Monday Musings

This is my oldest cat. She's Siamese but she kind of breaks a lot of the expectations of a Siamese cat. She's very cuddly and loves to be around people like many Siamese - but she isn't picky about her human companions. It could be a perfect stranger that just walked in. We once had company that accidentally stepped on her and she jumped up on his lap as soon as he sat down. She also is much quieter than the typical Siamese. Since my mom bred them, I was very familiar with the.... shall we say persistent and sometimes very high pitched yowl they can produce? She frequently does something we call the "silent meow." She opens her mouth and looks at you - but no sound comes out. She can and does meow (though not usually loud -unless we're giving her the occasional tuna treat) but those silent meows got me thinking.

I notice and respond to her a lot when she does it. It makes me pay attention. That made me think of a commercial that ran a few years back where there was silence for a while. That got us all looking at the TV too - we had to see what was going on and make sure nothing was wrong with the cable. We've been taught that "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." We have to make a lot of noise to be heard and those making the most noise (and with all the best bells and whistles) must have the best message.

My old Siamese may be unusual but she's purebred. She's the real thing. Sometimes the real thing isn't loud and brash. I think of the story of Elijah. He wanted to hear from the real thing - God. We hear the results of his search in 1Kings chapter 19 verses 11-12:

And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.

I love that! There was a lot of exciting things happening on that mountain ~ huge winds (capable of tearing things apart), earthquakes, and fires... All that so surely you would expect God to come out with some fireworks or at least a voice that would make your ears bleed. What does He do instead? He whispers. I think that is part of who He is - never forcing Himself on anyone and part of this whole philosophy that if the whole world is screaming at you, maybe what you need is a still, small voice.

When I grow up I want to be just like him. :o) (My way of saying I know I don't do this perfectly right now.)