Finding Beethoven

Siamese Cats…

When I was young, my neighbor friend, Dana, had a few Siamese cats. I really liked her cats and thought that surely these were the best cats around since my friends’ family loved them so much. My soon-to-be sister-in-law’s family had a Siamese cat too and so, it seemed like everyone had one. 

I began asking my Mom if we could have another cat. Nevermind that we already had a cat, I wanted a Siamese cat. I wanted to be like my friend and own these stately cats that walked with their heads held high. They were beautiful to me with their light and dark brown fur and blue eyes. I dismissed the notion that Siamese cats were somehow cruel – what Lady and the Tramp would want us to believe. No, these cats were my kind of cats.

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Not in the Cards…

Mom knew that we couldn’t just up and get a Siamese. They were expensive and who knew where you could find a breeder? This cat wasn’t the kind that we could regularly find at the Animal Shelter either. However, she could see the depth of desire I had for one of these pets. She desperately wanted to give me something that would make my heart soar.

Now, lest you think my Mom was indulgent, that wasn’t the case. My parents were going through a divorce and it was really hard on all of us as a family. Finding ‘the little things’ to brighten our days was important. And so, Mom prayed. She prayed that there would be a Siamese cat for our family.

Finding Beethoven…

Well, wouldn’t you know, Dana had just found a little kitten in her neighbor’s yard. The kitten had been hiding in a house corner when she noticed it’s little curled up body. She immediately took that kitten into her home to make sure it was safe from harm. This kitten was a Siamese! First they tried to find the owner, but no one came forward. Her mom told her that they already had enough cats and couldn’t keep this one too. So, they offered the cat to me!

I was so ecstatic and Mom said I could keep it! We took this little scrawny kitten home and gave it a bath, where my sister picked off a lot of fleas. We made up a little cardboard box and covered it with a soft blanket. The kitten immediately crawled in and made himself at home. I put a worn out stuffed animal next to him too, you know, because kittens like stuffed animals! Hey, it made sense in my child’s mind. We named him Beethoven, after my current favorite animal movie of the same name.

Good Gifts…

Little did I know that Mom had been praying for this gift. Years later, she shared with me that she always wondered if an angel had brought our cat to us. I wasn’t sure what to think. Did angels still help out humans? Would they do something as simple as leaving a new pet for a child? Why would they care? Well, it’s not so much just the angels, but God who sends them. God the Father loves His children and cares for them. He can send angels to do tasks as joy-giving as leaving a very specific Siamese kitten for a little child going through a painful time in her life.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Matthew 7:11 ESV