"FROM THE OLD HOME PLACE "

There are memories that stick through out life, and for me one of those is my mother’s cats. She always enjoyed having one around. At times they served their purpose, and at times they were a nuisance.
I have always been the type to like a good chuckle, and a was able to enjoy several at the expense of Mom’s cats, although never in a way to hurt them or cause harm.
One very cold winter day in the hills of West Virginia, the apple tree just outside the basement door was covered with a sheet of ice from the ground up. Someone opened the door just a crack for some reason, and the cat took advantage to escape. Just like a bolt of lightening, the old cat was out and hit the tree trunk thinking she could make it on up before being caught. Well, the moment she hit the layer of ice, she knew it was all over – her claws cut twenty nice little grooves in the ice as she slid back down within easy reach. So much for that try....
Another thing I remember was the old cat chasing her tail, and I’ll have to admit that I would occasionally tease her into it. All of this makes me think of the way things get sometimes in our Christian lives – chasing ‘round and ‘round, and never quite catching the loose end of the thing.
Never in human history have we had such an availability of “labor saving devices”: washing machines, dish washers, telephones that we carry where ever we go, computers that allow us to shop and pay bills without leaving our “office at home”. At the same time, there has never been a time in history when so many people suffered from stress related illnesses – all of this “easy life” is taking its toll. We don’t exercise as we should, we entertain ourselves to saturation, and only leave our homes to search for something new in the line of entertainment. We make debts that we have trouble controlling because the “new toys” that promise satisfaction and relief from our boredom are increasingly more expensive. Once I was trying to help a friend who was wrapped up in this “tailspin”. Finally, I came to the conclusion that he was a “rainbow-chaser” because from the moment he achieved this latest milestone, he totally lost interest in it, and would look for another challenge. To this day, he has never reached a productive contentment.
Let’s step back and look at life. The author of Hebrews gave some timely advice when he suggested under inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:5,6)
This in no since of the word can be misconstrued to say that God wants us to return to living “in the stone-age”. It DOES mean, however, that to achieve peace of heart, mind and spirit, we must rediscover what is true entertainment to be able to get away from just “chasing our tails”, and get on with what it really means to live. To really LIVE has at its core, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1Cor. 10:31) Otherwise, just like Moḿs cat on the ice-covered tree trunk, you’re going to get trapped!

JSturgill
08/31/2007
Vol.1 - No.2

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