MATT’S MISHAPS | West Bend News
“Serving overseas as a small-town boy in America has been intense, stressful and humorous! Enjoy a light-hearted story with me from our last 20 years overseas!”
—Matt
Furry Christmas Gift
I was raised shaking my shoes, which were kept outside in the garage, and then putting them on in the winter. Sometimes my shoes were used as sleeping bags by mice. One time, I was watching my grandpa milk a cow, and he suddenly started dancing and running around. The little baby mouse nests in the barn rafters above his head started to fall from their nest. They fell right down the back of his shirt collar, down his back, and were squirming around & stuck in his overalls.
Living overseas means that you have to park your vehicle in a underground parking lot with a large storage space behind it. All the extra junk that doesn’t fit in the little apartment goes in that little storage space.
I discovered liquid under the vehicle’s hood one time, as I was going down to it. I lifted the hood to find that the brake fluid line was cut open. On showing the mechanic, he said, “Oh, that was a rat! They will chew through anything and have teeth of steel.” We fixed the brake fluid line and I never thought more of it.
Later, as I was taking Christmas decorations out of my storage space and organizing them, I decided to dig through the boxes before lifting them. I was shocked to discover that one of the boxes’ contents had been rummaged through. The furry culprit was located towards the bottom. It was a very large and very dead furry rat. I concluded that his brake fluid had sent him to his cardboard grave.
I believe it is a bad idea for husbands and wives to keep secrets from each other. However, I didn’t tell my wife that a rat was at rest in a box with her favorite family Christmas ornaments. I don’t think she could see Grandma’s ornaments hanging on the Christmas tree, without thinking about the rat if she knew.
I’d guess barns and stables and garages haven’t changed purpose that much. They are essential places of daily living that are used for storage, but also attract unwanted little critters. The stable in Bethlehem was home to many of these unwanted critters, which speaks volumes to the great humility of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Have you ever had something similar happen to your life? Send me a message and I will be happy to hear your story!
[email protected] Matt’s Mishaps, PO BOX 114, Grabill, IN 46741