The shepherd and his sheep

Good Morning Friends!  Totally loved by HIM, Tuesday!   How long has it been since you have seen or heard a hundred baby lambs, running, jumping, baaing for mama?  Sound like fun?…..Well come on out to Lula, it’s lambing time!  Last summer, Kim replaced his old ewes with young ones and this is their first time to lamb, so he has been extra watchful and careful… first-time mamas can have problems birthing.  He decided when they first started lambing to lock them into a large catch pen, rather than let them go out into the pasture, allowing him to keep a closer eye on them.  It’s extra work with all the feeding, but so much safer.  Well, a couple weeks ago our well pump went out so there was no water in the catch pen; he had no choice but to let them out into a pasture with a pond while the well was repaired.  Oh boy, they loved being out in the pasture….but there was no way he could leave them out there, he had to bring them in at dusk, no matter what it took.  I was with him that first day, it was a bit of a chore to say the least, but they sure liked the fresh grass, so being the kind shepherd that he is, Kim has let them out each morning to graze and brings them in at night, feeds them, and locks them in.  As he pulls into the alley way where he feeds, he turns on the siren on the feed truck, his signal to the animals that chow is on!  Sunday evening I got to go out with him to let them in; during the week he is usually done by the time I get home, so I was looking forward to seeing all the little ones.  As we drove in I could see them all way out in the back pasture…oh boy I thought, this could be a real rodeo, but as soon as Kim turned on the siren they started running in mass towards the gate and feed!  It was truly amazing to watch them come as Kim stood out in the pasture to make sure no one was left behind for coyote bait.  He noticed one lone lamb way out and was headed out to get it, when I hollered at him….”I’ll go, rest your weary legs.”  As soon as they were all in and the gate was locked we filled the troughs with grain….they just go crazy, but what a joy to see them all together, safe, protected, fed, and growing strong.  As we drove away I could still hear the babies baaing for their mamas (they were of course bellied up to the troughs), their cries made me smile….Is that what I sound like to our Good Shepherd….I laughed as I thought, “of course Kim is a good shepherd to his sheep, he had the Perfect Example…our Savior.”  “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want…..Ps. 23”  He protects me from the coyotes of a sinful world, He feeds me with His word and provides me with all I need on this earth, He calms my fears.  Kim’s sheep know the sound of his feed truck, Jesus says of us, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”  John 10:27-28.  No one can snatch us out of HIS hands, Kim, try as he might can never guarantee that one of his lambs will not get snatched….Our Good Shepherd, is our Savior, our God and Lord…..”My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”  John 10:29-30.   Thank Father, for a Shepherd that laid down HIS life for us…”Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  Psalm 23:6.

 

Love you all!

Lord, buck us up and get us going!

Good Morning Friends!  Fill me with Your word Father, Friday!  The other day while I was in the bathroom getting ready for work, Kim came behind me on the porch to get his boots on.  I could tell he was pondering something…never know with him, he is always reading and studying new ways to take care of the animals.  What mineral is best, rotational grazing with sheep and cows, what kind and how much feed is most effective for breeding and raising calves.  He isn’t stuck on doing things the same “way they have always been done.”  That’s what he was pondering….he had been having a discussion with one of our cattle-raising neighbors about some new idea he had and as usual the neighbor said, “Well, we have always done it this way…..no need to change.”  Now this isn’t the first time Kim has had a discussion like this with this neighbor and others….I have heard it before, but this time….I just couldn’t stop thinking about it….really bothers Kim that people are stuck in the same old ways of ranching that their fathers did, when they could be growing, learning, strengthening their herds…Well, it finally hit me….could I be stuck in “the same old ways” of spending time with our Father, strengthening my faith, growing in the word, serving…..doing the same things, saying the same prayers day in and day out because….. "that’s the way I have always done it.”  Yikes!!  Tell me it isn’t so……However, if I honestly look within myself, I have to admit that I very well could be in a bit of “faith growing/time with God” rut….Yep, maybe…..NO!  Not maybe!!  Definitely!!!  Time is now for me to change things up a bit….oh I will never give up my time with HIM first thing in the morning, have to have that to make it through the day, but I can spend a few more minutes reading his word, rather than watching the news, more time praising rather whining about things in my life, I can step out of my box at church and volunteer for a new to me project, I can spend more time thanking and praising rather than begging and crying,  I can look for new ways to let my light shine, out of my comfort zone……with God’s help I can….and I will Father for You!  Forgive us Father when we get complacent in our lives with You.  Buck us up and get us going….going with You, for You, learning, growing, praising, loving….loving others as You love us!

 

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever!  2 Peter 3:18.  Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches…apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:4-5.  Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  2Peter 1:6-8. (and there we have it!)  Let’s get going!

Love you all!

What was it really like that night?

Good Morning Friends!  Miracles in His love, Monday!  The other day I read an Advent devotion about Joseph…..all about his perspective of the things going on in his life with Mary and Jesus on the way.  Really got me to thinking that for sure, wasn’t all just a piece of cake for him.  The last few days our sheep have moved to a pasture right by the house, so as I leave for work I see them all there grazing (today one was stretched way up on a cedar tree, munching away) on the outside of the fence along the road sits a Pyrenees dog…..watching…..protecting the sheep.  Still thinking about the devotion on Joseph, my mind turned to the Christmas shepherds….guarding their flocks by night.  I wonder if they had guard dogs to help them…..do you think they were scared when the angels appeared?  Do you think the sheep scattered and the dogs took off barking trying to gather them up again?.......Do you think the shepherds stood, just stood calmly or took off running…..maybe they clung to each other terrified…..Can you imagine……I mean really, think about it……What if you were out in a field, in the dark, maybe coon hunting and all of a sudden….BAM!!!!   The sky lights up, brighter than any light you have ever seen…. You shield your eyes and look up…..you see….what is it….visions…forms like you have never seen….in the sky….and then they begin talking to you…..Things in the sky, brighter than any star or moon….talking to you…..think you might have wanted to run away and hide????  I can just imagine that at least some really considered it until the angels began to speak….”Do not be afraid”   Oh don’t you just know their voices oozed with calm…They were on a most important mission and really didn’t want the shepherds to be scared…..No, they wanted to tell them the good news….Jesus our Savior is born……I am sure the shepherds wasted no time finding the stable in Bethlehem where Mary and Joseph were wrapping Jesus in swaddling clothes and lying Him in a manger…..Oh my, there was so much more to that first Christmas, starting with Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah telling him that Elizabeth would have a baby, then his visit to Mary to tell her she would be the mother of God’s Son…..then sweet Joseph, his world turned upside down…..right to the shepherds….in the field….guarding their flocks by night….Friends, let’s ponder on these things…like Mary did……this week before Christmas let’s really try to slow down from the fuss…..relax in the glow of the Christmas lights and ponder on the Light of the World….JESUS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON……Father, help us to truly feel the emotions of that First Christmas and grow in our love for YOU.

 

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”….So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger… The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  From Luke 2.

Love you all!

 

Mending fences

Good Morning Friends!  Fabulous Friday, loved by HIM!!!!   A few years ago we had a really wet spring….so wet that the creek that runs through our property, filled to over flowing, breaking its banks and flooding a pasture.  The whole event was pretty strong, so when the flood waters broke loose they took down a quarter to half mile of fence bordering the creek.  I mean to tell you…plum flattened that fence, laid it down!!!!!  Now with the fence down the cows and sheep had total access to pastures on both sides of the creek…..not really the ideal situation.  Of course, my husband had good intentions of fixing the fence immediately…..however, life happens!  One year rolled into the next, big plans to get to it, but cows and sheep roamed where they pleased….each year more grass, limbs, leaves grew over the flat fence making a job that once would have been not easy, but very do able, now seemingly impossible!  Year in…year out….can’t tell you how many times I heard “I gotta get that fence up.”  So many times, that got to the point I really didn’t hear him….especially when he complained about the animals being where they were not supposed to be!  Tuesday when I got home from work, he was sitting on the screened porch, munching on chips and dip and sipping a nice cool beverage!  Remember how beautiful and warm it was on Tuesday, so I went in changed my clothes and put up my stuff so I could join him.   He shared his chips and even had a cold drink poured for me.  We chatted about our work days, enjoying our snacks, relishing in the beautiful spring-like weather.  I needed to take care of my critters, as I was heading out the door he hollered, “hurry up, we are going for a ride!”  When Kim wants to go for a ride on a week night he has a specific plan….something that can’t wait to have my attention.  Maybe a new tool in the shop, or the beginning of one of his creative inventions or maybe a set of twin lambs….well, I had no clue what he was up to on Tuesday.  As soon as I finished my chores we hopped in his truck and headed out!  First stop, the gate that leads into the pasture that had flooded….I hopped out, unlocked the gate and in we went.  Within just a matter of a few seconds I knew what he was up to!  No new tool, or baby…..the fence was up!!!!!  The whole length from one end of the pasture to other…..up…..in one day he had, with the help of a young neighbor, put the whole fence back up….one day….not even a whole day, he had done all his farm chores too!  I was quite impressed with his accomplishment and praised him for a job well done….we of course had to drive the whole pasture and check it all out, although not perfect the fence would definitely do its job now!  As we headed back to the house I couldn’t help but think how at times, we let the severe storms of life flatten us….our spirits, our moods, our finances…..flattened relationships…..we procrastinate…..let the messes in our lives get worse and harder to fix when we have the perfect tool with us all the time to get the job done!  Our Heavenly Father is there to guide us with HIS wisdom, support us with HIS love, wrap us in HIS comfort…..HE”S there 24/7……why do we procrastinate….allow ourselves to get depressed, emotionally and spiritually….we make ourselves sick with worry and heartache…..when like Kim, when he finally just did it, got the job done in a few hours…..we can get our fences back up by going to our FATHER, giving HIM our worries, letting HIM carry the load!  Oh Kim’s fence is not perfect nor will our “fences” in life always be perfect.  Life on this earth because of sin is just not perfect….but Praise God He sent His Son to die for us and promises to mend our fences until we get HOME with HIM!   Oh Father, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!  You supply all the tools we need to keep our fences up!!!!!

 

Just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.  2 Corinthians 1:5.  Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18.  Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  Isaiah 43:2.  The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him  Nahum 1:7.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11. 

Love you all!

 

Philippians 2:13 - Do Everything Without Complaining!

Good Morning Friends! Thankfully His Tuesday!  I got up as usual this morning a little after 5; Kim was still asleep.  I had only been up for a few minutes when I thought I heard his phone ringing….oh dear I thought, ringing so early usually means a problem, of course my thoughts turned to his brother.  However, in just a few minutes he emerged from the bedroom fumbling, still half asleep trying to get his clothes on.  “Sheep are in Jason’s yard” was all he said.  I blurted out a big, “Oh no!  Good grief, for crying out loud, my gosh!”  Something to that effect expressing my disgust with the sheep that were causing him to have to get out of bed and go, in the dark to put them back into their pasture….hopefully before they got into the road.  I was surprised when he calmly, positively responded, “Well, it’s sure better than having them in the road.”  No cussing, grumbling, stomping or door slamming…simply got dressed, got on the four wheeler and headed up the hill to get the job done.  I was quite proud of his behavior, thinking to myself, don’t think I could have been quite so congenial in the same situation.  I couldn’t help but think about things at work, church, at the fire department that irritate me and I don’t always contain my not so pleasant thoughts……I thought of how my day was blessed by Kim’s pleasant reaction to an unpleasant deed…….Oh Father I am so sorry that I often react to situations with words and actions that are not pleasing to those around me, which I know Father means that You are not pleased.  Forgive me…..fill me with Your peace and love and guide me in every situation to respond to Your glory, to be a blessing to others for You.

 

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pour, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.  Philippians 2:13.  At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.  We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He save us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.  He save us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, sot having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy saying.  And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.  These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.  Titus 3:3-8.  Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.  Titus 3:1-2.  Now may the God of peace….our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.  Hebrews 13:20-21.

Love you all!

July 30, 2013

Good Morning Friends!   Mighty awesome is our God, Monday!  Kim and I had some unexpected, as well as uninvited visitors yesterday morning!  A group of lawn mowers……trouble with them is they cut down flowers and all!  Have you guessed yet….Yep, as we got our coffee and headed to the porch we were greeted by about 30 lambs mowing our lawn…thank goodness I got to my flowers before they did…..stinkers they came a long way down the road….from green pastures to get to our house…..never happy….(remind you of anyone).  Well, no sooner than we sat down, they turned and headed back towards the road.  Shepherd Kim was not happy…..couldn’t let them go out to the road again…..30 lambs on the road spells disaster anyway you look at it.  So, Kim got the four-wheeler, gathered them up and headed up the road to their pasture.  He had me follow them in the car with my flashers on; mind you, I was just out of bed….not dressed or anything….yippee!  Shepherd Kim seemed to have everything under control, always there to take care of his lambs, guiding them to safety and lush pasture.  Everything seemed to be under control, getting close to their home when one lone lamb decides to head out on his own.  Shepherd Kim attempted to get him back with others a couple times, but then went on with the group….I too gave it a try but to no avail.  This young lamb was bound and determined to take off on his own, no clue to the dangers awaiting him.  As I turned in the road to lambs pasture, Shepherd Kim was already turning around and heading out.  I backed out of his way and watched him go right to where the young lamb had wandered off…..he patiently…oh so patiently,  coaxed him back, back to the flock….in safe lush pastures.  How often are we the wandering lamb…….How blessed we are to have the Perfect Shepherd to come back for us….take us into His flock….love us and forgive us!  Thank you Father!

 

He tends His flock like a shepherd:  He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.  Isaiah 40:11.  “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:  I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.  As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after My sheep.  I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.”  Ezekiel 34: 11-12.  Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”  John 10:11.  “I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”  John 10 14-15.  The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want……Psalm 23:1

April 23, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Totally wrapped in His loving arms Tuesday!  Last Saturday I was on a mission! I desperately needed  half a day in my house!!!!  So, I gave up breakfast with Cooper and Katy and headed outside to get my ranch chores done quick as I could, so I could get in my house and get to work….oh my what a mess I had.  Well, Kim and I worked hard and believe it or not I was back in the house by 11:30 and got right to work.  I was going gangbusters.  About 30 minutes later Kim called…..Oh boy I thought…..wonder what’s up.  He was frantic to say the least!  “Get the 4 wheeler and get up here now!  Sheep are out and all over the Beagles, going crazy, they’re acting crazy!”  I grabbed my jacket and a bottle of water, who knew how long I would be gone….started up the 4 wheeler and headed up the hill.  Kim meet me at the cattle guard and waved me to follow him, he was fit to be tied.  We went to the intersection at the top of the hill, our property on one side, the Beagles on the other.  Jumping out of his truck he hollered at me to stand in the road and make sure they went towards home, he headed down the side road to stop them, turn them around and head them home…..I stood in the road and waited and waited and waited……oh gosh, I thought this is not good….thinking he might need a little help, I said a little prayer.  Finally, I could hear the 4 wheeler, the sheep (about 150 with lambs) making a ruckus, and Kim hollering at them and me.  “Don’t let them go up that hill (if they got up the hill they would be out of my reach and would head the wrong direction…not good).  Well of course 5 or 6 head right up that hill too steep for the 4 wheeler and besides Kim was busy trying to keep the rest from doing the same thing.  No other choice, I had to head up the hill, glad I had on my good boots…..I got up just fine, before they got away….headed them back down and then….well let’s just say getting down the hill wasn’t quite as easy as getting up.  Kim was right; they were acting crazy, like they had been locked up in a dirt lot all winter, and the green grass had them crazy when actually they have eaten lush green fodder all winter…..150 sheep plus lambs acting crazy is not a pretty site on CR 1600 on Saturday…yes we did finally get them on 1600, but it wasn’t easy, Kim got stuck and they headed into the trees….finally got them out of the trees and heading down the road now….would they turn in where they were supposed to….could I keep them out of the neighbor’s yard……could I warn traffic in time to slow them down……I jumped in the truck and turned on the hazard lights just in time to slow down a car…..well we lucked out…..they turned in the right gate and headed out to pasture!  What a relief and Thank you Father!  We headed back to the house for lunch, shaking our heads, wondering what in the heck we were gonna do with them…..crazy sheep.  I didn’t think much more about them until Sunday morning in church when Pastor read the Gospel lesson from John 10:22-30.  Jesus was talking to some Jews that needed some proof that He was the promised one….He said I already told you I am, but you don’t believe because you are not part of My flock……”My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”  Oh my gosh, it was all I could do to not burst out laughing right in church!  I thought not always…..they don’t always listen or follow!  My thoughts returned to Saturday and our crazy sheep…..they had everything….green pastures, fresh water, dogs to guard them, mineral on demand, green pastures….and what did they do….tore up good fences and took off….no clue what was out there….no regard for the dangers outside the pastures….Oh no……Father…how frustrated you must get with Your sheep….us….when we tear down the fences…and head out to the unknown without YOU…..not listening to Your voice….not following You….looking for the greener grass when You provide us with everything we could ever need…..Protect us, forgive us, love us, comfort us, heal us…….Father, forgive us when we don’t listen to Your voice, help us to hear and to follow You.  Remember this song…”I am Jesus Little Lamb, Ever glad at heart I am…..”

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before m in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil’ my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Psalm 23.  The God of peace be with you.  Philippians 4:9.

Love you all!

Kathie A. Johnson

March 28, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Totally, Thankfully, loved by HIM, Thursday!  Before I say anything this morning I want to share a verse from God’s word that popped up at me this morning!  From Psalm 100:3, “Know ye that the LORD HE is GOD:  it is HE that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are HIS people and the sheep of HIS pasture.”  I think about Jesus on the donkey…..humble……..HE IS GOD!  We are HIS sheep……Shepherds take good care of their sheep…..some days we sure don’t feel like we are being taken good care of do we….but we are if we are giving our day to God…..Roy Lessen says it so well, “Having a good day doesn’t mean having an easy or perfect day.  It means a day spent saying ‘yes’ to God’s purpose.  A day lived in the will of God is the best day anyone could ever spend.”  Seems like there is something in the air lately, people are frazzled, stressed, anxious everywhere you go…….How in the heck can we have a “good” day when life is tumbling in all around us!  There is only one way……..we must wake up, praise God for the day, thank Him for each and every minute, give the day to Him, asking Him to open our hearts and minds to know His will…..to know His will…..for the day……we don’t have to have our whole life plan at once…..One day at time……with Him…..listening to Him……hearing with our hearts and minds His will for our day….today….tomorrow….the day after…..Thank you Father for this “good day” with You!  Enable us to come humbly to You with hearts and minds open to hear Your will for us and the faith to do….All Praise and Glory to You, our Loving Heavenly Father.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24.  Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”  John 10:27.  Pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.  Proverbs 5:1-2.  The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.  Psalm 33;11.  The mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace.  Romans 8:6.  The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7.

Enjoy the blessing of Easter!  Christ is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

Love you all!

Kathie A. Johnson

February 26, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty is our God, Monday!  Saturday is always a manual labor day for me- kennels, fodder, feeding, you name it and I am always tired, maybe a back ache for a bit, but last Saturday…Yikes!  Kim and I were pushed for time, so we decided to divide and conquer rather than work together like we usually do.  This decision left one big chore that Kim usually does to me….it required me to step up and down on a chair, many times…..up, down….up down…..I finished just fine, actually quite proud of what I had accomplished all by myself!  My legs felt a little tired, but heck didn’t give it a second thought right….why I am not an exercise guru by any means, but I do take pride in working out several times a week at home, the gym, the office treadmill, so it never occurred to me that my chair adventure would get to me!  Stayed busy the rest of Saturday, had Hailey and Tucker for dinner and bath never thought about my legs again.  Yesterday, after church I fixed lunch and Kim and I took a little nap (my favorite Sunday afternoon treat)…Kim’s phone woke us…we had sheep in the road….again!  He jumped up and went to get them, I sat in the chair for just a minute and then got up…..Whoa!!!!  What the heck….I could hardly stand up the front of my legs hurt so bad!  I knew immediately that my chair excursion was to blame, but I was really quite surprised….after all…..I exercise regularly, right!  I shouldn’t be sore….Well, after hobbling around for a little while, feeling a bit appalled at myself the thought occurred to me…What a good reminder that we are never in as good of shape as we could be… you know we can always work to be better!  As I helped Kim gather up sheep and work on dinner for the kids my mind (well my legs were killing me…) continued to dwell on working harder…today when I go to the gym, I need to try a new machine, work a different part of my body…..Being physically fit is really important, but how about being spiritually fit!!!!  Sure couldn’t hurt to work a little harder at that could it!!!!!  Just because we go to church doesn’t mean we are spiritually fit…right…..there’s so much more we can do, so many spiritual machines to try for a good workout!  Lots of time with our Heavenly Father shapes us up, but we must never think that we know everything we need to know about Him and His love for us…..worship, bible study, prayer time……feeling better already!  Father, asking You to give us the motivation to shape up our spiritual lives and thanking You for forgiving us when we get a bit out of shape!

Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruity unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the braches…apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:4-5.  The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us t say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.  Titus 2:11-12.  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14.  Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever!   2 Peter 3:18. 

January 25, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Faithfully, firmly following HIM Friday!  “The Lord is my Shepherd…...”  Everyone recognizes the first line of the 23^rd Psalm and most likely this awesome Psalm stirs things deep in each of us.  For me…..well, since Kim and I have been raising sheep, our Good Shepherd has taken on a most intimate meaning to me.  Last Friday, most of our 200 plus sheep and their lambs found a hole in a fence and decided to change pastures….without permission mind you!  Well, they couldn’t just go somewhere and mind their own business, NO….they had to go right to the pasture with our cows and their calves.  Now, this might not seem like a problem to some of you, but it makes it nearly impossible to feed…..The sheep, greedy girls, want all the food…..and it’s important that the cows and sheep get the proper amount…..Kim works hard to make sure that they are fed properly…..getting the nutrients that they need….not what they think they need.  Well, on Saturday Kim asked me to help him get the sheep out of the cows pasture.  While he got the four wheeler to herd them up I walked through some isolated spots that a few wayward ewes had found themselves….I walked them out of the pen and down the alley way out into the pasture.  Kim was going to herd them all up and move them through an open gate into another pasture.  The gate was right next to the alley way which has no gate……So, if you know sheep at all, you can just imagine how easily they might veer off the path to the open gate and head towards the alley way which would not be a good thing!  My job as my little red-headed shepherd’s helper was to keep them out of the ally way.  Now that might seem simple to most of you, but not the case with sheep….Oh no, one must be very careful in the process; if I stood too close to the gate they would head in an entirely different direction….most likely scatter and have to be herded again (that does not make a red-headed shepherd happy), but if I stood to far back they could get in and run me down…..being a shepherd is not all it’s cracked up to be……a tough job at times.  I finally decided to crotch down in the alley way and sit real still……I watched as Kim veered back and forth gathering them, making sure no one was left behind…..a couple of times he had to stop and pick up a lamb that had lost its mommy or couldn’t keep up……he was patient but firm with his special “Yip, Yip, Yip” gathering call…..as I sat there, enjoying the nice morning, my thoughts turned to the 23^rd Paslm….to our Good Shepherd…….Oh gosh, we sure do make it difficult for HIM at times….how often we head through the holes of sin wandering into “pastures” that are not good for us…..where we might mingle with people that are not good for us, head down alley ways of self-destruction, depression, greed…..like the lambs we can’t keep up….could be left behind in our sin…..but our Good Shepherd, is patient yet firm with us…..He guides through the right gates and leads us to safe pasture…..If the sheep will listen to Kim’s “yips” he will lead them to safety and provide them with everything they need…….Hmmm, oh my……..just like us…..if we will just listen to our Good Shepherd…..He will take care of us…..provide us with everything we need……and He’s always there with open arms to pick us up when we can’t keep up…..to comfort us, love us, forgive us….Thank you Father for never giving up on us.

Jesus said, “ I am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life the sheep…..I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me."  John 10:11 & 14. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort them.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Psalm 23

Love you all!