Farewell Malachi Bubb (1992-2009)
The Holocaust and Easter
Photos
IN LOVING MEMORY

Life or death? A few days ago, Kristen and I were faced with one of the toughest decisions of our entire married life as we wrapped our arms around Malachi. To make matters worse, I was scheduled to lead a seminar at a national conference for Calvary Chapel churches only 90 minutes later. Well let me back up and tell you a little bit about why this was such a tough decision.

Malachi Memories It all started back in the spring of 1992. Malachi had been abandoned in a park and Kristen rescued her when she was only a few days old. Now I know what some of you astute Bible scholars are probably thinking, "Did you say 'SHE' . . . isn't Malachi a 'male' prophet?" Malachi's name has led to interesting discussion over the years. Some think she is related to the Italian Mafia while others are convinced she was named after a Hawaiian Island. At a very young age, people who know about these things determined that Malachi was a male kitty so "he" was named Malachi. Later when we discovered she was female, she wanted us to keep it. Since Stephen was our N.T. kitty, she would be our O.T. kitty.

In the early days, "Mom" (Kristen) & Malachi would come over to visit me at my condo. Malachi would crawl under my couch. She was so small that somehow she was able to squeeze in between the upholstered cover & the couch itself & crawl up the back of the couch. We would glance over & burst out laughing to see this little tiny ball slowly inching up the backside of the couch! Then back at Kristen's condo, Malachi would wrap her tiny little body around Kristen's head as they both fell asleep together.

Malachi was the very definition of a "scaredy-cat." Occasionally folks would come over and go ecstatic because they had a Malachi sighting. We should have sold tickets (like going out on a whale watching boat). One of Kristen's sisters said she was the ONLY cat that did not give her allergies. It was not uncommon for one of the few she "allowed" to pet her to say she was the softest cat they ever felt.

Malachi Miracles Allow me to brag a little about our "daughter." She could open some doors, drink water straight from the faucet & actually walk on her back 2 paws. (Fortunately I have videotape footage of some of these things to prove I'm not making this stuff up.) She must have been double-jointed as she could look like a rug with her back paws stretched out in one direction and her front paws stretched out in the opposite direction so that she was laying totally flat. When she was younger, Kristen could get her to jump about 5 feet in the air. We have a great photo of her 'flying' through the air at the height of Kristen's shoulders. (see photos at end of article) She could totally balance on her scratching post looking backwards, upside down using her front paws to try to catch her tail as it waved behind her. And she truly did not know which way her own tail would go! Additionally, she could speak many languages. She would look out the window and start chirping if she saw birds or make any number of various sounds depending on what she was looking at outside.

When Kristen and I would pray together at the dining table before dinner, she would go under the table and come out from under my chair to rub up next to my leg to pray with us and for the laying on of hands, which I guess she figured was petting. When we would watch TV, I would usually lie on the couch looking through the mail and she would stand on her back paws and ever so gently tap my left arm with her little right paw. This was her reminder for me to raise my arm so she could jump up on the couch and snuggle next to my side. As I put my hand on top of her, she would turn on her side and move my arm so that she would be wrapping all 4 paws around it.

While her older brother Stephen was the most humble "Christ-like" cat I have known (please read his article in the articles/archives of the Larrybubb.com website), she was undoubtedly the most unique, talented cat I have seen.

We've never had any biological children so our cats actually were our adopted children. They were breathing, living beings, each with their own distinct personality and endowed with the gift of life by their Creator. In many ways we were closer to them than many parents are to their teenage kids. For one, we spent more time with them because we would not let them get a driver's license, no matter how hard they begged us! As indoor cats they did not want to move out like many teens do around college age. They kept Kristen company while I was traveling and speaking. They never talked back, like some teens tend to do (except Malachi when Mom would give her a pedicure and manicure, which she pretended not to like). So we saw them every day of our married life when we were in town.

Malachi Medically Almost 2 years ago, Malachi had kidney stones, which lead to kidney failure. She must have got that from Dad as I have passed 3 in my life. They say it is the most painful thing to experience. I can tell you it is not! This experience is far worse. I would gladly have more if it could alleviate the pain I am feeling now & bring Malachi back to be with us. I literally feel physically sick.

We began injecting her with subcutaneous fluids (water under her skin, temporarily like a camel hump). She recovered well. Her annual checkup about a month ago led to a recommendation to increase her fluids & give her heart medication. The medication made her very groggy & she stopped eating. So we took her in to the vet again to have her checked out. We had no idea it would be the last time! It was a shock when the Dr. told us her body was shutting down & the fluid had filled up in her abdomen causing pressure on her heart & lungs (her breathing was labored). She told us it was time to let her go & commended us for keeping her going so long. With heavy hearts & many tears we said our goodbyes before she went to her final resting place. She had been with us our entire married life. It has been tough coming home to an "empty" house.

Malachi Mystery As I get older, death has become more and more of a mystery to me . . . maybe because I am experiencing it more often. The last year or so it seems like I knew someone each month who died. I talked to 2 just the week before they passed away & 2 were in my youth group when I was Youth Pastor. No matter how prepared you are intellectually, it still hits you like an emotional ton of bricks. It was so traumatic to see Malachi moments before her last breath. Here she was - a living, breathing, thinking, feeling, loving being one moment, then suddenly there was no more life left in her. I can't fathom that.

All I can say is farewell to my sweetheart Malachi. You brought us great joy, we loved you beyond words and we will miss you all of our earthly days!

Malachi Messages My new favorite verse is "Jesus wept." Even while He knew Lazarus was coming back, He was still sad. My life goal is to be like Jesus & I have had the weeping part down lately! I read a book by CS Lewis after my father died & I realized that is it OK & even good to grieve . . . and for a long time. Some think that you should "just trust God, put on a happy face and get over it." To quote my friend, Ernie, who has been through some unbelievably tough times, "The more you love someone, the more it hurts!" Jesus' words in Mat. 26:37b-38 are deeply moving to me. "He began to be sorrowful and distressed. He told them, 'My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death . . .'" Jesus understands when you are going through tough times. Remember He is "Your Friend." Well, I cried practically the entire drive to the conference, where I was to speak only 90 minutes after seeing Malachi for the last time. Truthfully, I had NO earthly idea if I could do it or not. Thankfully those who have volunteered to pray for me via e-mail were praying & God graciously allowed me to get through the seminar without breaking down. That was also a miracle of God.

God showed up in another huge way. A guy named Greg asked me about my song "Your Friend" after the seminar. He had found lyrics to a song called "Your Friend" 2 years ago because his friend, Rose, had left it on a copy machine. The song meant a lot to her because she had a disease & ended up dying a year ago. He'd never heard the song & didn't know who wrote it. When I told him the words he got excited & said, "That's it!" I was amazed & humbled. He asked if I would sing it in the concert that evening. So just before I sang it, in tears I briefly mentioned that the song was an encouragement to me not only when my father died, but that very day . . . the day we put Malachi to sleep. It was an amazing reminder that God was there to comfort & wrap His arms around me & that He would never leave even in the tough times. "Remember I am your friend, with you 'til the end . . ."

So these last few days I have been very lethargic with this aching, huge hole in my heart. Kristen asked me to help her with an elderly couple that she has been working with through Jewish Family Services. They needed help transporting a used adjustable bed for the wife, since she had a stroke a few years ago. All I really wanted to do was mourn and grieve at home as it has been very tough to be around people. But I knew it would be the right thing to do instead of feeling sorry for myself, so I said yes. I like to preach a sermon about Paul & Silas (Acts 16) after they were thrown in prison. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, seeking revenge or shaking their fists at God & saying, "Why?", they looked for someone else to help & ended up leading the jailor & his family to know the Lord. Well God has a way of putting things into perspective when you step out in faith, trust Him and do the right thing.

I will just cut to the chase and say that when the wife was only 10 years old, she had to watch her family murdered before her eyes during the Holocaust. She was one of only 2 out of the 20,000 Jews in her city that was not put to death because a guard helped her escape. Sure puts it all in perspective. Which leads me to the next article.

THE HOLOCAUST AND EASTER

       It infuriates me when people try to claim the Holocaust did not happen, like the Bishop that was in the news recently. I know of a lady who irrationally denies it happened because she is German. It's extremely hard for anyone to seriously deny it at this point in history because there are still so many living eyewitnesses that experienced the Holocaust 1st hand. This gives extra credibility & validity to the resurrection of Jesus Christ even though it happened so many years ago. I attended a conference about the Bible last week. One of the points they brought up is that myths don't develop until 80 years after an event takes place. This is because eyewitnesses are still alive. Some of the gospels were written under 30 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ with literally thousands of manuscripts to testify to the truth of that event. The reason it was not seriously considered a made-up myth was because there were so many eyewitnesses still alive (see     I Cor. 15:6). I imagine that 20 years from now there will be a lot more people doubting the validity of the Holocaust when all of the eyewitnesses are gone. Now consider that there are over a billion people who believe that Jesus did literally rise from the dead that first Easter. That alone gives us great confidence that this was a historical event. Thomas had to see the resurrected Jesus before he would believe and then Jesus said, ". . .  blessed are those who have not seen me and yet still believe." (John 20:29) Jesus was talking about me . . . and you if you choose to believe and put your trust and hope in Him!