Lessons Learned in Unexpected Ways

I want to try to make this as brief as I can, but HAD to share something that just came to my heart.

This afternoon, Ben and I (and his dog Trigger), headed to the farm to do a little greenfield planting. As usual, Ben was walking around spreading seed, I'm on the Polaris "Dragging" behind him (in order to cover up the seed he just spread out) and of course Trigger is being his usual self, running around, playing in what little water we have in the pond and getting in our way (like he typically likes to do). At one point, Ben was picking up these large rocks and throwing them in the woods to get them off the greenfield. He said, "Can you believe Trigger is actually fetching these huge rocks I'm throwing??". So Ben throws one big rock into woods and yells at Trigger "NO!", yet Trigger proceeds to run in after to "fetch" the rock, but what Trigger didn't realize is that Ben was just about to throw another BIG rock. Right when Ben let the big rock leave his hands, he KNEW what was about to happen. I screeched as I watched it unfold in slow motion. I knew he had hit Trigger, but just wasn't sure where (on complete accident of course). So Trigger kinda limps/walks weird out of the woods and Ben is looking at him, checking him out to see for any broken bones or lacerations from the rock. He doesn't notice anything right away, but notices that Trigger is just not acting right. Almost as if he was having a mini-seizure (which he's had before). After a little time of slowly allowing Trigger to try and walk, we finally got him on his feet (still not acting like himself though). His muscles seemed really weak and shaky. He finally started wagging his tail which is always a good sign. We are still keeping an eye on him of course, but will watch him closely. Hopefully he was just "knocked silly" and has come out of it or maybe the impact of the huge rock hitting him, threw him into somewhat of a seizure. I know I sure wouldn't have been totally "with it" if I had been hit with one either. What you don't know is that Ben's other black lab, Dixie who is 11 years old is at the vet clinic having surgery by Dr. Colley to remove what he think is skin cancer. So that's all we need is for something to be wrong with both our "babies".

I realized something through all of this and it's funny that I had this "epiphany" (if you will) while watching Trigger lay there unsteady......I realized that SO many times in life God tells us "NO" or to "WAIT" for something or someone. Lots of time we choose to be a "Trigger" and run straight toward what looks SO good (the glamorous stuff), but God quickly tells us "No, my child" and yet we go in that direction anyway. We go after that which we think will make us happy, even just for a little while, but CLEARLY what happens, is that we end up getting HURT. Just like Trigger did by that rock. Some of us make decisions or go thru things and we are never the same--whether it be physically, emotionally, mentally changed.

I learned what I believe to be a valuable lesson just from watching our dog get hurt for a stupid reason. Did he REALLY NEED that big rock? Most of us would ask, why in the WORLD would he go after something like that? But people on the outside looking in are able to do that. They can see the things that we can't because we become blinded. We become blinded to what is best for us rather than being able to SEE what is the right thing. I've been learning that I need to be "still" more before Jesus. He wants me to be STILL, then maybe I can hear his whispers and even shouts. I have no idea what my future holds, but as they say, I know who holds the future. I'm SO ready to know what God has in store for my life as a wife, in my job area, kids etc.

So maybe that's something you can pray for today. Maybe pray that when God tells you "NO" or "WAIT" (and He will, trust me)...then do just that--TRUST HIM!! I'm having to learn this the hard way just like Trigger did. Heck, maybe it does take Him knocking us upside the head in order to get our attention. Next time you feel that little nudge which may quickly become a rock knocking you upside the head, remember God is halting you for a reason---SO THAT YOU DO NOT GET HURT!!!

I'm preaching to myself when I say this, and I only say it out of love. So next time, just listen...He is always there waiting to give you an answer, just may not be exactly what we want to hear at the time. But years down the road, you'll realize WHY He gave the answer He did, and it will finally make sense, when before, it seemed so unclear....