God Answers Prayer.....I am reminded.

Last night at midnight, Grouchy and I were startled out of a peaceful sleep when our two dogs began barking loudly. We put the dogs in a large crate together at night in our garage, and our garage is adjacent to our bedroom. I had forgotten to close the garage door, so we assumed the dogs saw or heard something and decided to bark. When we looked outside our window into the backyard, we saw a medium dog-sized animal walking under our swinget away from the house. I turned on the back patio light while Grouchy peered out to try to identify the animal. He said it was not our cat because it was too large. He grabbed a pistol and headed out to close the garage door. We fell asleep again, but when I got up this morning, Grouchy told me he was awake again at 2:30 this morning to the sound of a cat fighting just out our window. He never saw an animal outside, but he was worried that Ainslee's sweet cat, Diamond, was likely dead.....captured by a wild animal. We have coyotes here, and we heat them every night down by the Snake River. A neighbor had warned us to keep the cat inside at night so nothing would get her. Last night, though, I never saw her to bring her into the house or the barn. I pray every morning as I am getting ready to get out of bed and while I do a devotional. Lately, I have had many prayers going heavenward, mostly selfish prayers, honestly. But this morning I told God that I was going to lay my selfish desires aside and just beg for Ainslee to have her cat back. She LOVES that cat, and she adopted Diamond as a very sickly, tiny kitten at the animal shelter in Gonzales, Louisiana. We were not sure she would even live through her kitten-hood, but Ainslee doctored and loved the little scruffy, crusted with snot little kitten into a very sweet, personable, lovely cat. Later in the morning we told Ainslee and Addie about how we thought Diamond was gone. Ainslee acted tough and said,"I bet those noises Dad heard were the noises of Diamond shredding a coyote!!" That was extremely doubtful, and Grouchy was almost certain it was something eating a cat that he heard. We decided to take the Ranger (ATV) to the neighbor's house about a mile away to get some fresh eggs and return a borrowed book. On the way out to the barn, I noticed that Ainslee left the house first, and as she walked out onto the back patio en route to the barn, she dropped to her knees and prayed!!! I thought that was really cool, but I felt bad that the cat was gone and prayer couldn't make a wild animal cough up a healthy, pretty kitty. We headed down the driveway to the road and took a right to head to the neighbors' home when suddenly, out of the ditch to our right climbed Diamond the cat!!! Ainslee ran up the driveway with her to get her home while Mom, Addie and I waited on the Ranger.

So once again I learn from my children. God does answer prayer. God listens to us. But he especially answers the prayers of children.....and not just children as in young people, but children as in those Christians who have child-like faith. Today was a beautiful day. God answered Ainslee's plea to have her cat back, and God answered lots of my prayers by showing me how He wants me to be!!!

Addie rode Lucy today, Ainslee rode Ernie, and I walked a couple of miles going along with them on their ride. Addie is coming around some!! I was very proud of her.

Garrett helped my mom let Ernie graze the backyard to get it mowed. Ernie was very happy!!

We enjoyed a trip to Farmer Bob's backyard where he and his doll of a wife have a very nice playground they have built for their numerous grandchildren. They are such sweet folks! My father got to talk with Mrs. Farmer Bob. She has traced her lineage back to the Cherokee Indians, and our family goes back to Cherokee and Creek. I have seen this amazing woman only four times and she hugged my neck again today and even told me she loves me. What amazing people!!!! Oh, and all this while she wore her Oxygen tubes and wheeled her tank alongside. How amazing!!!! I have some photos I need to share from the playground. Bob and his wife...mainly his wife...have built, bought and designed some really cool playground equipment, and I need to show you!! Too hard to describe!

We had our adoped grandparents, the Reeds, who took us to the waterfall canyon, over for pizza tonight and ended up with our first campfire in our rock fire pit, and it was such fun!!!

My eyes are crossing. I hope to post photos tomorow!!

Godspeed,
CL