Last Saturday, Belle the basset hound–in the middle of traffic on a busy street–jumped out the window. A few hours and several hundred dollars later, Belle was back home, with a plastic cone around her neck and a few inches missing from the tip of her tail.
Poor Stubby. We love you for your sweetness, and not your wisdom.
I expected the vet to lecture us for driving with the windows down, but instead she admitted that her own dog jumped from her car, too. Accidents just happen, I suppose, and we’re grateful this one ended well.
The kids have giggled over the possible reasons that Belle bailed. Did she see a rabbit? Did her hound nose catch a whiff of something exciting? What was she thinking?
But honestly, I can relate. My 33 years hold far too many thoughtless words spoken, too many snap decisions made, too many times when I knew God’s word instructed me to do “A”, but I disobeyed and chose “B”. Time and again, I suffer the consequences of these rash decisions, then look back and wonder, “Amy, what were you thinking?”
In the Old Testament, God appeared to King Solomon in a dream, and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” And Solomon famously asked for wisdom. He said, “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” (I Kings 3:5,9)
What a great request! What a great prayer for this wife and mom who so often feels like a little girl. Instead of looking back and wondering, “What was I thinking?”, I want to look ahead and confidently ask, “Lord, what do You think?” What does Your word say about this? Where is Your Spirit leading?
God, give me a discerning heart. Let me distinguish between right and wrong. Let my choices make You glad, God. Grant me Your wisdom, for the sake of Your name. Amen.
More Lessons from a Basset Hound…
- Lesson 1: Obedience
- Lesson 2: Perseverance
- Lesson 3: Love
- Lesson 4: Hope
- Lesson 5: Smelling Like Poo
- Lesson 6: Tweet!
- Lesson 7: Reward
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