Lessons from a Goat…and Other Things

So last week I blogged on the current Bible study I am doing by Jennifer Rothschild, Psalm 23 . You can read it here. Today, something that happened on Valentine’s Day has prompted me to write again on what I learned this week through that study and through my daughter.

My kids are often “fodder” for this blog and today is no different.

So, we deliver Valentines to our grands late in the day on February 14. Just wanting to bless these grands with more sugar and lots of hugs, we were not expecting to be greeted with a crisis with Fred, the goat. (I know we are studying sheep in Psalm 23)…but Fred happens to be a goat!

Both of our daughters are rescuers of people and all things animal. One of those rescues involves Fred and Ethel. Poor Fred was having severe symptoms of goat listeria when we arrived. Granddaughter Annie, who claims Fred as her own, was very upset of course. Our daughter, Alycia, tried to get a vet to come check on Fred, to no avail. She at least found out what meds to try and had to hunt a location to purchase them. But the prognosis didn’t look good. Normally when goats are at this stage of shaking, it’s too late.

This had already been tough day due to some expectations placed on Alycia for quick turn around on some art work. It was also a sugar filled holiday which of course hypes up all 5 kiddos. Add to that, she’s trying to get the 3 girls ready for daddy-daughter dance the next night. So, adding a possible pet death to the mix just added to the stress.

Just as we were comforting Annie and about to leave, Alycia asked, “Can this day get any worse?” That’s when we heard hysterical crying from the back yard where Annie and her sister Bella were checking to see if any more mold (which causes goat listeria) was on the straw in the barn. Annie says Bella is bleeding (along with screaming) and it’s pretty bad. As Alycia grabs her ever handy first aid tackle box, we wait to see if it’s just a little cut or worse. It was worse! As they come back in the house, Alycia gives me the “eye” and says, “it needs stitches!”

And just to show the day can get even worse than that, while at the walk-in clinic waiting for stitches, the older boy left in charge sends a panicked text, “Gracie stuck a Skittle in her nose and I can’t get it out!”

Here is her Facebook update the following day, the day I felt led to write on this:

Update to earlier panic post: Isabella has been stitched. She somehow grabbed a t-post at the barn and it sliced her finger up. She got the bonus round of a tetanus shot. Gracie was de-Skittled by Brian. He thankfully ran home earlier than expected since my little world was imploding. Fred, the goat, might be improving (cautiously optimistic). He has gone from being unable to stand, hold his head still, shallow breathing and rapid eye movement to being a force to reckoned with at his 1am shot and meds. Still unsteady if he moves too fast, but all other symptoms have disappeared.

Yesterday was a different Valentine’s Day, but I saw love…

… as I watched Annie try her best to carry her 100lb goat to me through her tears.

... as my parents unknowingly walked right into the middle of chaos and helped me tend a couple of crisises

… as my husband rushed home to lighten my load

... as a few strangers stitched Isabella and comforted her with the kindest spirits and gentlest touch

… as Gracie offered to make Isabella’s bed since her hand hurt and also made me dinner when I finally got home and flopped on the bed

… as friends reached out with goat wisdom, offers to pitch in and just praying.

Love is so much more than chocolate on Valentine’s Day (although I got that too and I have no complaints)

”Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8)

NOW, let me connect this experience to Psalm 23. The focus this week was verse 3:

He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

This morning after I read Alycia’s update I told her we learned two things:

1. NEVER ask, “can this day get any worse?” (SMILE)

2. God has used everything from yesterday to lead and to show His glory as He took care of each crisis. Granted he used Alycia’s strength and decisiveness as well to keep her moving forward and without panic (at least on the outside), but He showed up not to eliminate the stress…He showed up to be glorified in the midst of it.

Here’s the deal. As Jennifer says in the study, every single thing that happens to us is permitted by God’s sovereignty and done for His glory. When it brings Him glory, even the most difficult crisis is for our good. Sometimes this is a hard pill to swallow and the crises are much more painful than what I’ve described here (although Bella and Annie might argue with that!!). But, He is our TRUTH we can rely on in every.single.crisis!

And though we really thought Fred was about to make a big leap out of this life…..

…he is still alive, at least today! Having prayed he would live but not knowing if that was God’s plan, we are truly grateful, especially Annie. Only two stitches for Bella and we are thankful. Alycia’s husband Brian got the skittle out of Gracie’s nose and we are grateful! The kids rallied to help in the crisis and we are grateful.

BUT, even if Fred had died and Bella had to have multiple stitches and Gracie needed more drastic assistance, we would say, “God is sovereign, He will do what brings Him the most glory and ultimately it will ultimately be for our good!”

By the way…the day after all this happened, Alycia stuck a needle tool she uses when she’s applying vinyl to t-shirts. Oh well…perhaps another blog!

Trust your Shepherd, even if you are a goat!

Banner photo by Peter Lloyd on Unsplash