squooshed or squished?

8:00 am. I am yanked out of deep sleep by a phone call. It is my mom. She has just passed our house on her way to work and she tells me she thinks our red tabby, Nemo, is dead. She thinks she saw her lying in the road at the top of our drive way. I throw on some clothes and to my surprise both girls are still asleep. I find #1 playing legos in the living room. I say good morning and head to outside. First, I rattle the cat bowl to signal dinner time. No cat. Then up the drive way to the road I go. Sure enough, there was no mistake, Nemo lay dead on the road. I used a huge Styrofoam Omaha Steak cooler lid, that was left as trash near the road, to scoop up her body. It was weird. I didn't really have any emotion. I kept thinking, "How am I going to tell the kids?" I leave her on the front porch. I go inside and grab an old towel, trash bag and Stampin UP! cardboard box. She was pretty messed up, but not one bug or fly could be found on her. For that I was very grateful. I wrapped her in the towel and left just enough fur exposed so the kids could identify her. Now I was ready to break the news. #1 was first to hear. My story went like this, "You know how mommy tells you to never go up by the street. That there is never a reason to go to the mailbox. Even if you know it's full of candy and has balloons on it. You and your sisters are to never go up to the road." and this point, he nods yes. I continue, "Well Nemo made a bad choice, she went up to the road." He responds to me and said, "She got squished?" I nodded yes. Tears welled up in his chocolate brown eyes. I asked if he wanted a hug, He said, "no". Then my dad walks in. He stays and plays legos while I go get the girls. As they are taking their morning potty break I give them the same story. #2 just seemed kind of in a daze. My dad goes and gets the shovel and we all meet up at the porch to prepare for the burial. They stand around and look at her and ask a few questions, all while acting completely normal. I am thinking, this is going ok. Looks like no professional counseling will be needed. We find a spot in the yard and dad digs the small square grave. We place her in it and we all say one thing that Nemo did that made us happy. Everyone got a turn to use the shovel while we covered her up. A huge white stone was used to mark the grave. As we walked back to the house, several comments were made indicating we would all miss her.

We get back inside and the kids call daddy to tell him what happened. The first thing #1 said was, "Daddy, Nemo got Squished" He told his on version of the story and then #2 had her turn. First thing she told daddy was, "Nemo got squooshed." A few more phone calls were made to retell the story, each time the main line was "Nemo got squished or squooshed".

The day continued on just as normal. During our bible lesson, Nemo's death was brought up again. We were studying Psalms 34:1 ,"I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace." The kids and I discussed how even when we are sad and can't understand why things happen we should still praise God's name. Then somehow we got on Lazarus. #1 was asking question after question so we read John 11:1-44. He was so into it. It was great for me to review it all again. I loved how Martha and Mary wanted Jesus to come and heal their brother immediately. He didn't. He waited until he had been in the tomb for 4 days. I love the faith that they showed. Even though Jesus did not respond in their timing, they stilled believed he was the Messiah. I like how the Jewish leaders taunted him. I love knowing that Jesus cried. He knew what was going to happen. Their brother would live again, yet he still cried. Why? I think it is because it was hard to see people he loved in so much pain. His close friends were so upset by this death, yet all this pain and suffering was used to glorify God. Jesus raised Lazarus to life and the Jewish leaders were given another chance to see that He truly was the son of God. It makes me think of all those who are persecuted for their faith. Indian Christians who are disowned by their family. Their lives are threaten by people of their own caste. Chinese Christians, beaten in prisons. They are asked to denounce Christ, but they exclaim his glory instead. It doesn't make sense to me. It may never will. I know one thing though. A God who can create this whole earth, the huge ball of flames we circle around and the stars and the billions of galaxies that display his wonder, must be completely sovereign. So not matter how in control I think I am at times, I'm really not, and the truth is I don't want to be. If he can handle all that, then he can handle little ole me. When things don't make sense, I know they do to Him. "He's got the whole world in His hands, He's got the little tiny baby in His hands, He's got you and me sister/brother in His hands, He's got the whole world in his great big HUGE GIGANTIC ENORMOUS, ever loving, gracious, merciful, beautiful, righteous and just hands.

I am diggin how the life of Nemo brought my kids to His word. It fires me up to see #1 get so engrossed in Bible stories. It puts a smile on my face to witness God calling #1 to Himself. "I love you Lord. You are it. Everything we need, everything I am, everything I have is all from you. Thanks." Even in the death of a pet cat, God is glorified.

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Here is a little photo tribute to Nemo. Life span from early April 2004 to October 11, 2005. The kids and I picked her and Sophie out the day the two sisters were born. She was a very sweet cat. She endured a lot The kids have squeezed, dropped, choked, painted, held, chased, petted and scared her too many times to count. Through it all I think she still liked all of us. (It is hard to get emotions out of a cat) We will miss her hanging out on the back porch and sleeping on the hood of our cars. It will be different not finding small critters left for dead around the yard that she caught to play with. (Sophie has never been up to par with Nemo's hunting ability) I think she will be missed most by Sophie, her sister. Though lately they have had some paw fights, I am sure all is forgiven and the yard won't be the same for Sophie without her. #1 has already planned to dig her up in few years to see what see looks like. I hope he changes his mind. We will miss Nemo. Goodbye.