I grew up on my Papaw E.O.’s farm. There were two things he and Mamaw Jo always had: a black snake and cats. Papaw kept a black snake in the barn to eat the rats and chase away other snakes. While Mamaw wanted the cats to kill the mice around their house, she also liked them.
There was a huge carport on the side of their house. That’s where mamaw’s cats hung out and I did too, especially in the summer. I would play with and love on them. To be honest, I don’t think they always like that. Anyway, I remember one time when mamaw asked me to go with her to a neighbor house. I grabbed up my favorite cat of hers and hopped into the van. Mamaw told me no to, but I thought it would be okay if I held it since I often carried it around like a baby. After we got out on the road, the cat went berserk. It screeched and jumped from my arms. Then it hid ran under the very back seat. I tried to get it to come to me, but it wouldn’t budge. It took us a long time to get it out. After that, mamaw wanted me to leave her cats alone for a while.
Of course, I whined about it. I must’ve moaned more than I realized because my mom did something I didn’t ever think she would do: she brought home two Persian cats that were to be house cats. Why did that surprise me? Because I had asked her for a house cat for years and she always said: “No!” I named them Thomasina and Baby Doll. For the next few weeks, everything went okay until I woke up in the middle of the night and I was whizzing and gasping for air. I don’t know who was more scared; me or my mom. Never before had I ever experienced anything like that. My breathing finally eased. Early the next morning, my mom took me to the doctor’s office. He told her it was a severe allergy attack and asked if there was anything different at the house that could’ve triggered it. I shrugged and answered: “No, I don’t think so.” I promptly asked: “What about the cats?” The doctor turned to my mom and said: “They have to go.” He went on to say that the cats being in the house with me all the time had overloaded my system and I was now allergic to them.
“Wherefore if they hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them form thee: it is better for thee to enter into: life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Matthew 18:8 (KJV)
Fortunately, my mom had a friend who took the cats. Even though they went to a good home, I had gotten attached to the cats and I hated to see them given away. But, I knew they were not worth my health or my life. I believe that is what the verse about is saying. There is nothing on this earth that is worth keeping us from having an eternal life with the Lord. Nothing.
As for my Mamaw Jo, she should’ve been thankful that I was playing with her cats instead of the snake in papaw’s barn. I bet she wouldn’t have liked that if I brought it in the van.
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.