Friday, October 16, 2009

White as Snow

(Response to Maria's Post on Life Lessons)

Years ago while living alone in NYC, I was invited to dinner at a new friend's house. She had a wonderful husband, three lovely children, one small dog, and three cats, all living under a small roof.  While I, on the other hand, had no one; no husband, no children, no pets... absolutely no one to love and no one that loved me.  Was I jealous? Of course!  But I knew my time would come one day.  Little did I know that it would start on that day.

While she finished dinner, I made myself comfortable playing with her kids, and watching her pets.  Immediately, an adorable white kitten with sorrowful, green eyes walked up to me.  I thought she was very unique.  I mentioned how lovely she was as she crawled up on my lap, wanting her fur stroked.  My friend said, "Isn't she pretty? Sad thing is, I found her in a box just outside my door.  Apparently, someone terrorized her by pouring pink paint all over her.  I bathed her and cut away the paint.  You should have seen her then, she was so frightened."  As I listened, I was shocked at such cruelty.

"She's taken a liking to you," my friend said, "you know I'm looking for a home for her."  "As you can see, I have plenty to take care of; do you want her?"

I never really had a pet growing up, so I didn't know much about them, especially cats.  I paused, "What's her name?" "Snowball" she said.  After much thought, I told her I would take her, but that I would shorten her name to Snow.  "It suits her" my friend smiled.  I took her home with me that very night.

When I got home, I was unsure if I had made the right decision.  Snow looked around, walking through the entire apartment, finally making herself at home, on a corner of the leather couch.  She reminded me more of a dog;  waiting everyday by the door.  It took me a few months to get used to her.  I'd find her white hair everywhere! Especially on my black clothes.  She clawed at every furniture piece I had.  She'd climb up on the table, dressers, kitchen cabinets and take her long naps there.  Sometimes she'd even watch me sleep.  It was a little creepy.  Until that one day, that changed everything.
 
I remember coming home after a hard day at work.  All the stress of everything going wrong in my life had piled up on my heart and weighed me down.  Closing the door behind me, I fell to my knees and sobbed.  I prayed to God for strength, for a companion, and forgiveness for all that I had done wrong in life.  I asked Him to wash my sins away, quoting His word,  '... though my sins are as scarlet, let them be white as snow; though they are like crimson, let them be like wool.'  Isaiah 1:18
 
As I repeated the words, Snow leaned up on me, and caressed me while I was still on the floor.  My prayer was interrupted by this tiny piece of God's love.  I looked up at Snow with tears in my eyes and smiled.  I realized then, that she was no coincidence.  Her torture had been my torture.  Her sorrow had been my sorrow.  Snow was the loving gift God gave me, just to remind me that I was in His thoughts, that He had already washed my sins away and made them white as snow.
 
 
What has God given you to remind you that you're in His thoughts?

10 comments:

Tabitha Bird said...

Beautiful about the kitty. I have a little chihuahua who is a constant reminder of all things little and nice. And a constant companion.

Unknown said...

What a sweet post, Ellie! Your kitty is beautiful - truly a gift from God. Not a coincidence that you names her Snow! Love the Isaiah passage you quoted! Have a great weekend! :)

Veronica and Thomas said...

We never know when God is going to show his face and give us what we're asking for. The best thing of all is when it comes in the way we least expect.

Stephanie said...

Beautiful! God has given me connections to beautiful people like you Ellie.

Susan R. Mills said...

You never cease to amaze me with your heartfelt posts. I did a post in May about wanting to give up, and over the next week or two, God sent me so many signs not to. They were obvious signs too, not ones I could interpret how I wanted to. God shows us things in the most subtle of ways. We just have to be open to seeing them.

Ellie Kings said...

Tabitha- ooh a chihuahua! They can be a little feisty huh? At least my aunt's were. :) But they're good little ones!

Maria- Welcome to my blog. And Thanks! Your post gave me the inspiration for this post.

Veronica- So true! That also played out with my true love, as you can see from my earlier post.

Stephanie- Thank you, I feel the same way. I've met such lovely people here when I thought blogging was just about writing. But it's so much more than that, isn't it?!

Susan- Too sweet! And I must agree, my whole life has been about signs. I think we all at one point or another feel a sense of failure or the impossibility of things. But we know whom we serve and with Him all things are possible!

Re: God's subtle ways? Well, I feel this sums it up-

... And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and shattered the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
1 Kings 19:11-12

Enjoy your weekend Ladies!

MeganRebekah said...

What a sweet post!
My two dogs keep me company (and sane), while I trudge through life. I like seeing them as a reminder of God's love and promises to us!

Ellie Kings said...

Thanks Megan... they are such a comfort aren't they?!

Tamika: said...

What a lovely post!

God does really care enough to never leave us alone! What a precious kitty!

God gave me friends like each of you to share His goodness with.

Happy writing...

Ellie Kings said...

Thanks Tamika! I know this to be true. We always have a friend in God! You're all such special friends.