Lady REDEEMED

Dear readers,

It is testimony time. That has a nice ring to it perhaps it will become a new category or theme for a special series on the blog…In any case, on to the story…a story of felines and cherry blossoms…and what do those things have in common? One Almighty amazing God who as believers call both Lord, and Father. Settle in now and enjoy the wonder and grace in this story…

The Feline:

The first miracle we will talk about is the miracle of Rosie Posie, my precious Siamese whose life was spared after a very dramatic and terrifying health scare. About 3 weeks ago and only a few days after my birthday, Rosie Posie began to fall when walking across the bed…it was simple stumbling, and we at first thought it was a spinal injury caused by our young kitten pouncing on her. Cue a couple of 1 AM vet visits and several nights with little sleep as we watched her simple stumbling turn into ataxia, incoordination, keeling over to the side, practically immobilized, and nystagmus (rapid abnormal, uncontrollable movements of the eyes). The next day was Sunday, and we wound up having the vet call us urgently with scary words like blood clot. From this appointment things only got scarier. Her creatine kinase, which is an enzyme released when muscles are damaged, was through the roof. It is supposed to be no more than 380….hers was over 3800; I am not exaggerating. Another blood test, with scary words like heart, brain, and muscle damage written on the paper as possibilities. She got a diagnosis of vestibular disorder, which was either the result of idiopathic causes (meaning they don’t know what caused it), or a brain tumor. Since she is Siamese, a brain tumor was more likely). She recovered swiftly after the 72 hour mark of symptom onset, so we were feeling hopeful. A week after her emergency vet visit, as we had finally breathed a sigh of relief that her symptoms were almost gone, we got an email from the veterinarian. The creatine kinase had come primarily from her brain, meaning that something horrible had happened to my kitty’s brain…major muscle damage. Words like brain tumor, stroke, meningitis, and encephalitis were thrown out, and an MRI was recommended. This past Wednesday we went back to see the vet to get the MRI they had recommended (disclaimer, we live in Japan as we have been stationed overseas, and procedures are a lot less expensive than in the US). To our shock, after a physical exam, the vet said he did not think she would benefit from an MRI because her symptoms had resolved; he rechecked her creatine kinase. To our amazement, it was well within normal limits (in the 200 range). To her bemusement I pulled her out of her carrier and squeezed her in my arms with joy. Picture below (be sure to take a look at those cute polydactyl mitten paws).

It felt like God had done a miracle and spared my precious kitty, and I believe He did. In any case, I glorified Him for her life, and the compassion that He had on her as well as myself. Before going further, I will say this. I sought the throne of grace for that kitty’s life. Every day I laid my hands on her and asked God to heal whatever was wrong with her, and let us have her for a while longer (she’s currently 7). I also thanked Him for the time that He had given me with her, and the blessing that she had been…such a bearer of His grace. We are fortunate to have friends who loved her enough to come and lay hands on her and pray for her as well. I will pray for anything that breathes, and God has given us dominion over all creation. I was ready to face losing her as sorrowful as that thought made me, but I would have been amiss not to ask. As one of our dear chaplain friends reminded me so kindly, “God loves and has a plan for Posie’s life too”. Yes indeed, the heart of our Creator is tender and endeared towards everything that He has given breath, even the smallest of creeping things…even the Creatures that were not made in His image as we have been. He also ordains every step of these little creatures lives, however short the span of it. Don’t let the hardened convince you that He does not care about every little thing, especially if it burdens His children. Let that reminder endear Him to you, and help you rush to His throne with the smallest of troubles and the humblest of praise. So God in His mercy spared Rosie Posie and gladdened my heart.

Cherry blossoms: Fast forward to today, and just as is the nature of life and it’s trouble, anxiety of a different kind overtook my heart, and in response I took a walk; it was the perfect combination of physical movement, alone time with the Lord, and being refreshed by the beauty of His creation. As I walked, I cried out to him amidst my anxiety, and I praised Him for how far we had already come together on this journey…the journey of Lady Redeemed being ransomed and loved and made new by Jesus…a journey that I will be on (as all Christians are) until we meet Him face to face. As I walked I asked Him to let someone encourage me through a message, but oddly enough what I really needed was a hug from someone, and He knew that even when I didn’t. Instead of getting the text message I had asked for, out walks a friend from the chapel who is involved in one of the ministries. I flung my arms around her and began telling her what had happened. Together we shared the amazement of His providence in all the little details to make the encounter happen. Not only was she not supposed to be at chapel that day…she had forgotten her sunglasses and turned around to go get them…I never would have seen her had not left them. She was walking out just as I rounded the corner…

The story of cherry blossoms reminds us that God is as much involved in the seemingly insignificant as He is in the most sweeping issues that we care about. The God of healing is also the Creator of cherry blossoms…even without the addition of a perfectly timed hug from a Christian friend…we must get to the point where we are amazed by the fact that He makes cherry blossoms to bloom. We must learn to live with childlike amazement and faith that our Father, the Creator of the world, cares for us and Created all things as an expression of His glory. All things magnify the Father’s name…though we so often dishonor it. As Paul says, “his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20, ESV).

We were made to lead Creation in the praise though so often we forget how to sing the tune as we become bogged down in other, lesser things. I do not scold you my friends, for we all wrestle, as the cares and pleasures of this world vie for our attention. I tell you this story that you may see His love made manifest in all things, and His glory in everything He has made…kitties, cherry blossoms…you…

May you glorify the God of every creation, every good and perfect gift…the Holy Lord worthy of it all simply because He is Himself…

Father would you open our eyes to see your glory, your majesty, your kindness…your fingerprint in everything that you have made…may we see miracles and have the fresh wonder of children. May you invigorate all who read this that they may bloom just as you make flowers to bloom…in Jesus name, Amen.

With very great love,

~Lady Redeemed