Not for the Weak of Heart

The smell had been getting progressively worse.  I checked the drains in the sink.  I did numerous sniff tests around the kitchen.  I scrubbed the floor.  I threw the throw rugs into the washing machine.  Couldn't pinpoint it.  (I even had my husband down on his hands and knees sniffing the larger rug under our table!)

This morning I noticed the odor seemed a little more intense in a certain place.  I moved out a piece of furniture to see if food had been kicked under/behind it.  Nothing.

So when it was my turn to pray after Husband and I had read our devotional excerpt and he had read the 91st Psalm aloud, I prayed, "....and God, it's not a big thing in the grand scheme of things, but would you help us get to the bottom of this odor?"

We said our "amens" and got out of our chairs to put some action to the prayer.  THIS time, as I walked past the stove, the smell was unmistakeable more intense there.  Reluctantly (and being careful not to scrape our floor) we pulled the stove out, half expecting to see a m_ _ _e!

Whew!  There wasn't one!

Still we knew there was something SOMEwhere near the stove.  My husband went for his tools and removed the stove back.  THERE it was.  Electrocuted, apparently.  (My poor husband!)  I held a bag to receive it after he extricated it from its instrument of death.

We left the house shortly thereafter.  Before I left, I opened the window, took the lid off of two scented candles and put a saucer of white vinegar out to absorb the residual odor.

It's not a pleasant post, I know.  But there WAS a lesson or two in it all.
First of all, God answers our prayers--even the ones we feel "silly" praying.
Second, it usually helps to follow up our prayers with action.
Third, even after the prayer is answered, there is sometimes additional
action required to follow up the follow up!
Fourth (and finally), in the whole stinky process, I found a recipe card written in my grandmother's hand, an earring I'd lost,  AND a small, lovely plaque--all of which had slipped
between the stove and counter-top.  Unexpected benefits from a unpleasant task!.

Speaking of answers to prayer...

 our grand-baby went home from the hospital today--12 days after he was admitted!
What kind of prayers has God answered for you lately?


17 comments:

  1. Oh the poor little mousey, and your poor little housey. Glad you found it. Today we found the cute little skunk that has been visiting us, dead, hit by a car in front of our house. You mentioning stinky brought that to mind. We were very sad about the skunk, it was a nice visitor.

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  2. What great news Rebecca! About little Silas I mean. I'm so happy he went home, Praise Jesus!!
    As for the mouse in the house, many years ago when my two oldest were very young, we had an infestation. Had to call an exterminator. I can still remember that smell 31 years later!!
    God does answer little prayers. It happens for me often. I'm glad it happened for you and Gary! Love Di ♥
    P.S. So, so happy for Silas and his mom and dad!!

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  3. So glad you have good news in all aspects of your life. Glad the baby is home again!

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  4. Oh, this "mousey" post is so full of good stuff!! Glad it had a happy ending! God does care about the "little" things in our lives, doesn't He?
    Glad your Silas is doing well!

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  5. Glad to hear the mouse is gone and the newest baby is home! Good news, all.

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  6. Hi Rebecca,
    so happy to hear lil Silas is home!
    and your story was so funny, so glad you found that poor fried mouse
    and hopefully by now the stench is gone........lol
    The Lord hears and loves even our seemingly silly prayers cause we are
    depending on him. great answer and what fun finds as well.
    God always has a few surprises for us, He is so good to us.

    Great story!! Thanks for the laughs,

    Special Mouse Free Blessings to ya,
    Nellie

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  7. Yay!

    Glad baby got to go home 8~)
    God truly does answer each and every prayer...
    no matter how great or small. 8~)
    Take care,
    Nancy

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  8. So glad to hear Silas is home:)

    One summer we had a mouse die somewhere in our house and couldn't find it either. I will NEVER forget that smell.

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  9. I see a another lessons here...just think...if that poor mouse had not died you would not have had the pleasure finding your treasures.Rebecca, I love the way you see life through the eyes of Christ. It is one reason I follow your blog and call you my friend.

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  10. Praise God on the grandbaby....and yes, yes, yes..on all four points.

    When I was first married our Sunday School teacher told of her daughter losing her hamster..it had crawled behind the dishwasher. She so didn't want for the hamster to die, the stink and then explaining to her daughter. She stopped right there in the kitchen and ask God to bring that hamster out...when her and her daughter said "amen" the hamster stuck his little nose out from behind the dishwasher and came running out. I will never forget that story...and it has stayed with me for over 30 years...God in the everyday!

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  11. Congratulations! I have so many of these stories and what I find funny is how long it takes us to ask when we know how faithful he's been in the smalls so many times before.

    I'm so thankful to know that your grand-baby is well and at home where he should be!

    Blessings, Debbie

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  12. Oh girl I feel for you.
    How is it... that a little ole fried mouse can STANK so dadgum bad?!!!!!
    Their stink is so much bigger than they are... I don't get it. But we've had our share and I just felt your pain!
    Glad you found the stinker and
    about PRAYING to find it......... I'd have been praying with you!
    Clanking our coffee cups: to fresher smelling days ahead!

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  13. Pulling out a memory from 13 years ago... same scenario. Dead mouse; range hood. Not pleasant, not even a recipe card to soften the blow. Eewwww!

    But yes, even the seemingly small prayers, God is faithful to address! Just yesterday morning I prayed for his strength to get through some rough edits on my book. On the front side, I didn't even want to address the issue, but thanks be to God, we made it through together.

    No big plans this weekend; I do hope to spend some time with my parents in the next week.

    peace~elaine

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  14. So very good to know that Silas is back at his home...praise the Lord!

    About the m___e...
    Oh, that smell is a wicked one, isn't it? Glad you discovered its source and were able to eliminate it! :-)

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  15. oh my goodness! I'm just catching up a little here...both of our kids have have trouble with M_ _E and I just can't stand the thought...one time we had a family of them in a shed...Hubby carted them out to a field with a shovel. My biggest fear around this house is the SN_ _ ES we sometimes encounter in the yard. I'm a barefoot kind of lady but I keep a pair of crocs right outside of each door to slip on before I venture out. And the one thing that will keep me from ever living in SC is the RO_ _ ES that seem to be part of the deal. I'm such a sissy...

    Glad you had this quick answer to prayer. God definitely knows our limits! LOL

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  16. Oh, I'm glad grand-baby is home! 2 weeks ago a friend of ours same age as me, 46, was put on the list for a lung transplant. He has a rare lung disease and has been waiting to get on the list. when his wife called and asked how long it will be before he can get on the list they told her to book him for an appointment in July. His wife wept and said that will likely be too late. He was on oxygen and could do nothing but breathe laboriously and cough! He has never smoked. This rare disease had worn out his lungs. Four days later on the Sunday he had a transplant. Word spread, churches, MANY churches, friends, family prayed! A little while ago I checked my e-mail. He came home yesterday looking and feeling like a new man. The doctors can't believe his recovery. While we realize there are many unknowns we give God the glory and humbly thank him that his family has hubby, daddy back! I simply needed to share this when I read your question..

    . On a simpler note...last week I dragged out my garden tiller and when I tried to start it the string simply pulled put with no tension at all. We've been on an 'everything breaking' spree. Hubby is a trucker and is normally home on week-ends. I simply said 'oh Jesus, please, I know this is just a little thing but oh, please let my tiller start! Something...no Someone told me to yank it really fast! I did....three times and it started! REALLY! I still tear up now as I think about how often I put God 'in a box'. Sorry for my chapter comment.

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Writing a Song a Week #3

Writing a Song a Week #3
♪ I wait for the Lord; my soul waits and in his word I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning ♪ (Psalm 130:5-6)