Buried Alive!

 A typical morning starts with me feeding grain to my goats, sheep and pig @7:30 in the morning.  It is a feeding frenzy.  I don't understand why the sheep and goats nearly knock me down for the grain in my buckets, when they have been feasting all night and day on a big round bale of mixed alfalfa.  Every morning is the same.  At 730, I look out the window, and I see them looking at me through the fence waiting for it.  As soon as my garage door opens the choir starts up: baa! baa! baa! They will not stop until I bring them grain.
  Amongst the small flock of goats and sheep lives Louis, our black pot belly pig.  He was a birthday gift for my youngest daughter a year and a half ago.  He weighed only a couple pounds when we first got him and he was still being bottle fed.  At first he lived in our house, but soon he began to expand to a whopping 80 lbs.  And when he started rooting on my wood floor, it was time for Louis to enjoy the great outdoors.  He adapted quickly to living outside and probably enjoys the ability to root around for buried treasure.  Surprisingly, despite fur, Louis can survive -30.  He has a wonderful ability to plough himself deep into old hay and straw.  It has happened that I (or the goats/sheep) have stepped on him without seeing him, but he certainly lets it be known if you do!  His squeal can be ear piercing!
  So, yesterday morning, as I fed the goats and sheep, Louis did not coming bursting forth from underground hovel, nor from the bale of hay as usual.  He was no where to be found.  I called for him, and I gently stepped in the soft hay around the round bale where he typically buries himself.  I looked closely at the bottom edge of the round bale where I could see nose hole sized openings.  Could he have dug himself into the bottom of the round bale?  The hay was warm and rotting at the bottom, a perfect spot for a pig to make a toasty hovel.  I pulled out clumps of the wet hay and reached into the opening, suddenly a squeal like no other burst forth from the bottom of the bale.  Louis was under the bale!  I pulled more wet soggy hay out and found that Louis was wedged and stuck under the bale.  As the sheep and goats had eaten away at the bale, the bale had tipped over and was crushing Louis.
  I ran back to the house and asked Kaitlyn to come help get her pig out.  We pulled at the hay and tried to dig Louis out.  I was afraid that eventually the weight of the the 1000lb bale was going to crush the air right out of Louis and we wouldn't see him until Spring thaw...but we had to try to free him.  He was still screaming so he was still alive and breathing!  Then, Kaitlyn and I were able to finally push the bale upright enough that Louis was able to wriggle himself out from underneath it all.  Finally he made it out, without a scratch or broken bone!! It was amazing.
  Louis had sought shelter in the warm and cozy hay; but it had nearly cost him his life.  It reminded me that we  too can be seeking comfort in what looks good for us; sometimes comfortable can also be deadly for us.  We need to carefully evaluate our situation, not always seeking warm and cozy.  Life can always shift, like the weight of the round bale. We need to evaluate and be aware of our situation.  Thankfully we have a good shepherd who is able to meet our needs and be a game changer; like we were able to do for Louis.

Dear Louis,
Next time you want a warm cozy place to lay, please do not bury yourself underneath the bottom of a 1000lb round bale, I may not always be around to hear your squeal and dig your fat butt out!