December Days
December days go by fast. At least for adults. For kids December probably seems like the longest month of the year. They anticipate Christmas morning and opening presents, we try to finish everything before that famous morning.
For a dairy goat rancher (or farmer, or homesteader... pick your title) December is a restful part of the year. The does are not milking (if their bred and due in early spring) so the mornings (and evenings if you milk twice a day) require less time to accomplish the farm chores. I enjoy the milking. Even the chores- cleaning goat pens, filling feed troughs, hay feeders and waterers- I find enjoyable. I like the smell of alfalfa and the brisk mornings and evenings. Raising dairy goats is a real gift to me.
Last week the vet came out and tested my herd for TB. TB is passed through the milk from dairy animals to humans so it is one of the needed tests. Mine are all negative. Thank you Lord.
I also sent off blood work to confirm if 3 out of 4 of my does are pregnant. One of the does, Darla (our oldest), I chose not to test for pregnancy becuase I am very confident she's pregnant. Her growing belling and the sharp movements of kids that I begun to feel this month are enough evidence for me. If I'm right, she'll deliver the first week of February. We should know the results on the other three this week.
Being with the goats amonst the straw and goat droppings and alfalfa hay this time of year has me thinking about that Babe in the manger. The story of Christ's birth captivates me. God, made into flesh, dwelling among us. And he came not to a palace but to a place where animals eat. The Chief Shepherd born among the sheep. And when I walk out to my goats in the morning, and I look to see that they are okay, and I feed them, and I sit with them, and I get up in the night to check on them when I hear the coyotes howling close I think, "You are my Shepherd, Lord Jesus. Just as different as I am from goats you, Living God, are totally other than me. Yet you came to us, you layed down your life for your sheep."
He is my God. And I love Him so because he first loved me. He is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He knows how to take care of me. He knows what I need.
I'm so glad he came to us so humbly! I'm so glad he showed himself so lovingly. So when he comes again in glory, in power, in majesty, I won't be overcome with fear, I'll know him, my Shepherd, and I'll be thrilled to see him in the honor he so deserves.
