

    Hmmm. What this spoke to me was that at times we can attribute things to things that are not necessarily the one making the noise. Maybe you kept thinking it was Squeak all those times when really it was the house. I guess it goes to show how sometimes our perceptions are not what we think at times. Also that sometimes one thing can distract us from something else and one day...we get surprised :o)

    Much food for thought Joanne!

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  7. Oh, I'm sure there's some great application as well, but i'll defer to everyone else. Chemo brain you know. Sorry about Squeaks. I'm sure you miss him.

    peace~elaine

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Thanks for stopping by. I would love to hear your thoughts - please share them!

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