We are His Sheep

It's been almost two years since we ended our sheep showing days so you would think I'd be over the sadness by now. But sometimes sadness is reawakened by a sudden memory or thought. It comes creeping in suddenly. As I lay in bed last night I had a flood os sadness come over me as I wondered what it would be like if my grandchildren could have continued to show sheep,

It's silly because I know it wasn't possible to continue without a place to put the sheep. It was getting ridiculously expensive to buy quality lambs, too.

For around 30 years we raised and bred the lambs, each year the stock getting better. We even endured a tragedy of losing the whole flock to disease and had to wait a full year before having sheep on our property. It was devastating but John started all over with a new stock and built a flock again, even better than the first.

When we moved to Ankeny from our acreage our youngest son had room on his acreage to house show lambs for two more years.

I miss the sheep, especially the baby lambs that come this time of year. But, my deepest sadness is for my grandchildren's experiences. They were so good at showing sheep! They had developed such great skills that it is sad they can't use them anymore.

But that is life. Things change. We adjust and conform to new opportunities, stretching our abilities in new directions, perfecting new skills.

"You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord," (Ezekiel 34:31 NIV).

God is consistent throughout all of life. The ups and downs, the unknowns and the struggles. God is always there for us. Even through times of sadness greater than mine, God is the constant blessing we can turn to. He knows His sheep and He understands our sorrows.

Thank you, God.