Friday, January 15, 2010

Obedience Training



My dog Buddy is a Boston Terrier. Being a small (14 lb) dog with short hair, he hates the cold weather! When I take him out in the winter time, I have to catch him in the house, leash him up and drag him out. He quickly does his business and then runs for inside.

However, every time I open the front door (whether to answer the door bell, get the mail, or take one of the other dogs out) he darts out the door, regardless of the weather! Off he runs, and I cannot catch that quick dog no matter what I do. So I have to wait until he is finished frollicking, and then he comes back on his own terms. It drives me crazy!

I'm a lot like Buddy. When God opens a door for me, I'm hesistate to go through it. I don't know what God has in store for me, so I often back away. However, if I see a door open that I want to go through, I might make the mistake of dashing out without first checking to see if its really God's plan.

Just as Buddy risks getting hit by a car, or attacked by a larger dog when he runs ahead of me, I risk trouble when I run ahead of God.

Looks like Buddy and I both need some obedience training!

2 John 1:6 -- And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

Proverbs 19:16 -- He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.

Jeremiah 7:23, 24 -- but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.


Chatty Kelly

13 comments:

Meet Mary Moss said...

Great post! Yes, our pets often teach us about ourselves:-) I have a similar post at http://divinelydesigned.blogspot.com

Blessings.

Mocha with Linda said...

Wise words!

Chuck said...

What a great lesson here! I too tend to dash out before the wise prayerful consideration! You saw the sign on my phone! I love the picture of Buddy! I'd just gotten off the phone with my mom so when I first saw it I thought of their Boo! She comes by here time to time so I'll bet she'll be reading and learning!

Chel's Leaving a Legacy said...

I love when God uses the simple things to teach us about ourselves. It's so personal!

Great post, Kelly!

BTW...I'm following you on Twitter now. I'm so green.... :-)

Carmen said...

This is really a cute post! Love your little dog...they sure can run when they want to! The post has an important message too...taking it to heart!

Nel said...

Boy can I relate to that. I think we all could use a little obedience training. Thanks for sharing. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
...nel

Sue J. said...

"stubborn inclinations" says the verse....As if it's not bad enough that we tend to incline our ears, hands, hearts to the wrong things, we are downright stubborn about leaving that direction sometimes.

God gives us a lifetime of obedience training lessons, if we are willing to "sit...stay....good girl!!"

Hope classes go well, by the way....

My ADHD Me said...

I guess I better join up for the class also.

KrippledWarrior said...

do you bark at the moon? and chase the neighbor's cat?
Hopefully the worst we get is a smack with a rolled-up newspaper.

Lea said...

yikes....I too am relating to YOUR DOG. lol
Okay, the football one now takes second place. This one wins the prize. GOOD GOSH... this one is gonna stay with me... kinda like that one flower one on the side of your sidewalk that was WHITE. REMEMBER? I do!
My love to Buddy.
Reminds me... Momma lived out in our front pasture, so I could "hear" her all the time. Her dog Molly would go out just like Buddy. I bet I heard her holler a thousand times, "MOLLY, GET YER HINEY BACK IN HERE!" lol THANKS FOR THE MEMORY... today. Makes me smile. You might try that with Buddy. BUDDY GIT YER HINEY BACK IN HERE. AND you gotta say it reeeeal mean too. lol Ya reckon the Lord would like to do that to us? lol GET BACK OVER HERE MY CHILD*

Sharon@JoyInTheTruth said...

Great post, Kelly. We express our love for Him through obedience. We obey because we trust Him.

I am not a pet person (sorry!)...but Buddy is cute! :)

Love ya,
Sharon

Jenny said...

Soo true, great post. My Boston is the same way, but you have to go find her in the car to get her to come back.

Edie said...

Oh I can so relate to this post. I have done both and am still inclined to but I am learning.