God's Dirty, Stinky Lessons
Chuck is our beagle/boxer mix. He was found at a good friend’s house sitting in the middle of a busy intersection, whining. My friend called me because we love dogs and have acreage. He came to our house and became a part of our family about 3 years ago. Anytime someone comes to the door, Chuck tries his best to sneak out and when he gets out...Forget about catching him. We chant “Run Forrest! Run!” when Chuck he escapes. His route and routine are the same every time, he makes a dash for the neighbor's house (which is actually quite far since we sit on 15 acres,) he socializes a bit with their mutt and comes home. This happens about once a week no matter how hard we try to avoid it.
Zane, my seven year old son, had his friend Avianna over to play over the summer. When her dad dropped her off, they accidentally let Chuck out. No biggie. He'll be back. The kids were out playing in the sandbox when I heard Zane scream, "CHUCK'S BACK!!!"
This time Chuck deviated from his normal routine, he looked like he'd taken a mud bath. I had to leave him outside for a bit because I was in the middle of something and just couldn't rush to give the filthy dog a bath at the moment. A few minutes went by and Zane came in the house so proud of himself, bless his little heart. He told me confidently, "I got Chuck, mommy. I locked him in the van. He can't go nowhere now!"
My new van was 31 days old with a mud-covered mutt in it.
I grabbed the keys and ran to the van and not only was Chuck covered in mud, but he was RANK!! I don't know what he got into, but it was not a bed of sweet-smelling roses. I yelled at Zane for putting the dirty, stinky dog in the van. He was so proud that he caught Chuck when nobody else could...and all I could rant about was the new van and the mud and the stink. I asked him why he would put a muddy, stinky dog in the new van...wasn't he thinking?! Well he was thinking--thinking of the praise he'd get for capturing Chuck. I’ve come to realize that he thought he was doing the right thing and he truly believed with all his heart he was helping me. I had to apologize to Zane for being so upset with him over something as petty as lump of steel (or whatever vehicles are made of now.) There is no reason for me to put a vehicle over the precious feelings of my son. What will that teach him? That when he does something he thinks is good, mom's just going to be mad? I can't let him learn that.
There are so many teachable moments that have been passed up because my focus has been in the WRONG place. When I focus on the wrong part of a situation, when I have blinders on, I don't see the moments that God is trying to teach me a lesson because I’m intent on looking at the fact that it is mud covered and it stinks. I feel bad for getting mad at my son for something he thought was good, but I'm also thankful that I resolved the conflict and taught him the better lesson, that I love him--no matter what, just like God love us—no matter what. Sometimes it takes a dirty, stinky situation to learn that.
Zane, my seven year old son, had his friend Avianna over to play over the summer. When her dad dropped her off, they accidentally let Chuck out. No biggie. He'll be back. The kids were out playing in the sandbox when I heard Zane scream, "CHUCK'S BACK!!!"
This time Chuck deviated from his normal routine, he looked like he'd taken a mud bath. I had to leave him outside for a bit because I was in the middle of something and just couldn't rush to give the filthy dog a bath at the moment. A few minutes went by and Zane came in the house so proud of himself, bless his little heart. He told me confidently, "I got Chuck, mommy. I locked him in the van. He can't go nowhere now!"
My new van was 31 days old with a mud-covered mutt in it.
I grabbed the keys and ran to the van and not only was Chuck covered in mud, but he was RANK!! I don't know what he got into, but it was not a bed of sweet-smelling roses. I yelled at Zane for putting the dirty, stinky dog in the van. He was so proud that he caught Chuck when nobody else could...and all I could rant about was the new van and the mud and the stink. I asked him why he would put a muddy, stinky dog in the new van...wasn't he thinking?! Well he was thinking--thinking of the praise he'd get for capturing Chuck. I’ve come to realize that he thought he was doing the right thing and he truly believed with all his heart he was helping me. I had to apologize to Zane for being so upset with him over something as petty as lump of steel (or whatever vehicles are made of now.) There is no reason for me to put a vehicle over the precious feelings of my son. What will that teach him? That when he does something he thinks is good, mom's just going to be mad? I can't let him learn that.
There are so many teachable moments that have been passed up because my focus has been in the WRONG place. When I focus on the wrong part of a situation, when I have blinders on, I don't see the moments that God is trying to teach me a lesson because I’m intent on looking at the fact that it is mud covered and it stinks. I feel bad for getting mad at my son for something he thought was good, but I'm also thankful that I resolved the conflict and taught him the better lesson, that I love him--no matter what, just like God love us—no matter what. Sometimes it takes a dirty, stinky situation to learn that.
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