With Bells On -- Hope Chronicles 52

I invested in some trinkets yesterday. One is gold and silver. The other is black and white. They have dangles and make faint jingling sounds. The best part about them is that they are lovingly inscribed.



However, my cats are less than thrilled with said trinkets -- especially since they went around their necks. Yes, I've had my cats for awhile but they've never worn collars. My rationale has been that they are indoor cats so they really didn't need them. Still, there was that one time Mali darted out on the deck. It was the middle of winter and she stopped immediately -- surprised by the cold snow.



When I went to She Speaks, a friend of a friend kept an eye on them for me. I warned her that when Mali sees you coming she will perch on the edge of the couch right by the door. Generally, it is a greeting. She wants her chin rubbed and her ears scratched. But I'm still cautious -- in and out the door quickly.



Having given her that warning, I decided that it might be best to get them collars with their name and my number. They both have the invisible microchip, but it would take an x-ray to figure that out if anyone even thought to take a stray cat to the vet to have that checked.



So, now they have some outward identification.



Katy and Mali aren't sure what to make of it. For safety, the collars detach if they get caught on something. They also came with little bells. Add to that the id tag and there is a faint jingle where ever they go. They both spent much of yesterday making cautious movements because of the sound their movements suddenly made. And there was lots of unhappy tail swishing at this new development.



A year and a half or so ago, my sister came to visit. At that point, I only had Katy. My sister had no interest in the cat. Unfortunately, cats are typically most drawn to people who are not interested in them. Add to that the stealthiness of cats, and my poor sister was continuously on guard. Katy would suddenly jump up from behind the couch . . . . Well, it didn't go well and I was continuously told to, "GET THE CAT!"



So, now my dear ones will be announced by bells.



Just as I had those tiny pieces of metal engraved, God engraves His name on our hearts. Our hearts are sealed for Him.



So, what about the bells? Is there anything that announces to others that we belong to God? In 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NIV) it says:

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity like men sent from God.

We are the aroma of Christ. To those who have turned their back on God, it is the smell of death. But to those who are searching, it is the fragrance of life. Wow. Am I the fragrance of life? Do my actions, my words, my attitude ring true with that thought?



Maybe it is a look I give a coworker or a complaint I make. Maybe it is a snide remark. Maybe it is just set in my shoulders that says, "Stay out of my way." I know sometimes, I do not "announce the good news."



So, I am asking God to remind me that I am His. I am asking that I will hear faint bells or smell heavenly smells in all that I do and say to remind me that I am His ambassador. May it remind me that where ever I am I have "bells on." May I be consistent with whose I am!