No Jacket for Gracie..

So we had this little situation last week.  My dog Gracie is turning 10 this year.  When she was a puppy and even during her younger years, she never used to get cold.  But as the years went by, this changed to the point where she seriously needed a jacket.  The problem is that she hates her jacket or any other form of clothing.  She believes that her legs stop working whenever I put it on her.  We have tried many times in the past and finally managed to get her to wear a type of t-shirt that doesn’t really give adequate warmth, but it was better than nothing.

It is winter in South Africa and last week we had snow nearby and so it was below zero degrees.  I looked in the cupboard and found a jacket from one of my other dogs and we decided to put it on her.  Big mistake!  Her personality changed instantly, and she became distant and even hostile.  This hostility lasted two whole days with her not wanting to be near me.  In fact, she just stayed outside, looking in at me from a distance.  The day I put the jacket on her, I did it because she was shivering from the cold and as I was busy, I thought that this is for her best even though she might not appreciate it right now.  I couldn’t decide who she hated more, me or the jacket as I could hear her outside walking up against the garden wall and even the shrubs as she was trying to get rid of the jacket.  

Then the Lord showed me that sometimes we are like that, and I guess I am somewhat of an authority on this - been there, done that.  He knows the end from the beginning and so He knows what is best even though we don’t always understand at the time.  Because we don’t see ahead, we can get distant, even angry towards Him.  I am learning that it is better to just surrender and let go and trust that He loves me and knows best.  How many times did I have to repent for wanting to get Him to change His mind about things or to change His timing. 

In the end He promises that all things will work together for my good because I love Him and because I am called according to His plan and purpose.

Rom 8:28 AMP: And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.

To get back to Gracie and the jacket, after two days of her staring at me from outside, I finally had to take the jacket off.  The moment I did, she was her old self.  We won’t be doing that again any time soon!


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