Be Careful

This is a sketch of a bad rabbit.

My rabbit.

I am angry with my rabbit.

He was bad.

I am mad.

The bunny ate 1/2 a page from my Bible.

It was not my fault.

It was the bunny's.

I am not speaking to the bunny.


Okay - now that you are done laughing....I am still upset.  My Bible was not on the floor.  It was on my desk next to my art table!!   Tom and I went out to run errands.  While we were gone the bunny, who is a litter trained house rabbit,  apparently got up on my desk chair and jumped on my desk.  He nibbled three other art papers on my art table and then proceeded to eat half a page from Romans  (Guess he likes Italian food.)

Tom's reaction...."He's a rabbit!"
My reaction...."He's rabbit stew!"   Not really - but I'm still steamed. And Tom is right.  The bunny nibbles ALL.  DAY.  LONG.   That's why we have cord protectors on the electrical cords.  And blockade him from certain areas.  I left my desk chair out and bunnies are more curious than cats.  My fault?   Yeah, probably.   The bunny just did what bunnies do.  I was not careful to maintain the safety protocols.

Anyway, I had to get a devotion out of this to save the critter's life...so this is what the Lord gave me.

Titus 3:8 states we have to be careful at all times to maintain our walk with the Lord. We are being observed by the unsaved.  They know better than we do how we are supposed to behave!  If we react unbecomingly, unlovingly, or unkindly it affects our testimony and opportunity to portray God's love.

We need to guard against falling short of our best for the Lord.  Maintaining good Christian habits is important to our Spiritual health and our witness.  When we fail to have daily prayer time, or Bible study it's like leaving the chair out for the devil to take a seat and nibble away.

We need to "walk circumspectly" (perfectly) according to Ephesians 5:15, and yes, it is possible with God's help.  We should eliminate the things that draw us away from the Lord, be they TV, computer, music, entertainment, or even friends that do not have a Christian walk.  Be careful to not speak ill of someone whether at home or work, but "Speaking to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our heart to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:19)

Maintain your good works today, and watch out for bad bunnies!
Laura

Living with Rabbits or How to Handle Irritation

Ziggy with his favorite chew toy.

My husband confessed the other day that he secretly snickers when I walk in the den and he hears, "RRRR.......RABBIT!!"  He knows the bunny has done something....chewed through a cord, eaten an important piece of paper, nibbled an art pencil, or knocked down the jar of food...and he has the nerve to find it amusing!

We have lived with a rabbit in the house going on 13 years now.  You'd think we would have ourselves trained by now.  We've owned two bunnies, Ziggy who lived for 11 years, and Sully who is almost 2.  These bunnies have been fun, engaging, charming little balls of PURE DESTRUCTION.  Both of them have eaten through computer and electrical cords, nibbled their way through piles of books, ripped open bags of rabbit food and hay (that were in cabinets they managed to open) as well as chewing their way through bedroom slippers, shoelaces, stuffed animals, and stripping wallpaper.

The rabbit ate my homework.!

WHY DO WE KEEP THE BUNNY?  Entertainment?  Fuzz Therapy?  It's not for the calming affect they have on me that's for sure.  I had an impulsive moment yesterday and bought blue nail polish.  I painted my fingers and then....I painted my toes.  As I was getting ready to write this I was standing in my bare feet in the den and I felt a nip and a nibble on my big toe.  The bunny was trying to eat the nail polish off my toe.   RRRR.....RABBIT!   I had to get up and put on slippers....which I hope he doesn't eat.

Scolding a bunny does not work.  Their expression never changes.  We've tried to rabbit proof things.  Cord covers, locks on cabinets, keep things off the floor, but occasionally something slips by the radar.  It's as challenging as having a toddler in the house. Interestingly this whole scenario reminded me of dealing with irritating people in our lives.  The person might be immediate family (not MY husband...), a relative, co-worker, or *gasp* church member, or just someone you meet while shopping, or dining - you know who I mean.    How do we handle the irritation?

There is only once when Jesus got irritated enough to yell. (Matthew 21:12-13) This was because the temple of His Father was being profaned.  But there were many times when the Pharisees were murmuring against him or trying to trip him up with sly questions.  Jesus, however, maintained his calm, answered respectfully, and showed love, even while on the cross, "Father, forgive them..." (Luke 23:34).

How do we follow Jesus' example?   Philippians 4:5 says, "let your moderation [gentleness] be known to all men."  Again we see gentleness mentioned here, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient" (2 Timothy 2:24).    But how can I achieve this level of kindness or gentleness?  How can we bite back bitterness or anger?

Some years ago I attended a workshop on puppet ministry.  Patty was the leader's name and she made a profound impact on my spiritual life by one simple statement.  She was telling us that in starting a ministry for the Lord we needed to be prepared for conflict.  She told us that when they started their puppet ministry, Growing Vines, a man from their church came and said he thought that it was a waste of time and money for such a foolish venture and did not see how silly puppets could tell the Gospel. There were many of us in the group that gasped audibly.  Then she said to us, "I am so glad I was 'prayed up,' or I would have answered in anger."  Prayed up.  Prayed up.

  ^"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he [Jesus] went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." (Mark 1:35) If Jesus, being God, still needed to take time to pray about his day, how much more do we need that solitary time to let God prepare us for our day?

The Growing Vines puppet ministry is still going strong.  And by the way, after seeing their first performance, the church member came up to Patty crying and apologized and said how wrong he was about the puppets.  

Have a blessed day - and get PRAYED UP!
Laura

P.S.  If you would like to see my favorite bunny book, Marshmallow, click here.
   And also - We keep the little irritating ball of fur because he is also one of God's creations that teaches me patience every day.