He's a Good Shepherd

Here I go again with more inspiration from "the tales of Bryson". My youngest grandson’s life is consumed with the great outdoors and his animals, so of course, his live-stock causes my mind's "ticker tape" to keep rolling!

His priority is his animals' care and he loves it when I help him feed them at the corral or when he moves his goats and donkeys over to the pasture area that has plenty of “greens” for them to consume during the day. It’s a hoot to watch the goats, even with so much grass around to eat – that they still stand on their hind legs to get to the tastiest treats from the trees.

Those animals know their master. When he calls – even the donkeys, go running to him. Of course they do, they live the high life. Even neighboring families will stop by the fences and bring food to them. They are so well cared for and so well-protected. At evening time, Bryson brings them back from the pasture to the corral because predators can show up over there at nighttime. They are pampered and well fed, even if they don’t go over to the green pastures. They are protected and out of danger. Their shepherd, Bryson, is good and loves them all.

My scripture readings lately have referenced the Shepherd and His sheep, so with the inspirations of these chickens, longhorn, goats and donkeys, plus these scriptures, I can’t help but want to hang as close as I can to MY Shepherd.

Those of us who know our Good Shepherd – are like those animals in Bryson's loving care. When we are hanging close to our Shepherd – we can rest in knowing – even in storms – He is right there with us -- tenderly loving and guiding us.

But, then what about the sheep and other animals who have no shepherd and are in places that are open-prey to ravenous creatures and deadly storms? How do they come into the fold?
It's so simple -- surrender to the care of THE Good Shepherd Who lovingly welcomes them into His watchful care. Jesus does. He shares something central to a life of peace and contentment. He says, "I am the Good Shepherd." (John 10:11) Like a shepherd, He leads, feeds, protects and saves His sheep. How can He be so unrelenting in love for us?

And the answer has always been the same -- simple, yet profound -- God IS love. It is Who He is. He can't stop loving us. We are His children, and we are the sheep of His pasture.

As, one of those well-fed, cared for, protected and pampered sheep, I delightfully proclaim: "The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for He is with me. His rod and His staff -- they comfort me. He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. He anoints my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalms 23.

And, He welcomes you to be loved and cared for in His green pastures, too!

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!