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Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Acceptance (01/12/04)
TITLE: A New Pair of Socks
By Allen Clupny
01/17/04
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I may never know why my wife and I went looking for a cat. But God knew and there at the pet shop the feline lay curled up in his bed; gray head resting comfortably on his white front paws. The sign on his cage read “Name: Socks. Age: Three years, Gender: Male. Other: Litter box trained (Whew Hoo!). Up to date for shots.”

I was a bit nervous bringing a cat into our house. As a boy, I had severe allergies that developed into a medical condition. The thing is… getting a cat was my idea! Well, enough self-pity.

Since Socks arrival I have been watching my wife and two kids adjust to him over the last few days. While observing I discovered a process; presence leads to acknowledgement, acknowledgement precedes acceptance, which is followed by embracing. But to get to each step, someone (cat or person) has to choose to move on.

After bringing him to the house, we mostly just felt his presence. His stealthiness prevented us from seeing him much, but we knew he was somewhere near. After a bit he began to reveal himself. When his eyes met ours, we would stop and he would acknowledge us by staring. Then he would retreat to one of his hiding places, which left one or more of us standing there, looking quite silly. As time past he would stop and say “Meow.” I think he meant, “Oh, it’s you again. Hey, can someone show me around?” We were accepted as part of his life. But God never intended relationships to simply end at acceptance. He intended us to embrace one another. That’s what we wanted with Socks, but he was reluctant.

The funny thing is, we are just as reluctant to embrace a loving God even though he is fully ready to do the same for us. We know he is present, later we acknowledge him, then we come to accept the fact that he exists. But when we come to know him, from then on we can embrace him and we come to know his puurrrfect love.

Oh yeah, Socks is fully a part of our… home.