Misunderstood



      This tiny mouse was on my back porch two days ago. He was so small that he could barely walk- he sort of hobbled along. In a vain attempt to rescue him, I warmed up a little bit of milk and set it out by him in a tiny tupperware lid. He ran away.
      For an hour, my cat watched the window and licked her lips, the adorable mouse scouring the porch for something to eat. All along, I felt absolutely helpless. If he wouldn't accept my help, how would he ever find his way back into the woods?
      I called my mother at work, who said that she would be coming home soon anyway- I decided that she would figure out what to do, for sure.
      After leaving and then returning again, I heard via my brother the sad story of the pitiful mouse. My mother had attempted to save him by picking him up and carrying him down to our backyard, but he had run away from her and fallen through the cracks of our deck to the cement nine feet below. After a period of recovery, he disappeared.
      We are unsure of his fate.
      *Cue tragic credits music*
      Really, though, it was a sad sight to behold. All I wanted to do was help the poor thing, and he ran away from me. Sadder still, he reminded me of myself. 
      
      Lauren, darling, won't you please pray for awhile? I want to bring rest to your weary soul.
      Pray? I'm too tired to pray. 
      Please, dear, just give a little bit extra in church today. I'll bless you more abundantly than you can imagine. 
      I can't afford to give any extra this week. Sorry. 
      Smile at that man across the cereal aisle, Lauren. He needs some cheering up. 
      What if he gets the wrong idea? There's no way that You're asking me to do that. I must be imagining things.

      God tries to bless me every day in more ways than I can count, but all too often I ignore Him, trying to make it through life on my own. And sometimes, like this past week, I fall flat on my face after attempting to live in my own strength.
      Christianity takes a good deal of trust and a heavy dose of surrender, and unless we're willing to give those to our Creator, He can't help us. We're bound for the cement below the cracks.

"Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return." Job 15:31

"But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'" Psalm 31:14