Sitting Down and Being Still

I am home much less often now because of work, and Hanes, the wise cat in residence, thus has been having very limited human contact and options to decide when to play or cuddle the way she used to. Nonetheless, she has been teaching me yet another good lesson.

In the mornings when I am getting ready for work, I rarely sit down. One time, however, I sat on the couch to put on my socks. In those five seconds, Hanes jumped on my lap and began purring right away. I, while wanting to get going, could not move without interrupting her. So there I was, sitting on the couch for about five minutes with the cat, enjoying a few minutes of stillness.

This past Monday night, I was home for about an hour and a half between work and tennis. When I got home, Hanes was at the door to greet me. I acknowledged her at the door and literally one second later, I went straight to the kitchen to cook and do other housework I did not finish over the weekend when I was mostly wonderfully preoccupied with Operation Christmas Child (more on that later!). After doing a few things and changing clothes, I sat down to eat. With no lapse of time in between, Hanes was on my lap.

Then I realized it was the first time I sat down in an hour and actually be still for more than a second. With Hanes firmly planting herself on my lap as soon as I sat down, I had to stay where I was. I could not even reach my mail to read while eating, or do anything else at the same time.

Then I looked at Hanes. She was perfectly still and happy, purring away. While I was doing various things earlier, she never whined the way she would in the mornings when she tries to wake us up. She had simply been waiting, waiting for the moment for me to be still and be with her.

She waited for an hour.

I wonder if this is how God waits for me with such incredible patience like this every day. Sure, I have my quiet time in the mornings, but how often am I being still to listen to Him rather than just trying to get my Bible study lessons done? How still and focused am I during prayer time? I am thankful for my God who is ever patient, even more so than the little wise cat. She is on my lap right now, so I'd better go and be still for a while.