Lessons from a Cat

Newborn kittens drink nothing but their mother’s rich milk for the first few weeks of their life. When they are this young, their eyes are not yet open and they really don’t do much. Because they aren’t running around and exploring, the milk is all they need.
However, when the kittens grow older, they start getting more adventurous, just like kids. The mother cat must show them how to live: how to play, how to keep clean, how to hunt, how to eat the mice they kill, how to stay away from predators (such as people, dogs, coyotes and cars), and how to find food that humans leave behind. The mother’s job is to protect the kittens and teach them how to live in the world.
When a mother horse is teaching her foal how to survive, she may nip it when the foal does something wrong, such as over-nurse, stray to far, or be to friendly with someone they shouldn’t be.
Your parents are much like the mother cat and horse! God has given your parents a big job: to love you and to teach you the ways of the world so that someday you’ll be ready when you set off to face it, looking out into the horizon at your dormroom, the McDonalds where you’ll work, your not-so-hip weather-beaten Ford, and *gulp* your girlfriend.
Do you think the mother horse was being mean when she pinned her ears back at her foal who was getting a little too friendly with some dogs? Of course not! The mother was simply protecting her child, and teaching it to be cautious about what company you’re with. Sometimes it feels like our parents are just being mean, but they’re just watching out for us to make sure we don’t get into trouble.
Don’t believe me? What are some of the "DON’T YOU DARE DO THIS" rules your parents have for you? No drinking? No driving at night? No parties? One hour of TV? 10:00 curfew? No friends over on a school night? Why do you think your parents have these rules? To be mean? Or to protect you? Think about it. Drinking is dangerous to you and to others around you. Driving at night can get you lost, kidnapped, in a storm, or in a wreck. A lot of parties have beer, Spin the Bottle, Ouija Boards (more on this later), and there are probably some people there who your parents don’t want you hanging out with. A lot of TV can earn you the award for "Biggest – Literally – Cheeto-Eating Couch Potato". A 10:00 PM curfew will help you stay out of trouble by not getting kidnapped, lost, or at parties you shouldn’t be at. Having friends over on a school night will keep your mind on your buds – when your mind should be on doing your homework and getting some sleep. What other rules can you think of, and what would happen if you didn’t have these rules?
Guess what! God has given you a special job right now! Your job right now is to obey your parents, because they’re your boss, just like God is their boss. Your job is to obey and honor your parents, to get good grades in school, and to live your entire life for God!
Your jobs will change over the years, but don’t worry – God will never change. God will be the one sure thing in your life when you pack your bags, kiss your mom on the cheek, shake your dad’s hand, and drive away to college. Even when your parents are there to help you through life, God will always be there for you, and his rules to live a great life are right there in your drawer – The Holy Bible.
Someday, after high school graduation, after college, after bullies and unfair teachers and cafeteria lunches, after your first girlfriend, (probably after the second, and third), after spending all your savings on a ring that isn’t even for you, after you get married and after all the mistakes of your youth, you’ll have kids. And guess what – those kids will think you’re being mean, too, when you tell them they can’t watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. But you’ll know that you’re just looking out for them and obeying God.
When you do have kids, will you want them to honor and respect you as you should honor and respect your parents? You can leave those questions till later in your life, but someday you will have kids and you’ll get to raise them just how you and God know they should be raised.