One day, Charley, was walking around the perimeter of the farm. Just looking and checking for security reasons of protection. Do you remember Charley? Good! Well as he approached the north end of the field, he heard a very strange sound. Looking around, he found a “Momma” cat and her babies huddled in the field shivering. Charley, in his usual compassion for others, asked her where she lived. She told him she had no home, and now. Even her children were homeless! Charley invited her to stay at the farm. With gratitude, she and Charley gathered up the kids, and carried them off to the barn. Once they were all safe and secured, Charley spoke to her. “You can stay here as long as you like.”

She replied, “Oh thank you Charley. I was so afraid and my children were hungry and cold. How much will it cost?”

Charley just smiled at her. “Nothing,” he said. “Farmer and I are here to help, not harm. We provide shelter and warmth to many. Now, you are a part of our family too!” Charley gathered up some food and water for Momma cat and her brood. They ate with gusto. “Boy you were hungry huh?” Said Charley, smiling tiny, much tinier than any of the other kittens. “Is this one sick?” Asked Charley.

“No,” replied Momma, “Just what we call the runt of the litter.”

Charley took a special interest in the little gal from then on. Her name was Missy.

The days moved on, and so did all the family at the farm. They all grew strong and healthy. Farmer took good care of all His own, and they knew they were safe and secure with Him and Charley. All but little Missy! She seemed to stay to herself a lot. Charley noticed that. She also smiled all the time, but the way she inter acted with the others, did not really reflect any happiness on her part. It was as if she was “straining” to laugh and smile with the others, but inside, there was great pain. Charley also noticed one other thing. Missy had a wonderful loving spirit about her that attracted others to her warmth and love, but she did not seem to be able to receive any love back from the others. She gave all the time, yet was unable to receive back what Charley, Farmer, and others tried to give to her. Charley decided to keep an eye on her, and see if he could find a way to help. For now though, he would just let her get used to every one, and see what kind of farm this really was. Perhaps, he thought, she will drop her defenses naturally once she gets to know us.

About Missy: Missy knew she was different from the others. She tried to fit in, but just could not act or be like the other kittens. Her Mom would tell her she was being “rebellious,” but Missy would try to tell her she really was not.

“I just don’t feel like they do Momma,” she would say. “I don’t want to clean and cook. I don’t want to play with dolls and such. What is wrong with that? I like to watch Farmer fix the tractor, and run around with the ducks and play tag and hide and seek. I don’t care if I get dirty, it’s fun.”

Momma answered,

“I can’t believe you are part of this family of mine! You do not even act like us. I am trying to bring you up to be a lady. I give you everything you need, and what do you give me in return? Aggravation! Why won’t you just conform to the rest of us, as you should? Oh. I give up!” Missy walked away, hurt, and rejected. She really did want to be like everyone else. Really! Yet, whenever she tried to, she became miserable and sad. Finally, she decided she trusted Charley enough to ask his opinion and advice.

“Maybe Charley will know what I should do to change to make the others happy.”

A day came when she was able to get Charley alone. She asked him if they could talk awhile. “Of course Missy. Come on over here under the tree.” Replied Charley. They walked together to the tree and sat down.

“Now, what seems to be the problem?” Charley asked. Missy tried to explain it to him slowly, but suddenly she began to cry and just as fast as lightning spurt out her life and “problems” with her self to Charley. She went on and on. Crying and sobbing. Trying to explain how she felt inside, and how the others, especially her Mom made her feel. She cried and talked for nearly an hour! Finally she stopped and just laid her head on Charlie’s lap and said,

“Charley, what is wrong with me? Why am I not like everyone else? I am such a disappointment to my Mom and others. I do not know what to do, or how to change. I have tried so hard to please them. Tried to be what they expected. Nevertheless, I fail every time. Oh Charley, what can I do?”

Charley just looked at her with so much love in his eyes. He soothed her by stroking her hair, and let her rest a moment. The next words out of Charlie’s mouth would change Missy forever.

“Missy, there is nothing wrong with you. You are exactly what God made and intended for you to be. He made you and formed every part of your personality in the womb. Sometimes life though, can warp and mess up what HE planted in you. Your circumstances and family life have influenced your way of thinking and feeling. That does not make you “bad” or “rebellious,” it makes you “wounded” and “hurt.” You have to understand something Missy. Your Momma and the others are only human. They are flesh and blood. They make mistakes, as you do. They are not the source of your life, nor should they be. God is. What they see as imperfect, God sees as wonderfully, fearfully made. What they say is “different,” God says is “peculiar and beautiful”

“When they ask you to “act” a certain way, they mean well. They are trying to train you up in a godly way. They just get confused some times between a so-called “Godly way” and “GODS way” You see Missy. Gods ways are not ours. He is nothing like us! He, does not see the faults, He sees the strengths. He does see the indignities we endure, He also sees how dignified or not, we respond to them. He has plans for you Missy. Wonderful plans that only “you” can do! He made you just the way you are, because only “you” can accomplish His plan for “your” life. His plans have always been to have you be able to touch others with your love and compassion. He knows “you.” He created you this way. Life and people may bring confusion to you, but remember. He is not a God of Confusion. He has given you strength and beauty. He has given you a sound mind. He has given you things He may not have given to any one else. You are special and uniquely made. There is not another like you Missy, nor will there ever be!”

Missy looked up at Charley. Suddenly she under stood just how much; she, “Missy” was loved, and accepted by Charley, Farmer, and God. She understood that it was her “differences” that made her special to God. Eventually it will to others as well. She decided from that day on to be herself. Any changes that needed to be made, she was going to leave in Gods hands to make. She learned that day to be more tolerant of others.

She finally understood, they also were still going through growth, and they “were not done” yet either. God was working on them too! She went back to the barnyard with a new outlook on life, and herself. Her smile came back, but this time it was real and not “fabricated.” Her bubbly personality came forth with love and compassion for others. She found she did not get “offended” by unintentional words any more. She found she was able to accept others where they were at, and tried to be patient with them learning to accept her.

One day when her Mom wanted her to learn to sew, she smiled and said, “OK Mom, I’ll learn. It may come in handy one day. However, please do not expect me to become a seamstress. I am not that interested in such things.” Her Mom smiled. Delighted that Missy would let her teach her a skill that she had learned and wanted to pass on. Missy smiled, turned to Charley who was standing there, kissed his cheek, and said “Thank you Charley!” Charley just smiled and watched them go into the barn. He knew it would not always go this smoothly, but he also knew God would accomplish in Missy exactly what HE had set out to do from the beginning!

© Robyn Cavalera robyajesusfreak@bellsouth.net

Please contact Robyn Cavalera if you are planning to use her writings. Thanks.