When you are flat on your back…

 

This Ewe is Lacey.   Lacey is an Icelandic Ewe that is due to lamb in about 2 months.   She thinks she is a goat and will go to any lengths to avoid being caught or touched in any way.   She will take food from you but she is hyper vigilant and any attempts to do anything beyond feed her are quite often thwarted.  

Sheep are interesting creatures.  Many people say that they are dumb.   Let me reassure you: they most definitely are not dumb.  In fact they can be quite clever.  What they are though (that often makes them appear quite stupid) are followers.   There is one lead sheep (who’s election appears to based upon bravery and opportunity more than actually ability to do the job in my opinion…at least that is the appearance when things go wrong) and whatever that lead sheep is doing, the whole herd will do.   The herd instinct in some breeds is so strong that they will follow anywhere, without thought to safety or reason.   Once the alarm call is sounded there is no calming them down, they are sheep possessed. 

One thing that is clear about sheep: they need a shepherd.  They often get themselves in predicaments that they can not get themselves out of, no matter how they thrash or panic.   Take Lacey for example….

One evening while doing a routine walk around my husband noticed that out in the pasture next to the tree were 4 legs; straight up in the air!  Needless to say this is not a normal position for sheep.  In fact, it is quite deadly.   It is referred to as “being cast” and basically means that the sheep has somehow flipped itself onto it’s back and can not right itself.   Left in this position for long and the sheep will die.   At this point in the game Lacey had figured out that she was helpless so she lay completely still waiting for someone to come and save her.  The other sheep did what sheep do: assess the situation then walk away and eat.  By the time my husband arrived, given Lacey stiff as a board demeanor he was not sure if he had reached her in time but quickly made his way to her.   Oh, good!  A leg twitched…he was not too late.  He flipped her over; she looked at him for a second almost in acknowledgement, shook herself and off she went!

Psalm 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him…

Sometimes I get into this position but I will continue to hope…He’s coming, He won’t leave me in this position forever.