Good Morning to Ewe!

Stellar's twins arrived early (5:30 am) yesterday morning, and Praise God! I was there. It is in the 20's overnight still, quite a shock for a little wet lamb, and a brutal wake up to the world outside a warm mama, even when born in the barn. I helped towel them dry and rub them warm as Stellar nuzzled them and encouraged them to take breakfast. I was too guarded yesterday to write, as there is always a weaker twin, but as you can see from the family portrait (taken this morning, 24 hours later) I woke up to a happy, cozy little sheep family in their jug in the barn while outside, it is snowing again. The snow that fell in back in December still covers the ground...will we ever see signs of Spring outside the barn?

True to form, Stellar and Garcia have produced a little ram lamb, Promised Land Eli, and a little ewe lamb, Promised Land Elsie. Elsie is in the foreground, and Eli is atop mama.

I missed Bible Study to keep vigil over the lambs, should one start to decline. I had a moment of guilt, thinking that I wasn't where I was supposed to be. What a strange thought, because God is with me wherever I am, and he has given me stewardship over these animals, trusted them to my care. I love my Bible Study group, and the women are so dear to me. It is truly the highlight of my week. But I have learned more about my relationship with Jesus and His character through caring for my sheep.

There are so many references to sheep in the Bible, and to Jesus as our Good Shepherd. Caring for my sheep makes these passages so real - they are no longer words on a page. Each day I check the sheep several times, each one. To them it must seem that I am just scanning the horizon, but in reality, I am looking at eyes, ears, noses, coats, alertness, girth, fetal movement, signs of labor, hooves, condition, is the temperature comfortable, what is the condition of the pasture, have they enough water, are the fences secure, is foul weather impending, is there adequate shade, are my older ewes still thriving - does anyone need special care? As they approach lambing, I will check even hourly, or find work to do in the barn, so I can hear any sign of distress...each one is counted, and each one is precious. God does the same for us, each one of us, all of the time.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is the 23rd Psalm, familiar to many as the one read at death. It is so much more! It is about life, not death. Recently I found a book written by Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. You will never look at a reference to sheep or The Shepherd in the same way...