I spent my morning taking care of a mouse.
Not one of those house trained, loves people, pet ones. No, I am pretty sure this little critter was minding its own business in the great outdoors when it unknowingly ran into our cat Roo judging by the lack of full body movement.
The boys and I saw him on our way out the door to school this morning just lying on the concrete. We all took turns petting him softly and speaking gently to him but I knew that his being there so still and heavily breathing was not a great sign. And after running a few errands and getting back to the house, still seeing him at the same place that we had left him, my thoughts were confirmed. And then out of left field, the oddest feeling came over me.
I was going to take care of him.
I was going to help Gus Gus. (Yes, I did name him and yes, this does make me a Disney princess.)
You see, I had already had one of “those” mornings. A night without sleep and a morning full of bad and unwanted news. A text that read my uncle had passed away during the night and a husband who had just landed hundreds of miles away to attend a dear friend’s funeral. So it’s not like taking care of an injured rodent was on my radar. None of it was on my radar.
I did not imagine myself sitting in my front yard, no makeup, pouring water into my hand so a little country mouse could take a drink. And alas, there I was for at the very least an hour or so.
Just me and Gus Gus… and a plethora of neighbors who are now for certain that I have lost my mind.
I wanted to write a little something from my heart today. Some update about the book, some funny story from our lives, some insight into my new position at a company I really believe in. But those aren’t the words that came out. I want to tell you instead about a little mouse who was injured and hurting and in need of help and I got to sit with him - I got to help Gus Gus if even for a few hours… and he was worth it.
The whole situation reminded me of a story I have seen in the scriptures.
The passage in Matthew chapter 10 starts off with Jesus sending out His disciples to proclaim the good news into all of the unbelieving towns (not the ones who had already confessed their belief). He told them not to fear what they would face even though it might look grim or bring about insurmountable pain and uncertainty. Instead, He encouraged them saying:
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”(Matthew 10:28-31)
It might not be so obvious why my current situation would have any similarity with this passage being as I am not a sojourner in some foreign city facing possible persecution and rejection. And to that, you are right. I am blessed to disagree agreeably about religious beliefs and views and have the ability to speak audibly about God without fear of death.
But I am still facing death.
Death in small things and in large ones. Death in close relationships and in some far off.
And I imagine God is seated just as I was this morning.
Unbothered by the tasks that weren’t getting done because sitting there with Gus Gus while he was hurting, attending to his needs, was the most important thing.
That poor mouse, he was probably terrified. Unsure if I was helping or wanting to hurt him more. Unsure if every time I left it would be for a moment or for good. Unsure if I would just pass him by because I loved our cat more. And that mouse, that mouse has been me more times than I care to admit, with a God who is working while we are hurting.
Unsure of His will and its “goodness”. Unsure if He left me somewhere in the process to fend for myself. Unsure if He has other people that He loves more that need more help than I do right now. It all sounds silly but it is true. Every word. We think this.
We think that a busy God doing all the things can’t possibly have time to just sit with us when we are mourning or hurting - but He does. He does because we matter to Him. Each and every one of us. He even has our hairs (or lack thereof) counted.
He cares about the mice of the field and the sparrows of the air. And friend, He cares about you, too. You have His attention.
Let Him sit with you today.
- XOXO Sissy
1 Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.”