“Mom, I don’t care how long it is until the next gas station, I gotta go now,” Eli whined.
Kelsey sighed and glanced in the rear-view mirror. “I guess if you don’t mind going behind those trees.”
“I don’t mind. Please, can you pull over?” Eli unlatched the seat belt and hopped out of his seat almost before the car stopped moving.
Exasperated, Kelsey slid the car into park and surveyed the scene. There wasn’t too much traffic, and the woods did shelter her son from the road, but no part of her liked the idea of her 10-year-old alone in a strange wood. Still, she couldn’t very well check on him and invade his privacy. She wouldn’t mind taking a restroom break herself, but she’d wait for the next gas station. She exited the car, peered into the woods, and then pulled out her phone. Checking the time, she calculated how long it would be until they got home. After a bathroom and snack break, of course. These travel soccer games were becoming more than she bargained for, but Eli was having a blast. Moments later, Eli came running back, a box in his hands.
“Mom, you won’t believe it!” Eli exclaimed.
What do you have there?” Kelsey asked.
He continued the short trek up the hill and shoved the box under her nose. She drew back, startled, as the contents of the box were very clearly alive.
“What on earth?” Kelsey peered into the box to find five skinny, grimy, mewling kittens. Oh no. “What do you think we’re going to do with those?”
“We’ll take them home and take care of them,” Eli announced.
“They’re dirty, smelly, and probably full of fleas,” Kelsey said.
Eli stared up at her with enormous brown eyes. “But Mom, don’t look at what they are, look at what they can become. It’s just like you told me with God. He doesn’t see us as dirty or smelly, even when we’re in the middle of sin. You told me He sees us through Jesus’ righteousness.”
A tugging in Kelsey’s heart served as a warning. Her son was right. “That’s true, but what does that have to do with these pitiful creatures?”
“If we take them home and give them a bath, they won’t be dirty or smelly anymore. Then I’ll give them some food, and they’ll fatten right up. They’ll be beautiful in no time.”
Kelsey gazed at her son as a lump formed in her throat. “How did you get to be so smart?”
Eli grinned. “You taught me everything I know.” He laughed. “Well, maybe not about soccer.”
“No, definitely not about soccer,” Kelsey agreed. “Fine. Bring the little fleabags with you, but they have to stay in the box. I don’t want my car full of fleas.”
Eli lay the box on the ground, grabbed Kelsey around the middle and squeezed tight. “You’re the best mom ever!”
Twenty minutes later, as the smell permeated the car, Kelsey started regretting her decision. They certainly didn’t need to take care of five cats. Hopefully Eli was right and they’d be more appealing once they were cleaned up. As a gas station came into view, Kelsey breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m going to stop here and use the bathroom,” she told Eli.
“Mom, can you buy some milk for the kittens?” Eli asked. “I don’t know how long they were out there, but I bet they’re awfully hungry.”
The pitiful mewing emanating from the box suggested Eli was correct. Kelsey sighed. “Yes, I’ll get some milk for them.”
After finally making her pit stop, she surveyed the convenience store. She grabbed a container of milk, a few coffee cups, some plastic knives, and a container of cat food. Returning to the car, she sliced the tops off the coffee cups to fashion some makeshift saucers and placed them inside the box.
“Careful not to tilt the box, or the milk will end up all over them,” Kelsey cautioned. The kittens stumbled over themselves to get to the milk, and soon finished it off. Kelsey handed the food bag to Eli, who poured a small handful into the box, much to the delight of the kittens.
After a few minutes watching the kittens, Kelsey once again wondered what she was getting herself into. She sent up a silent prayer as they continued the long drive home.
God, you know I’m in over my head just trying to be a good mom. Thank you for Eli. Thank you that he has such a good heart, in spite of all my mistakes. Please give me wisdom, Lord. I feel so inadequate, raising a boy by myself. Sometimes just getting through the day is a monumental effort. Please help me do a better job, and please help me figure out what to do about these kittens. Please help us find homes for them.
An hour later, an exhausted Kelsey and an exuberant Eli pulled into the driveway.
“Is Uncle Rich here?” Eli asked.
“He must be,” Kelsey said. “His car is here.”
Eli grabbed the box and ran into the house, with Kelsey several paces behind. Stepping into the kitchen, the smell of chili wafted around them.
“You are the best brother,” Kelsey said, wrapping Rich in a hug. “What are you doing here?”
“I knew you’d be tired after the long trip, and you told me you had to work a double tomorrow, so instead of you having to drop Eli at my place, I thought I’d make dinner and stay the night.”
“Yay!” Eli said. “Uncle Rich, look what I found!”
Rich walked over to his nephew, tousled Eli’s hair, and peered at the kittens. One eye on Kelsey, he said “Gosh, kiddo, what is your plan with those kittens?”
“We’re going to clean them up and fatten them up and find good homes for them.”
Kelsey breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well, maybe only for four of them,” Eli said. “Maybe we could keep one?” He gazed up at his mom with doe eyes.
“We’ll see,” Kelsey said. “You’ll have to prove you’re responsible. Besides, pets can be expensive.”
“Don’t worry about a thing,” Rich said. “Kels, can you stir the chili while I help Eli with his new little friends?”
“Gladly,” Kelsey said, as the two took the box to the laundry room.
****
Sunday night, after an exhausting double shift, Kelsey kissed Eli goodnight and plopped on the sofa next to Rich.
“Thank you so much for taking care of him and all those kittens today,” Kelsey said.
Rich grinned. “It was no problem. You know I love my nephew. It’s good for us both.”
“Where are the kittens now?” Kelsey asked.
“Well, one of them is asleep in that basket in the corner,” Rich said, “but the rest of them are no longer your concern.”
Kelsey sat up. “What do you mean?”
“Let’s just say I have some connections. I sold the other four kittens.”
“You sold them?” Kelsey asked.
Rich winked. “I may have a couple of friends who owe me favors.” He pulled out a stack of bills. “This should be enough to buy food and vet care for the one remaining kitten.”
“Oh, Rich, I don’t really want to take care of a dirty…”
Rich put a finger to her lips and walked over to the basket. He lifted out a gray and white ball of fluff which had a pink ribbon tied around her neck. Depositing the fluffball in Kelsey’s lap, he stepped away and grinned at her.
“Oh, Rich, she’s the most precious thing.”
“Just needed to be cleaned up,” Rich said.
“That’s exactly what Eli said,” Kelsey said, remembering. “He told me I should see what the kittens could become, not what they were. He said that’s Jesus does.” Kelsey wiped away a stray tear.
Rich draped an arm around Kelsey’s shoulders. “You should be so proud of that kid. You’re doing an amazing job.”
“He’s an amazing kid in spite of me,” Kelsey said.
“Do you know what he said to me today?” Rich asked.
Kelsey shook her head.
“He said ‘my mom is the best mom in the world. She works twice as hard as everyone else’s moms and she still goes to all my games, no matter how far away they are. She always makes me my favorite foods, and she never forgets anything important. And now she let me bring home these kittens. I want to give her the prettiest one to keep her company, since I know sometimes she’s lonely since Dad died.’ ”
Kelsey stared at her brother. “He said that?”
“Scout’s honor,” Rich said. “Seems to me you don’t see yourself the way Jesus or Eli see you.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Dear Lord, thank You for not seeing us the way we see ourselves. Sometimes it’s difficult for us to feel worthy, because on our own, we are not. Thank you for clothing us in righteousness, and loving us even when we feel unlovable. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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