The Six Patricks

As I step into the barn at feeding time, the sheep come running and leading the flock are six noticeably larger sheep.  These are the “knee knockers,” purchased last summer, that I used to teach my dog to herd  sheep.  When you are introducing a new dog to sheep, it is best to use sheep that are already “dog broke” and are familiar with the “round pen” or as some sheep refer to it, “the torture chamber.”

As the dog hopefully begins to instinctively move towards the sheep  into a balanced position with the  sheep and the handler, the wise and experienced sheep hang out at the handler’s knees, following her around. (Hence the name knee knockers.) They also move together as a cohesive unit, almost inseparable, so much so, my daughter christened them, the six Patricks- all for one and one for all.”

 That is sort of how it works unless the dog decides to charge at the sheep, getting a mouthful of wool, scattering the sheep in all direction, sending some over the fence.

My knee knockers are part Romanov, Shetland, and Barbados.  The Romanov and Barbados combine to make a substantially heavier, taller and more aggressive sheep in comparison to my smaller and shy Shetlands and Jacobs.  No surprise that the six Patricks lead the charge into the barn at feeding time.  I had intended to keep them separate from my flock as their bad manners at feeding time, often rob the smaller sheep of their rations of hay and grain but during the winter they ended up hopping the fence and joining in with the others.

Each day before I can get the flakes of hay distributed around the barn, the six Patricks, in a frenzy, skip along beside me as they try to eat from the flakes of hay in my arms, sometimes  pushing the flakes  out of my arms, spilling  the sweeter and more delicate parts of the hay on the barn floor and  over their fleece coats.  Tossing a flake down, the excitement rises and I stumble to keep from getting my feet stepped on as the mob dashes to this flake.  As I turn to toss another flake, the frenzy moves to the new flake until we have repeated this process a number of times, dancing around the barn.  Some of the sheep will quietly stand and eat in their places while others will continue to move from pile to pile to pile until they finally settle on one pile before it disappears.  It has been my observation that the little ones that continue to hop from pile to pile  and can not commit themselves to one pile, often miss their breakfast.

These small piles of hay might well be likened to the parts of our lives, past and present, that define us, at times consuming us.  They represent our families, friends, careers, our spiritual selves, and misplaced passions. They are  our struggles.  The success and failure of one part of our lives, spills over to the next as these piles of hay do.  There can be many piles as we are stretched and separated not knowing who we are at times.  Becoming obsessed and consumed by the many piles can get our toes stepped on.  We need to take a step back, lift our gaze and stop dwelling on our struggles. So very much of what we worry about through our lives, doesn’t really matter. 

Instead, know that the only true and consuming passion in our lives should be to live for Jesus Christ.  That is first and foundational to everything else. So set your thoughts on God because  what we think about,  defines us. (Prov. 23:7)

I am not suggesting that our lives lack passion as it is the passion that colours our lives, moves us on at times when we seem to get stuck or just mechanically  move through our days.  We welcome these compelling emotions.  The very plan of God was played out in the Passion of Christ but the source of this passion began with the Father’s love and led Him along this narrow road.

Turning back once again, we may see that which consumed us is gone.

Later in the day, I will see one or two of my sheep turn  back to the barn to sift through the remains of their breakfast, hoping to find a few missed pieces of tasty hay left….but all is gone. 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  Deuteronomy 6:5

…and walk that narrow road.

 

 

Jacobs Gate Farm