God's Rhythms Include High AND Low Notes

Life is interesting, isn’t it? We go through different stages of life in what seems like a blink of an eye. After my sweetheart left for his heavenly assignment, the sweet rhythm of God’s grace and love had a steady flow that kept me wrapped up in such peace and security. I had my family, church, church family, a home in a lovely community and the friends that went along with it. Sure there were highs and lows, but they came in and went out – like the tide’s ebb and flow. Beautiful rhythms.

Then the big change came for me when I moved from those comfortable rhythms in that season of life to Texas where the rhythms weren't as in-sync. Sometimes it’s part of God’s grand scheme of things to break up the monotony of our lives so that we don’t become “matter-of-fact” and take life for granted. Sometimes it’s a good thing to explore and experience some out-of-the-box times that produce growth, some new muscle, new insight and a fresh new rhythm.

When I took on the care of these 32 animals (my idea) at my children’s place here in Austin, my rhythms were way off. I think those animals sensed my trepidation. The goats and donkeys took advantage of me, the novice farm-hand, by overpowering my obvious inexperience. And then some of the chickens escaped under the fence and I was chasing them -- pardon the pun -- like a chicken with her head cut off. And if you didn’t know, chickens are fast. I’m sure you would have been greatly entertained if you had seen me. I finally cornered them and took them home, and then commenced to haul over rocks to the fence to cover the just-big-enough-to-escape holes.

I am so pleased to report that my mentality changed from “out-of-sync” to “I’ll show you who's boss” rhythms! Now, it’s smooth, calm and in-sync here at Old Mac-Donna’s farm. In fact, I think I’ve conquered any fears or concerns about handling this experience. The bigger animals respect me when I come out with their feed bowls. Now, I have a well-thought-out plan that calmly separates them, respectfully, at meal-time. They love it when I scratch their heads and backs. The ducks, chickens, hens, and roosters are behaving like well-behaved critters (instead of “gangsters” like I called those who escaped their pen), and those mama hens are producing a lot of eggs for me – so yummy! There’s nothing like fresh eggs. I feel like I have an enjoyable rhythm playing now.

I had one of those “King David” moments (1 Samuel 30:6) when he encouraged himself. I encourage myself with remembering what God said about “taking dominion” in Genesis 1:28. “And God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” I mustered up that dominion attitude with wisdom and strength and an empowered mindset. I took matters into my "rhythmic" hands that are empowered by God's strong and mighty hands and made some positive decisions. The best part, I realized I have the opportunity to use my faith to make those “walls of barn stalls and fences of chicken coops of discomfort” tumble down by getting into God’s rhythm of dominion over those things and animals that try to overpower me. THAT includes the enemy of my soul! Dumb devil!!!

Thank you, Lord, for learning more about You from your creation. The flowers have a rhythm to bud and eventually grow; your animal creation has rhythms of living in-sync with your creative abilities in them. I really appreciate the slow and smooth rhythms that are so sweet, but I thank You for even the staccato, disconnected rhythms – because more than anything I desire to be in sync with Your ebbs and flows – in tempo that connects me to your ways which are so much higher than my ways!