Virginia Rose ready for her road trip!
Psalm 21:2
You have granted him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.
Our granddaughter, Virginia Rose, is so excited about spending the three-day weekend in Oxford with my mother, her Nana, and me. It's a long, sometimes tedious, road trip, but we make frequent pit stops, and take our time over lunch at McDonald's, to give us a break.
But as much as she is looking forward to spending time with her Gammie and Nana, Virginia is anxiously hoping that the cat she dubbed Princess will make an encore appearance. She mentions repeatedly, while we travel, that her heart is set on seeing "her" cat again; and she wants my reassurance.
"Gammie, do you think Princess will know I'm back in Oxford? Do you think she will visit us like she did last time?"
"I certainly hope so," I tell her, "but I can't promise anything." Silently, however, I say a prayer about the situation, knowing this is her heart's desire, and I surely don't want her tender heart broken.
We arrive at long last, relieved to be stretching our legs and to hug Nana. As I unload the car, Virginia is already looking all around for any sign of her beloved Princess. But the cat is nowhere to be found. After waiting over an hour or so for the expected visit, Virginia becomes despondent, a rare mood, indeed, for this child who almost always radiates joy.
"I have an idea, Virginia," I say, wanting desperately to cheer her up. "Let's take a walk down the street and see if we can find Princess. We never did figure out where she lives, but it has to be close by."
"Let's go, Gammie!" Virginia shouts, all smiles again.
We stroll leisurely up the road, peering into driveways and yards as we walk, hoping for a glimpse of Princess. That is when we meet up with not one, but two, other cats, one of which seems taken with Virginia.
Virginia enjoys hanging out with the cats for a while, but is soon eager to resume our search for Princess. After we have walked for another twenty minutes, I tell Virginia it's time to go back to Nana's house. "Who knows?" I say. "Maybe Princess has already turned up there looking for you."
That theory seems to satisfy Virginia for the time being. Back we head to the house, not really looking for Princess any more. The moment we set foot on the stone patio in front of the house, we hear a timid meow behind us. We whirl around.
"Princess!!!" Virginia exclaims gleefully.
Sure enough. It's the prodigal returned home. And oh, what a welcome she gets!
The Lord has granted my granddaughter's heart's desire, and I offer a prayer of thanks.
Amen!
~
Do you have a special memory of a time when God granted your heart's desire?
What pleasure that cat hath wrought....
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Roy, you know it! The cat visited with us each day we were there. Such fun!
DeleteLove and blessings!
These are the good old days, aren't they! Enjoy every lovely moment, friend ...
ReplyDeleteOh, you know I am, Linda! It was a treasured time.
DeleteLove and blessings!
So sweet, Martha! My daughter loves cats. At one point we had four (one inside and three outside), but now have two. Glad your precious granddaughter got her heart's desire! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jason, I'm glad she did, too! Virginia has always loved animals of all kinds and says she wants to be a vet when she grows up. We'll see!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha,
ReplyDeleteWhat a touching story! Cats do seem to select certain people they take a real liking to. It's interesting how cats seem to appear out of thin air. I'm so happy for you and for Virginia!
Love and blessings!
Thank you, Kim! I was so hoping, and praying, that Princess would appear again for Virginia, and God answered that simple, but heart-felt, prayer. He is good, all the time! Princess visited with us that day, and every day we were there.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, First of all, I'm a cat person, so this post just tickled me. Secondly, my daughter has a love for kitties just like her mama and this story reminds me of her. In fact, I'll share this with her. And thirdly, but most importantly, God's love and very "personal" care for us never ceases to amaze. He heard the cry of Virginia's heart (and her grammie's) and prompted Princess to return! I truly believe that.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for making my heart smile today!
Oh, Beckie, I believe that, too, with all of my heart. Knowing this weekend was coming up, I'd asked God to allow Princess to make another appearance. Yes, it sounds so selfish, but it truly was for Virginia's sake I was praying. I will never cease to amazed by God's great love and mercy, even in the smallest of requests.
DeleteOh, and another reason for being kindred spirits - I love cats, too! :)
Love and blessings!
Delightful story that makes me smile. You know who else makes me smile? When I see your photos of your gorgeous granddaughter! she is a beauty and full of life.
ReplyDeleteOh, Jean, you are so kind! She is such a gift to us, a beam of constant sunshine and warmth. So grateful to God for answering our prayers for the return of Prodigal Princess!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Hi Martha! What a sweet story! That photo you had of her looking so dejected made me say 'awww' out loud. I'm so glad that Princess was there to finally greet Virginia Rose. What a happy reunion :)
ReplyDeleteGod truly does hear our prayers,
Ceil
I was most fortunate to get that photo, Ceil, as Virginia is not prone to being "down" about anything. Glad there was a 'awww' on your part, and that the rest of the story cheered you.
DeleteYes, the Lord hears our prayers, big and small, always!
Love and blessings!
Thank you, Marie! Princess is a beautiful cat with such a sweet temperament. Such a gift!
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Virginia Rose is nothing less than adorable. I do love a cat-woman. Does Princess have a home? She looks well cared for.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandra, for you kind words about Virginia! Yes, we are certain Princess has a home as she is sleek and well-fed. Oxford is a small and sleepy Southern town with very little traffic; its economy is bolstered by Emory University's two-year college of Oxford, where my father was dean for twelve years. My parents fell in love with the place and chose to retire there.
DeleteMom says she never sees Princess until Virginia shows up. How great is our God!
Love and blessings!
Thanks for showing us the power of faith and hope, Martha. A good reminder for our personal journey with God. We can learn so much from children.
ReplyDeleteYes, we certainly can learn so much from the little ones whom Jesus treasured so dearly. Often, they are the very ones who do keep our faith and hope alive.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Thank you so much, Marie, and please accept my apology for seeing your comment so late! I try to get back to everyone who takes the time to read and reflect, and I'm so sorry to have missed yours here until now.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!