No Room in the Inn

About a month ago, a young lady came upon our garage in a snowstorm. She was cold, wet, dirty, homeless and very hungry. Since this young one was alone in the world, The Hubster and I took her in. We gave her a warm place to sleep in our basement and fed her. Soon, it was apparent that this young lady was with child, er...children.

You see, this young lady is a partially feral black-and-white cat. We named her Socks. Last Tuesday night, after just a couple of hours of labor, Miss Socks gave birth to four sweet and healthy kittens! Since we had never witnessed a feline birth, The Hubster and I researched the subject on the internet and prepared a birthing spot with supplies in the basement. We wanted a warm, clean and calm place for Socks to give birth.

Cats have minds of their own, though, so Socks chose a small dirt crawlspace under wooden shelves with shredded newspapers and a couple of Dillons bags. The kittens seem fine and healthy, no worse for wear. Socks took right to motherhood. She feeds and cleans them and keeps them warm. Socks also seems to be aware that we are helping her, so she greets us when we enter the room, allows us to pet her and view the kittens. Hopefully she will move them to a more suitable location soon. I will keep you updated.

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Saturday marked the spring equinox and, because God has a quirky sense of humor, He sent a huge snowstorm! That's right, down here in Ark City we had at least six inches of wet, sloppy spring snow to contend with. And I thought that we had all that stuff we needed for the year. The snow boots had to come out for one last blast before next fall. Thankfully, it melted so quickly I didn't need to shovel the sidewalks. You know how much I love to do that!

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I taught the high school Sunday School class on Sunday morning. Trying to come up with new and unique perspectives on Bible subjects is a challenge that I enjoy. Hanging out with teenagers recharges your batteries. They provoke, they inspire, they drive you nuts, but it's all for growth...yours and theirs.

I taught on Jeremiah 1: 4-9 "Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, [5] Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. [6] Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.[7] But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. [8] Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. [9] Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth."

I love to think about this passage. Wherever you are in life, whatever your past, no matter your age, God has a plan for your life and you have His Seal of Approval. Good stuff!

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I am remembering The Hubster's Granny Moore today. She passed away one year ago. What a lovely, strong woman. Granny was smart, funny, a great cook and terrific gardener. I loved to spend time just talking with her. She was well-read, too. Do you have strong women in your life?

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Momala's Book Club: I finished "Boo Humbug" by Rene Gutteridge last week. Have you read any of her books? They are so funny and engaging. This Christian fiction writer lives in Oklahoma City, and doesn't knock you over the head with her faith. It's gentle and real. I have the complete "Boo" series of books and now hope to read some of her other books.

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I started a Facebook page for the Cowley County Writers Guild. This page will provide information for members on meeting times and activities and also bring a weekly writing tip. You don't have to be a writer or even be a local to be a "friend" on Facebook. Check it out!

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Exercise Update: I did three aerobic workouts last week and only two sets of hand-weight calisthenics. I did a lot of vacuuming and scrubbing in the house and church this week, so I count that as exercise, too.

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Notable Quote:

"Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow."--Jeff Valdez