Fall is the time when mice find their way into the wall of my house to be warm. As much as I can understand and respect that, it is unacceptable to me. So I have a live trap that works very well.

One morning I found two mice in the live trap. With Frodo and Pippin, I took the mice to the woods to let them go. While the dogs were busy discovering who and what was where, I placed the trap on the ground and opened the door.

To my surprise, neither mouse was afraid of me. One simply waddled away. The other, however, had a more difficult time of it. He would peer outside, clearly afraid to venture out into the unknown. He'd step out, then quickly return to the trap. Finally, he stepped out enough that I could slowly close the door. He turned around to return to the trap, but found he could not return. After looking around, he hesitantly waddled into the grass.

I certainly could identify with him! I, too, am afraid to venture into the unknown. Once I'm there, I'm fine. But getting there is fearful to me.

Perhaps this is where faith needs to flex. If I can believe in God, then the unknown is both safe and an adventure instead of being an experience of fear.

The lesson didn't end there. My dogs eat mice if and whenever they can. The mouse was so slow in going, that my dogs came over while he was in full sight and wondering if he should venture forth. For some reason, my dogs left him alone. He was kept safe.

Something to think about.

Copyright 1999 Debra Bruch