Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Enter (02/27/06)
-
TITLE: It's Just a Little Mouse | Previous Challenge Entry
By Venice Kichura
03/01/06 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
That little scratching sound in the walls meant only one thing….
”We’ve got mice!”
But, I only breathed a little sigh and not what used to be a chilling, bloodcurdling, “EEEK!!!“
I’d come a long way since three years ago when that first uninvited winter visitor shot across our basement floor.
It was January, 2003, and my husband had just left for a trip.
Talk about being in denial. When a little ball of dark fur first zipped across our floor I reasoned, I didn’t see that…Time for a break….I’m starting to hallucinate.
I ran upstairs to watch television, refusing to believe what I just saw.
Then, right before my eyes, the same furry little critter scampered across the living room, in front of my snoring, “fearless” boxer.
”EEEK!!!” I screamed so loudly Hercules bolted up from his nap. Hearing my heart pound in my chest, I thought, Useless canine. Now I know why everyone else in this neighborhood has cats.
Where was it coming from? It had to have entered my house from somewhere, but where?I wondered, clueless.
I didn’t sleep that night. Half-dead, my eyes glued to the floor, I tiptoed into the kitchen the next morning to scramble eggs. Dropping my fork on the floor I stared eyeball to eyeball at the tiny black-eyed rodent hiding in the corner of my kitchen.
“EEEK!!! GO AWAY!!!” I belted out. He cocked his little head and slid down the stairs as I almost fainted.
Quivering, I threw on my church clothes, leaving the house early to stop off for supplies.
I’m sure I had the word, “SUCKER” plastered across my forehead. Besides a sack of glue traps, the salesperson also sold me a useless $44 Rat Zapper gadget that’s supposed to scare rodents away with piercing vibrations only heard by them.
I went home and stationed traps at the bottom of the stairs and then drove to church, trembling.
When it was time to pray, I threw my anonymous prayer request into the offering plate. Along with all the critical prayer requests for healings of cancers and comfort for the grieving, was my little prayer request. As the pastor read from the pulpit,”Please help me catch the mouse in my house,” the congregation roared while I joined in, not wanting anyone to know who wrote that lame prayer request.
Then racing back home before the benediction, I prayed for courage to face what I might see or not see as I opened the basement door. Trembling, I looked down and squealed, “Got him! Thank you, Jesus!”
But just as I was sharing my praise report with my mom on the phone the next day I saw another mouse dart across the dining room rug to hide under the China cabinet, next to the so-called Rat Zapper.
“EEEK!!! I screamed until I was hoarse, cringing at the thought of rodent families multiplying in our walls.
That weekend was only the beginning….Throughout the winter we caught dozens of mice with our sticky traps.
Then spring came and the mice left. Looking everywhere, trying to find where they were entering, I even puttied up a hole under the front door. But as soon as the first snowfall laced our yard, our uninvited guests returned to their winter motel.
Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit continued to impress on me the verse,” For God has not given us a spirit not of fear; but of power, and of love, and a sound mind.”*
After all, it’s only a little mouse,I’d tell myself whenever fear tried to enter my thoughts. Slowly, but surely, God was helping me overcome many other fears, as He assured me of His promises.
I knew I was making progress the day a mouse darted across the rug last year. Not budging from my chair, I simply waved and said, “Good Morning”, making a mental note to set out traps.
Fortunately, we’ve wiped out most of them. So far we’ve had only one visitor this winter. That is…until yesterday when I heard that familiar scratching in my basement walls.
Maybe I’ll never find where they’re entering my house. But I can take charge of my thoughts and refuse to let fear enter my mind, as I claim God’s promises against all my fears, saying with confidence, whatever the problem...
“It’s just a little mouse. God is much bigger!
*2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJ)
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
I think you have an extra "not" in your quote.
Fun story.