Unconditional Love

This past week I "cat sat" for a friend of mine. She and her family went on a vacation up to Door County (for those of you that have never heard of Door County, it is an hour or so past Green Bay. If you've never heard of Green Bay, then you'll have to consult your nearset atlas). Judy and her family recently rescued 2 cats from an animal shelter. They had to put their other cat down a few months ago. I really don't think that their last cat really was a cat - it more closely resembled a small lion to me. It was a Maine Coone cat. Henry (may he Rest In Peace) was a seriously LARGE cat who, had I not known that he WAS a cat, I would have been getting on the horn to call the zoo to see if one of their lions had escaped! Anyway......I digress! To be completely honest with you, I would not classify myself as an animal lover. I never had any pets growing up so I never had the opportunity to gain a true appreciation for animals and all that they can provide for their owners. As the week went by, I noticed myself becoming more and more attached to these furry critters. I looked forward to stopping by each day to feed them and "visit" with them. I found it harder and harder each day to leave the house. These 2 cats would come by me the minute I opened the door and followed me around the house wherever I went. I can see why people are animal lovers - I could ALMOST become one. The thing that I realized this past week was that the cats were so loving and I had just "met" them. It amazed me to see the love and appreciation that they showed me. As I reflect upon my trip to Guatemala, one of the things that stands out most in my mind was the unconditional love that the children at the school showed to me and the rest of our team. These children were not afraid to reach out a hand our offer us a hug the whole time that we were there. To see that expression of love to a group of strangers was AMAZING to witness!!! Seeing God work in and through these children and the impact that they had on me personally is almost indescribable! As I ponder what to continue writing in this post, the thing that stands out in my mind is that I am truly amazed at the gift of unconditional love. This is somewhat of a foreign concept to me. As a child, I always felt that I had to earn the love of my father by excelling in school, performing well on the volleyball or basketball court or on the softball diamond and flying under the radar/not getting in trouble. Being the youngest of 3 children (and the only girl), I quickly learned what to do and what not to do. I tried to be the PERFECT child. I was by no means perfect but my brother referred to me more than once as "Goody Two Shoes". I equated my actions with love (or lack there of). My father rarely told me that he loved me or that he was proud of me. So often after a sporting competition, I felt that I had disappointed my father because I didn't do EVERYTHING right (my father was my harshest critic, next to myself of course). These experiences have carried over into my adult life which have directly impacted my personal relationships. I am extremely cautious and have a fear of getting too close to people. In the back of my mind, I always wonder whether I am worthy of another person's love. My friends will tell me that they love me but there is always a hint of doubt in my mind.....do they REALLY love me???? If "X,Y or Z" happens, will they STILL love me???? Looking back on my life, I wonder aloud, "Do I love children so much because they show unconditional love?" "Was it so difficult to leave Guatemala related to the fact that these children that I had only met 2 days ago were so willing to show their love and affection to a stranger?" "Am I a "closet" animal lover because they display unconditional love? When I think about my relationship with God, it is so comforting to know that God loves each and every one of us, flaws and all. No matter what I say or do, God's love is unfailing. God knows everything about me and He STILL loves me - imagine that! Psalm 136: 1 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, His love endures forever." May you rest in the fact that you are loved by God! (P.S. My apologies for not spacing this post adequately. I have NO idea what is wrong with my "ENTER" key and quite frankly, I don't want to know. It just better work next time that I want to blog! Note to self, pressing down harder on the keys does NOT help with said problem!)