Nothing cuter than a mouse...

This summer we welcomed two sweet, adorable mice into our family....Daisy and Twinkle.  Twinkle took to life in our home right away and thrived in only the way a mouse can thrive.  Daisy on the other hand stayed quite small and from time to time we noticed marks on her face and ears.  Just after Thanksgiving we made the difficult decision to separate the two mice for fear that the marks on Daisy were caused by Twinkle.

(Yes, I'm still talking about mice.  I use the word "difficult" lightly.)

After two days of separation the marks became worse.  Clearly there was no mouse abuse going on here so I turned to Google.  After several minutes (it seemed like hours) of intensive research we determined that Daisy must have a food allergy.  It was recommended we cut out wheat products from her diet.  Daisy, it seems, is gluten free.

(Yes, I'm still talking about mice.)

I also learned that once a mouse starts scratching a spot they can develop almost compulsive behavior and continue to scratch, making the area worse.  It was recommended we rub some hydrocortisone cream onto Daisy's skin and provide her with some therapeutic chewing options, so as to displace the compulsive behavior elsewhere.

(Yes, I'm still talking about mice.)

At some point while I was gently massaging hydrocortisone cream onto Daisy's ears--careful to avoid her mouth, of course, because ingesting it could be deadly--Zachary suggested we take her to the vet.  I looked down at the tiny mouse in my hands and around the room at the Legos, video games and nerf guns strewn about.  I looked at the laundry baskets full of laundry and the bathroom with surfaces to clean.  I looked at my sweet son's face, into his precious green eyes and said, "Zachary....this mouse cost $3.98.  We're not taking it to the vet."

We all have those moments in life, when in the throws of triumph or failure, we are forced to take inventory and readjust our perspective.  The message at church this weekend was taken from Philippians 4. 

"¹⁰ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  Our desires may change.  Our needs may vary.  The solution never does.  We can learn to be content whatever the circumstances.  We can shift our perspective.  We can trust Christ for our strength.

Now does this take some effort?  Oh most certainly it does.  Our lives don't change because we get up one day and tell them to.  But little by little and faithful bit by bit we retrain ourselves to look upward.  We learn to let go of our own ways a bit more and seek His first.  And He patiently, like a mother putting cortisone cream on her son's pet mouse, waits for us to come around.  Because, after all, we can do all things....

We expect Daisy will make a full recovery.  The upside to this time of trial is that now we own two mouse cages.  We connected them with a tunnel and it's like a mouse mansion.  A gluten-free, therapy mansion complete with wheels for running and sticks for chewing.  Living in plenty, I'd say.  Wouldn't you??

XOXO....Kelly