God Knows What We Need

If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

“Um, honey? I just texted you a picture of a toy poodle. I think we need to adopt him.” My phone call was met with several beats of silence as Aaron digested my out-of-the-blue pronouncement. He was on a work trip and was a passenger in the car his coworker was driving.

“Where are you guys?” His slightly suspicious tone had me grinning. My husband knows me well and likely knew exactly where I was—and that the kids were with me. We’d agreed that we’d be getting a dog, but this was perhaps a bit sooner than either of us had anticipated.

“Well . . . we’re at the animal shelter, but don’t worry, the kids think we’re at the dog hotel. They don’t know the animals are available for adoption. They think we’re just here to visit and pet the animals. We thought it would be fun.” I rushed to get the words out, trying to head off any protest. “Plus, I’ve been watching online, and there was a poodle named Peanut that I wanted to meet. I think he would be perfect for us.”

“All I can see in the picture is a little ball of super-thick brown fuzz. Is that even a dog?”

I laughed at his teasing question because Aaron was right. Peanut hadn’t been properly groomed in at least six months and looked like a bouncy brown cotton ball.

“I know he doesn’t look like much, but trust me. He’s exactly what we need.”

And I was right. Peanut turned out to be a source of immense comfort during some hard elementary years for my daughter, and toward the end of his life, he taught us patience and gentleness as he lost his sight and hearing.

Eight years later, as I drove home from the vet with Peanut’s ashes, I smiled through grief. Peanut had been just what our young family needed, at just the right time. I’ve offered up prayers of thankfulness for him on many occasions, but that drive home was a special time with God as I realized the fullness of the gift of Peanut.

Julie

Today’s Act of Gratitude

What good gift has God given you that has taken years to fully understand the depth and breadth of its magnitude?