A Kong, a Thief, and Patience
As a parent of a small child, sometimes you just need a breather—can I get an amen? Puppies are no different. That’s where the Kong comes in. Between Kongs and bully sticks, I’ve learned they can serve as a helpful little “babysitter” at times and a training aid at others.
Most mornings, I head into the office, and Moses has learned exactly what that means: a peanut butter–filled Kong. He twists, prances, and happily trots straight into his crate, tail wagging like he’s won the lottery. He jumps in with full anticipation, ready for his morning routine.
Moses is the only one who gets a Kong right now, because I want him to associate his crate with good things. He’s still learning.
Bruce, on the other hand, has to shed a few pounds (thanks to his history of Kong theft), so he and Bella get a small dollop of peanut butter in the morning and nothing more. Fair is fair… mostly.
Lately, I’ve been preparing Moses’ Kong and setting it carefully in the center of the countertop while I get ready. And this week—it’s been cold. So one morning, I stepped outside for literally 60 seconds to start my car.
When I came back in…
No Kong.
No Bruce.
I rounded the corner just in time to see a blond tail disappearing around the other side.
“Bruuuce…”
I knew right then: if I wasn’t careful, it was about to become a full-blown game of chase.
And that’s when it hit me.
Sometimes God sets something aside for us—something good, something meant for our growth, something He wants us to enjoy—but not yet. Maybe there’s something we still need to learn. Maybe there’s character He’s strengthening. Maybe timing isn’t what we want it to be, but it’s exactly what it needs to be.
And like Bruce, sometimes we see something we want, something we think we’re ready for… and we grab it anyway. We snatch it, run with it, and hide with it—because we don’t want to wait.
But when I take hold of something before God says I’m ready, it usually becomes a mess. A burden. A lesson learned the hard way.
Bruce didn’t steal the Kong because he was hungry.
He stole it because he wanted what wasn’t meant for him—not yet anyway.
How many times have I done the same?
So I’m learning—slowly—to trust that when God says, “Not yet,” He isn’t punishing me or holding out on me. He’s preparing me. Protecting me. Working all things together for my good in ways I can’t see yet.
Bruce may not understand why the Kong wasn’t his that morning.
But I’m trying to understand the lesson behind it:
Wait on the Lord.
Trust His timing.
And listen when He says “not yet.”
Sandy
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. ~Proverbs 3:5-6
