{"id":20059,"date":"2026-09-13T19:49:48","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T00:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiherron.com\/blog\/?p=20059"},"modified":"2026-09-13T19:49:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T00:49:48","slug":"a-mouse-the-barn-cats-and-a-curious-golden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiherron.com\/blog\/a-mouse-the-barn-cats-and-a-curious-golden\/","title":{"rendered":"A Mouse, the Barn Cats, and a Curious Golden"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Following the Purpose God Has Given Us<\/em><\/h2>\n

\u201cSometimes we find our way forward by laying down the armor that never belonged to us.\u201d \u2013 Sandi<\/em><\/p>\n

The Mouse...<\/h2>\n

We have a mouse in the workshop.<\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t had a proper introduction, but my husband caught a glimpse of him racing across the concrete floor. Honestly, I don\u2019t need to see him. Just knowing he\u2019s there is enough to keep me out of both the workshop and the barn.<\/p>\n

A mouse can run seven to eight miles per hour. Compared by body length, that would be like a human traveling well over one hundred miles per hour. No wonder my husband caught only a glimpse.<\/p>\n

The Cats...<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What I don\u2019t understand is why the barn cats haven\u2019t caught him. We provide them with food, water, and a safe place to sleep. In return, they\u2019re supposed to keep the barn and workshop free of mice.<\/p>\n

They have plenty of energy when a squirrel crosses their path, but most of the time, they bask in the sunshine with full stomachs while the mouse races through the workshop as if he owns the place. They have become complacent.<\/p>\n

The Curious Daisy Mae...<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Since the cats showed no interest, we placed a sticky trap in the barn with a little peanut butter. Unfortunately, our curious golden retriever, Daisy Mae, found it first.<\/p>\n

By the time we discovered her, the trap was tangled in her fur and stuck to her feet. It took a bit of work to loosen the trap and remove the stickiness.<\/p>\n

Then she needed a bath, which she always enjoys. By that point, our attempt to catch a mouse turned into an unexpected spa day for Daisy Mae.<\/p>\n

The peanut butter was appealing, but it wasn\u2019t meant for her. She reached for something without knowing where it might lead.<\/p>\n

Inspiration or Comparison?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

That little mishap made me wonder how often I do the same thing.\u00a0It\u2019s easy to be inspired by people we admire. But sometimes inspiration becomes comparison, and we begin measuring our lives against theirs.<\/p>\n

What another person is doing may be exactly what God has called them to do but not His plan for us. Think sticky trap. Peanut butter. Something can be appealing without being meant for us.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the question is, \u201cLord, what have You placed in my hands?\u201d<\/p>\n

David's Armor<\/strong><\/h2>\n

David\u2019s story is a wonderful reminder.\u00a0Everyone saw a young shepherd facing a trained warrior. Goliath had armor, weapons, strength, and experience. David carried a shepherd\u2019s staff and a sling. (Read 1 Samuel 17:32-50.)<\/p>\n

Saul gave David his armor, but it didn\u2019t fit. David took it off.<\/p>\n

Through years of tending sheep, protecting the flock, and trusting the Lord, God prepared David for this encounter with Goliath.<\/p>\n

David said to Goliath, \u201cYou come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty\u201d (1 Samuel 17:45 NIV).<\/p>\n

God is not asking us to become someone else. He calls us to trust Him with what He has placed in our hands.<\/p>\n

Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to run with perseverance \u201cthe race marked out for us.\u201d We can learn from one another, encourage one another, and even run beside one another without following the same path.<\/p>\n

I have friends with different gifts. One writes songs, another creates art, another bakes, and one has a way of speaking words that encourages others. Each uses their gifts to invest in the lives of others. My Aunt Edie baked cakes and made prayer shawls. Prayers, handwritten cards, or a few minutes spent listening may not seem important. Yet God uses those acts of love and kindness in ways we may never see.<\/p>\n

And what about those well-fed barn cats?<\/p>\n

Before I judge them too harshly, perhaps I should ask whether comfort has ever caused me to overlooked something God placed before me. His blessings are gifts to enjoy, but comfort can sometimes cause us to stop paying attention.<\/p>\n

Daisy Mae reached for something that was never meant for her. The cats seem content to let someone else do what they were meant to do. But David trusted God and faithfully used what he had been given.<\/p>\n

My we recognize what God has placed in our hands, what He has not, and remain faithful to His purpose. There we find freedom.<\/p>\n

Pause and Reflect<\/h2>\n