Sugar Craze

Soft rain pattered against my window when I retired for the evening. Ramseyes will only settle down if you turn off the lights and go out of the room, and since he is sleeping in the living room, it makes a wonderful excuse to retire early. The other boys hole up in their room and watch movies, but I read a bit, then succumb to heavy eyelids by shutting them and drifting off.

Somewhere in the middle of the night in the dark, I am awakened by my bed shaking. Half asleep, I kick whatever it is and roll over, unwilling to come fully to. But the shaking does not subside. Those boys, I mutter. What are they doing?

It is not the boys. I hear a soft whimper and I realize that Sugar has let herself out of her tent and is cowering at the foot of my bed. Every brilliant flash of lightning makes her shiver. Every roar of thunder makes her shake. Poor baby. After being chased around and harassed by Ramseyes all day, she gets no peace now.

Gently, I nudge her back into her tent and tuck in her favorite chew toy. I pile the blanket around her and talk softly. "Poor baby. Don't be afraid. Its just a little storm. It can't hurt you." I lie back in bed, leaving my hand over the side where she can see it. She settles down, stops shaking, and only whimpers when the really loud and bright storm breaks through.

The whole time I am quieting her, I realize that is just what God has been doing with me recently as possibilities of further harm from my cancer treatment have cropped up. Don't be afraid. Ultimately, it can't hurt you. It's just a storm. It will stop soon. And He leaves evidence of His presence around so I will know He is close by, reassuring me that I am not alone in the dark.