Before I began closely walking with the Lord and studying His Word in-depth, I didn't understand the consequences that were associated with even little decisions I made in my everyday life. Case in point - my pet situation. Years ago, if my children wanted a pet, I would give it some thought, and then I would go about getting the pet I thought was right for us. I did this time and time again, not realizing the impact that our pet situation had upon so many areas of our lives. Now that I try to always follow the example of Jesus when He said, "I do nothing without consulting the Father" (John 5:30 NLT), I turn to the Lord for His guidance when I need to make pet-related decisions, and I do my best to follow His will.

Last summer, our pet duck, Larry, turned 16 years old. When my husband, Joe, and I took him to the vet for a routine checkup, we discovered that our former vet had left the clinic, and we were given a new vet in her place. Dr. G was astonished that Larry was 16, saying that his breed typically lived 6 to 8 years at the most. Because of his age, she wasn't surprised that Larry had cataracts, and was basically blind in both eyes. She made it clear that she didn't expect Larry to live much longer. That's when we told her that when Larry died, we were not going to get our female, Libby, another mate, and we would try to find her a good home where she could be with other ducks. Joe and I are in our 60s now, and considering how high maintenance ducks are as pets, we didn't feel that we were up to the challenge as much as we used to be. Dr. G said that when Larry died, she and her husband would be happy to adopt Libby. As it turned out, her husband was a duck breeder, and she said that he would be thrilled to add a Khaki Campbell like Libby to his flock. Joe and I were overjoyed and relieved that Libby would have a wonderful new home to go to after Larry was gone. We knew that she would be happier with other ducks, rather than being alone with Joe and me, and we thanked God for giving us this option.

That autumn, we brought Libby and Larry back to the vet for a checkup, and we discovered that Dr. G was no longer with the practice. Joe and I were stunned. Our first thought was, "What are we going to do with Libby when Larry dies?" We explained our situation with the current vet, who happened to be the owner of the clinic, and we asked how we could get in touch with Dr. G. He said that she had moved out of state, and that he didn't know how to contact her. Joe and I were frantic. We combed the internet and made some calls, trying to find Dr. G, but she was nowhere to be found. I was praying all along, and as I got quiet in my spirit, the Lord revealed to me that He was the One who closed the door on our giving Libby away, and He strongly impressed upon me that I was to stop my futile attempts to find our old vet.

At first, all I could do was cry out, "Why, Lord? Why would You close this door? What are we supposed to do with Libby when Larry's gone?" Then one day, as I was cleaning up after our ducks and feeling sorry for myself, I heard the Lord's voice inside my spirit saying, "Just trust Me." And I was reminded of a passage of Scripture that has guided me and comforted me so many times in the past. "Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track." (Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG) Every decision we make is important to God. And it should be important to us, too. If we will put aside our reasoning and rationale, if we will call upon Him for His wisdom and guidance in every situation, He will direct our steps in the paths of His greatest blessings.

I have no idea what we're going to do about Libby when Larry finally passes. But I believe with all my heart that because I have put my trust in Him, He will show me exactly what to do, and He will give me the grace to do it.

Prayer: Lord, plant deep in my heart the truth that every decision I make has far-reaching consequences, and impacts every area of my life. Teach me to call on You for divine wisdom and guidance when I have a choice to make. Deliver me from the reasoning and rationale that would rob me of Your best. Remind me often that when You close a door, You have a good reason for it, and You will make it work out for my good. (Romans 8:28) Make me sensitive and obedient to Your voice in all things, so that my steps will be continually directed by you. Thank You that as I trust You from the bottom of my heart, I will experience Your unshakable peace and unspeakable joy!