Married to the Empire

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Joy Comes in the Morning



That picture above pretty well sums up my days lately. With a sick cat, laundry seems to be my life now. And if you look closely, you'll see a stuffed rabbit in the washer. Calvin nailed a treasured childhood toy that my aunt handmade for me. Thankfully, Bunny survived the washing machine, which I figured to be my only real option in cleaning her up after an attack of the Cat Who Wants to Potty on Soft Things.

And nothing is sacred. I discovered last night that he nailed the undersuit to Steven's stormtrooper armor. I had to wash it twice to get the smell out, it was that bad. Steven was less than pleased when I told him about it.

Yesterday I just felt beaten down. This cat's illness is costing us more than just vet bills. Just this week I've had to purchase a waterproof mattress pad for the bed in the guest room, as well as a new memory-foam pillow for Steven. I was in a hurry the other night because we were going to visit one of our youth group kiddos in the hospital, and I accidentally forgot to close the bedroom door. Calvin found Steven's pillow...

I haven't been sleeping well lately. I guess it's just the stress and worry of it all. But last night I slept hard for the first time in a few days, and I realized (again) the truth of this verse:

Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.


It's amazing how a good night's sleep can change perspective. I was beaten down yesterday and frustrated with the whole situation, but today, I'm in a much better mood. (Of course, it helps that we made it through the night without any new surprises from the cat.) And as I'm seeking patience with a cat who can't help being sick, I'm reminded of the great patience God has for me. I need to be a reflection of Him in dealing with life's unpleasantries, rather than grumbling and feeling irritated. And that joy in the morning? Yet another reminder to enjoy the gifts I have here and now. Calvin won't be here forever, obviously. I need to appreciate his presence in my life right now, in spite of the extra work and expense he causes lately.

4 comments:

Thirsty said...

(((AnneMarie)))

Beth said...

I needed to read this today. Time to get a better perspective on my life, too.

Catherine @ Frugal Homemaker Plus said...

Oh Anne Marie. How much you're going through! My pets are my darlings as well, and it's SO hard when they're sick, and even worse when you know it's towards the end of their season on Earth. Thanks for sharing your journey with the world!

Allison said...

"And as I'm seeking patience with a cat who can't help being sick, I'm reminded of the great patience God has for me."

Amen, amen, amen!