My Dog Snoopy.....

Okay, I couldn't resist. I had to share my pictures from last night. This isn't my usual devotional type post. This is an update from a few weeks ago, about how God answers our prayers. I would love a dog some day and I am trusting God on the timing of that. However, while I am waiting, He has given me Snoops. Last night I was sitting in my lawn chair taking pictures of a bluebird, or at least trying and he was by my side as this picture shows.

This was working nicely. When all of a sudden something huge and dangerous caught his eyes and to "protect" me, he took off to check it out. The pictures that follow tell the story.

I think he may be a bit ADHD......a bird flew over and he had to watch to see where it went. Okay, you are still asking so what was so scary? What could harm me? Are you ready?....here we go.

Yup a huge black and yellow bumble bee! He sat for a long time just watching and batting at it. I can't believe he didn't get stung.  I did manage to get a few bluebird pictures. They are raising young in our backyard. I hope to catch the babies when they take flight. It was getting too dark for anymore pictures, but Snoops helped me plant sunflower seeds for future sunflowers. He was so patient and followed me as I gradually made my way around the barns. He seemed fascinated that I can dig in the dirt too......I love my cats. I never thought I would say that. But they really are sweet.

The Ninety and Nine

When I was a young girl, I remember hearing and singing a song in our church. I feel I was born with the love of nature in my heart, so even back then at a very young age, these words meant something to me. I didn't fully understand the depth of the song, until I was older. The title? The Ninety and Nine by Elizabeth Cecelia Douglas Clephane, music by Ira David Sankey.

You see as a young child I simply thought that a shepherd found his lost sheep. It didn't matter that he had 99 others in the pen, he knew one was missing and needed to find it. As I got older, I realized, I was the sheep. Jesus was the Shepherd who had many, many, many followers who faithfully served him, but I was lost. I didn't think I needed him, my ways made sense. Even though, he had many, I wasn't like any of them. I was unique, just as you are unique. He knows when we go missing. He went through death on a cross to save you, to bring you back and some day He will go through the valley of death with us to bring us home.

This past week, I was reminded of this song, that I honestly forgot all about. But once reminded, could think of nothing else. Early last week, we had a thunderstorm pass through. Nothing major, but one of the first of the season with lightening and thunder. The sky was getting darker earlier and I knew a storm was coming. I waited longer than usual to close the hen house because of things I was doing in the house. I finally made my way out to the barn and counted like I do every night. We have too many foxes, hawks, and eagles. I have to count every night to make sure my 25 are safe. I counted three times, 24.....I turned the light on, which they hate once in their favorite spot, 24. I knew what this meant. I put on my jacket with hood up and flashlight in hand. I walked and walked, I called and called. No response. I assumed a fox or hawk got one. I decided to make one more trip around the area and was looking for feathers. Then back in the far corner under an old sheep pen type building, she sat. A chicken can't see very well in the dark, that is why they head into the roost before sunset. They want to be off the ground and safe from the darkness. With the storm coming she didn't realize how fast it would get dark and couldn't find her way back. She sat in the far corner on the ground. Neither of which was what she was used to. As soon as I saw her, I knew her. She is the one who everyday despite the safe fence and gate I have for her, flies out to eat the grass on the other side. She always flies back in before dark.  As I approached her, she became very nervous. I caught her and as soon as I spoke to her, she relaxed and even gave out a quiet cluck type sound that continued the entire time I carried her back to the hen house. The others were glad to have her back and made room for her on her branch on their roost. Safe and sound.

As I was carrying her, I had several thoughts go through my mind. I was mad to be in the rain getting soaked. I was frustrated about her leaving when she was suppose to stay in, caused me to get wet and kept me out in the rain. When I say wet, I had to completely change when I came in.  All the others stay in the fence when the gate is closed. She deserved to be grabbed by something, she broke the rules everyday. I had more important things to be doing then walking in the rain and looking for a chicken who purposely gets out.  IMMEDIATELY, I was reminded, I break the rules every day, I think my way makes more sense, even though I am told the boundaries I should keep, and I have someone who is constantly watching over me. (Romans 8:34 even reminds us that Christ is interceding for us at this very moment). I then was reminded of the Ninety-Nine and I couldn't stop humming the tune. I don't deserve to be rescued, loved and saved for eternity. Even though God has thousands upon thousands, he still cares for me. It didn't matter I had 24, that would still be enough, I knew one was missing and I had to find her. I felt for a split second what He must feel like when one of His goes missing. I was dealing with a bird, His is much, much, much greater, another human being, that He created in His image.

He knows when we are missing, He knows when we go stray, He knows when we need Him to come and rescue us. He knows when darkness can suddenly surround us and a storm from no where is upon us. He will gladly come rescue us. Also, I don't think He gets mad, like I did. I don't see Him saying "she deserves this, I told her what to do, I showed her which way to go, I gave her all she needed, yet she chose to leave the safe area to enter the darkness...."  Do you need to be found by your Savior today? Do you need to hear His voice to feel calmer and less stressed and anxious? Do you need to rest in His arms so you can truly rest and let Him take care of the details? Don't wait till the storm comes and you are backed into a corner, scared and alone. He already knows what has happened, run to Him and tell Him the details. He cares for you. You see to Him, it isn't about the numbers its about the individual. You can read in Luke 15:4-7 about the lost sheep. I know that this scripture deals more with accepting Christ, but I also think it relates on a daily level as well. I love the image of him throwing the sheep on his shoulders. He will do that for you as well. Let Him carry you.

 Just as the other chickens were happy to see her by a lot of chatting going on at her return, the angels celebrate in Heaven when we come home to Jesus. Imagine that! All of Heaven celebrating! We can't even imagine what it will be like.

This week's post got a bit long, but I honestly didn't know what to delete, so I thank you for faithfully reading each week and I hope today's touched you in a special way. I also love feedback. Feel free to post on my blog or send me an email at: thesangreys@gmail.com

Team Work

Each Spring when I watch the Peonies get ready to bloom I am reminded of the team work involved for this flower to even open. A Peony will not open if the ants do not come along and "chew" sections of the bud first. They would stay tightly closed. The plant can do only so much until the ants arrive. Look closely at the above pictures and you will see all the ants busy chewing. The ants have come each year to do their work. After their work is done, I really don't see much of them after that. I am sure they stay in the flowerbed, but I don't see them working on the other flowers. The Peony needs the ant as much as the ant needs the Peony. It takes teamwork.

This got me thinking about all the other insects that God uses to pollinate His plants and trees. Without the honeybee, bumblebee, butterflies, etc. we would be without.  Less apples on the trees, less delicious peaches, etc.  It takes teamwork. They come and land on the plants and get food, as they are eating, they brush the pollen and fly off to another plant. This in turn is pollination in simple terms. I will not re-educate you on what you already learned in school, but it takes insects for this to happen. Yes, the wind can blow seeds, but there is a special purpose the insects have. I have taken many pictures over the past summers that show this happening. I will include them here today for your enjoyment.

However, before I post the pictures, I want to remind you that God knows we need teammates to handle life. We think we can go through life alone, with our own thoughts and own strength, but eventually we will run into trouble. Sometimes we are the teammate doing all the work, like the bees. The plant just stays were it is. Sometimes we are the plant and are not able to do what needs to be done, so God sends us teammates. It may be your neighbor, co-worker, Pastor, close friend, spouse or family member. There are also times in life where we need Someone bigger and stronger than all those combined, and that is our loving, gracious, forgiving Heavenly Father. He gives us the best teammates ever, in the Trinity. The Father, The Son and Holy Spirit.  We can't do it on our own. What are you doing right now? Are you a teammate to someone? Are you getting burned out and frustrated? Do you feel overwhelmed with what lays ahead?  Remember, we can't do it on our own strength. As summer is approaching and you see all the butterflies and bees working hard with the plants, remember they are teammates for a greater purpose and so are you. You may be asking yourself, why you need to do this or that right now. Simply put: you are a teammate for a greater purpose and God has called you for this role right now.   

A Reminder From My Chickens

For those of you that are recently following my blog, you may not know I raise chickens. I have 25 laying hens and 14 pullets. I then sell the eggs weekly to local customers.

My family would say I have gotten attached to these chickens, and I would agree. I never thought chickens would fall under the category of "pets", but they truly can be. I still prefer a dog or even a cat. However, since I started raising chickens 2 years ago, I have learned so much. This past week, wasn't any different, but as God seems to be doing in my life, He gave me a reminder through one of His creations.

One of my older birds was sitting off to the side last week and walked very slowly. She didn't want water nor any type of food - grain or treats. So, I tried to see if she was injured or what might be the problem. I immediately noticed her throat and the part that hold the food they eat before getting digested and it felt like a water balloon. I put her back in the pen with the others and decided to "google" what my options were to help her get better. I will spare you the details of what was going on, but the bottom line was she had all the symptoms but one. The last one was, they will eventually isolate themselves from the flock and not be social in any way. It also is very fatal once they get to that stage. If the food that is stuck in their throat doesn't pass, she would die. There wasn't anything I could do to help her. It was just a matter of waiting to see if she would be okay. I kept checking on her throughout the day to make sure she wasn't suffering.

By late afternoon, she did venture out of the hen house and would sit at the bottom of the ramp and watch what was going on, but would just sit and from time to time, hold her eyes shut. The following day she seemed a bit better and wanted water, that was it. Over the next 24 hours I realized something had been happening that I never noticed before.

If she sat by the door and looked out, another chicken was sitting right beside her. If she went down the ramp and sat in the grass, another chicken sat with her. When night came while on the roost, a chicken sat on either side of her. If she sat in the grass and the bugs were flying around her face another chicken would sit with her and catch the bugs so she wasn't being bothered. They noticed one of the flock, didn't feel well. I know that sounds crazy, they are simply chickens. But here is what I was reminded of in life with people. When a dear friend or family member gets cancer, has surgery, is not able to care for themselves in some way, or is going through a tough time, we want to "fix" it. But really all they may need from us is to just sit. I also noticed it wasn't the same chicken following her, it was a different one. They took shifts. They were all outside eating the fresh grass and bugs, but would rotate who stayed back with her. Sometimes we need to take shifts in caring for a loved one. But instead of trying to always have the answer, explaining why this is happening, fix the disease or illness, we need to just sit and be with them. Do I do that, or do I try to fix it? They couldn't help her, I couldn't help her, it happens in nature. A chicken who is used to other chickens gets stressed when it is by itself, but they made sure one of them was with her. I love that!

Yes, they are birds, no I have not lost my mind, but I was reminded, the next time I hear someone has a need, I don't have to worry what to say or what to do. Maybe they just need to know I am there and willing to sit with them while they are waiting for the test results or the medicine to start working. Some situations require that I help them physically with taking a meal, cleaning their home, or running errands. But sometimes, all they really need is someone who will just sit with them. They don't need our opinions or advice, they just need support until the situation passes.  God is teaching me lessons everywhere I look, I pray this week, He will show you something too!

I am glad to report, she is back in the flock eating and acting like nothing ever happened.

My Camera Was Busy This Week

When I started this blog, I wanted to be able to share my photographs with those that like the pictures I take. I have not figured out how to post them in a group, I can only list them one at a time.  Sorry, it will take a while to scroll through them, there are 23! Hope you enjoy them!

Buttercups are everywhere right now in the meadow. 

Patches kittens have moved to the hen house

My dog, Snoopy, by myside.....see older post to understand why I call him my dog.





Barn Swallows watching their nest.