Lessons Learned from Humphrey...

After I was done feeding Gabriel his bottle tonight, I found myself just hugging him tightly and looking into his big, brown eyes. My heart was just overflowing with love for this precious gift. I told him, "Gabriel, Mommy loves you SO very much! I am so thankful that your birthmommy chose me to be your mommy. I pray you will never ever doubt how much you are loved..." And then I just began to pray aloud over him-for God to protect him from any lies the world may throw his way, or any doubts that may flood his mind.

I found myself struggling with that this week-listening to the lies the Enemy was whispering in my ears. He doesn't shout them at you, but rather seems to whisper them so gently and so often that you don't realize you've begun to listen to them and take them to heart.

1 Peter 5:8-11 in the Message version says this: "Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, He does."

I've never seen an actual lion pounce upon someone, but I do have quite a bit of experience watching cats pounce upon their prey. I had the most beautiful cat when I was a teenager: Humphrey Bogart Rutherford the 1st. (We called him Humphrey for short:) I couldn't make it through the living room without him pouncing on my legs and biting the tar out of them! For the longest, I never saw him coming until it was too late, but then I grew wise to his schemes. I would roll up a newspaper and swat it at him as I went through the room. It didn't stop him from TRYING to bite my ankles, but it did stop him from SUCCEEDING!

Humphrey the cat:)

So why the trip down memory line with my little ferocious feline friend? Well, it kind of makes me think of how the Devil tries to speak lies into our hearts. Sometimes, he comes around looking beautiful only to catch us off guard. But, if we stay alert, we can learn how to fight off his schemes. I do want my children to turn to Jesus' Truth and find victory over the Devil's lies, but how can they learn to do that if they don't see that modeled in front of them? It's so easy to listen to the Devil's lies, but I pray I can stand firm in my Jesus and allow Him to speak Truth into my heart. I pray The Lord will drown out the lies of this World, but He can only do that if I will continually turn to Him.

family prayer time with GiGi

Growing up, there was rarely a day that went by that I didn't see my momma spending time in the Word and in prayer. Because of her example, I learned the importance of making Jesus my first priority. I pray I can be that kind of example to my own children, too. As I allow Jesus to speak Truth into my life, I can combat the Enemy's lies, and I can lead by example for my children to do the same. I can't keep the Devil from trying to attack, but I CAN learn how to keep him from succeeding.

Family Prayer Time

Maybe there's some truth to the old saying, "Everything I learned in life, I learned from my cat."  Sort of anyway;-)