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The red digits of my alarm clock informed me it was 3:20 am and I rolled over and groaned for being awake again. I had awoke abruptly around midnight as I recognized the sound of the trap snapping. We had obviously caught another unwelcome mouse in our home, but I didn't get up to confirm the noise, I just wanted to go back to sleep. I did, but not very well. My alarm was set to go off at 3:30 am, so I suppose the blessing was my husband wouldn't have to hear the alarm go off and be awakened so early by its sound. Early mornings are something I enjoy, but not 3:30 am; however I had volunteered to drive my daughter to the airport to catch a morning flight. I quietly got up, canceled the alarm and slipped on my slippers.
When I got to the kitchen and turned on the stove light to make certain that we indeed did trap the mouse, I was startled that I didn't see the trap at all in the kitchen. So then I questioned if I actually even heard the snapping trap – after all, it had been at midnight and I don't always think clearly being awakened at that hour! But wait, I kept hearing a scuffling, scratching noise coming from the hall near the guest room so I walked in and turned on the light. Puzzled by not seeing the source of the noise, I stood and listened again for a minute. It was silent...that is until I turned out the light, then the noise started again. OK, I thought, it's coming from the guest bathroom then. The hall was now dark, but when I reached the bathroom I definitely sensed the noise was coming from inside this room. I reached into the bathroom without stepping onto the tile and flipped the light switch on. I shivered as soon as I spotted the source of the noise. We caught the mouse -but only by its tail!
The poor rodent was trying to run as fast as it could while that heavy trap was hindering his movement. I dislike mice and am skittish around them. I'm partially OK with seeing them if I have boots on that go up to my thighs and I'm standing on a chair with a broom – none of which I had at that moment. My husband usually takes care of the traps and their disposals if we have to set them to catch mice – I don't even like to see them. I'll confess, I'm a little wimpy in this area. I know I've got other girlfriends out there whom would say they need their boots, chairs, and brooms with mice too!
The mouse had made progress in traveling a distance from where the trap was set, but on the slick surface of that bathroom floor it was getting nowhere fast. The energy it was using to try and try and try....but wasting all effort.....running......and not moving. I wondered if it was fearful, I mean the trap was longer than its entire body, but only had a clamp on its tail. That looked painful to me. Or maybe it wasn't fearful, maybe just frustrated. I usually am when I can't get to where I need to go. I had to give it credit for getting as far as it did - mighty! I left the light on and closed the bathroom door so that my fearless husband would remove the mouse from our house. My daughter warned me that if I left it, I could return home with a tailless mouse in the house! I left a note on the kitchen whiteboard for my husband in regards to the runaway mouse whom was in the bathroom and left for the airport.
Of course this experience had to work its way into my heart over the next couple of days. I remembered the cute little mouse character from a book I read as a child - written by Beverly Cleary entitled “Runaway Ralph”. To have seen this live mouse trapped, yet still alive, along with blended sweet memories of a story book character I read about made me think. I did some giggling over my own silliness and some pondering. I thought of how tired the mouse must have been from running with a weight behind him. It was at that point that I recalled some certain times in my own life where I felt trapped by circumstances that kept me captive to some unchecked emotions for a bit. Perhaps you can recall some of those times in your past as well - maybe you are experiencing a time of distress now? We don't ask for or welcome these times, but they still come. At times, without realizing it, we try to run desperately in our own strength and never seem to get anywhere - that is until we eventually get worn out. That's usually when we either make a decision to ask God to help us and believe He will, or we remain trapped in defeat and misery.
That mighty little mouse in my house surely didn't allow its circumstances to totally defeat its desire to move forward. You and I don't have to either! I've witnessed family, friends, and acquaintances in life do the same thing. Life isn't always easy is it? But yet, through faith in a mighty God, we can take steps to move forward despite any circumstance. It doesn't even matter if our faith is little or great, only that we place it in the finished work of Jesus. I'm so grateful to a mighty God who never leaves us alone on our journey - this place is only temporary!
I continue to learn that ignoring and/or running from people, problems, or our circumstances never makes them change. What about you? Are you running from something? God brings the power to change and overcome! We can do our part with what He asks of us, but ultimately He does the changing and has from the beginning of time. He sees us when we're tired and feeling trapped for various reasons and wants us to draw near to Him. It's only when we intentionally choose to place our confidence in His power and His timing that we can truly experience His peace and rest. A scripture came to mind that I love which speaks of running without growing tired and weary. If you are tired today or feeling a little trapped, let me encourage you to remember and place your hope in God who never grows tired - He gives us strength to keep going! Isaiah 40: 28-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
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